The "Muslim-Christian Conference on Philosophy, Religion and Science", alongside the "Celebration of Cambridge Elements on Islam and the Sciences", hosted by the Department of Philosophy and Artificial Intelligence, was successfully held from May 22-24, 2026, at our university's Süleymaniye Campus.
Prior to the formal academic sessions, a dedicated sightseeing tour of Istanbul's historical peninsula was organized for the participants on Thursday, May 21. International guests visited significant cultural landmarks, including the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, and Topkapı Palace, offering them a profound glimpse into the city's rich heritage.
Throughout the intensive three-day program, prominent scholars delivered keynotes on the intersection of science, religion, and philosophy. Notable keynote presentations included Steven Horst ("Exorcising Laplace's Demon"), Saniye Vatansever ("Kant's Triune Reason"), Kelly James Clark ("Advice to Muslim Philosophers"), Stefano Bigliardi ("Islam and Pseudoscience"), Willem B. Drees ("'Islam and the Sciences' vs 'Religion and Science'"), Denis Alexander ("Purpose, Constraint and Directionality in Evolution"), and Parandis Tajbakhsh ("Islam and Extraterrestrial Life"). Nidhal Guessoum and Ozgur Koca also contributed significantly as keynote speakers.
A special highlight of the event was the book celebration held on Friday, May 22, focusing on Enis Doko's Islam and Cosmology, which featured critical responses by Jamal Mimouni and Stephen Horst.
Organized by Kelly James Clark, Enis Doko, Stefano Bigliardi, and Nidhal Guessoum, the conference successfully fostered interdisciplinary dialogue, deep philosophical discussion, and scholarly collaboration between Muslim and Christian academics.
