Accuracy and precision in the measurements of religion and politics
Summary
Measuring instruments work on reading natural quantities accurately and precisely; a thermometer measures temperature, a voltmeter measures volts and other electric quantities with defined accuracy and precision depending on the natural properties of temperature or voltage on one hand and on the specifications of the measuring instrument on the other.
Similarly, all scientific disciplines including social and humanity fields submit their measurements to assessment of parallel concepts of accuracy and precision, such as validity vs. Reliability, whose assessments are made depending on clues and verbal evidences which points to either the accuracy or precision of a measurement.
The question examined here is: If we looked at human being as measuring instruments in the fields of religion and politics the what differences could we see in accuracy and precision?
First I will discuss definitions and basic concepts then some clues and evidences relating to religion and politics.
In conclusion, evidence support religious measurements as highly accurate in the eyes of the believers in separating good and evil but with low precision when comparing between two permissable or two forbiden alternatives. While politics is opposite since it provides weak, somewhat arbitrary accuracy but with high precision in comparing the returns of alternative policies. Therefore relitgion and politics provide fundamentally different measures and there is no use in comparing them.
The conclusions of this enquiry are presened with historic Islamic evidence but the evidence is not exclusive to Islam or any particular religion: the clues are suitable for all common measures of moral code which provide (absolute) reference for separation between good and evil, or right and wrong. And so, my opinions are scientific but not liturgical and do not depend on the credibility of divine script.
Full blog entry in Arabic below