Arab-French Philosophy Conference At Sorbonne In Paris Explores Faith, Science And Reason Across Cultures

Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities has highlighted the UAE’s role in global intellectual dialogue by closing the Third International Conference on Philosophy, Belief, Science, and Reason, organised with the French Institute for Islamic Studies at Sorbonne University in Paris from 15th to 17th December.

The gathering, hosted by Sorbonne University as its first Arab-French philosophy conference, brought together philosophers, researchers and scholars from multiple countries. Participants examined how faith, scientific investigation and rational analysis interact, and assessed where religious belief and scientific knowledge align, overlap or challenge each other in contemporary debates.

Across three days, panels explored the philosophy of science in relation to belief, ethical questions raised by scientific and technological progress, and hermeneutical methods for reading religious texts. Speakers also tracked how Islamic theology has adapted to modern scientific and epistemological developments, while devoting special sessions to artificial intelligence and its potential effects on humanity.

The discussions emphasised that science and philosophy can operate alongside spiritual values, rather than in opposition. This approach reflected an intellectual current within the UAE that treats empirical research, rational reasoning and religious perspectives as mutually informative. It also highlighted MBZUH’s efforts to link academic work with broader human aspirations and moral concerns.

The opening session included a keynote delivered on behalf of France’s Minister of Higher Education, Research and Space by Claudio Galderisi, President of the French Institute for Islamic Studies. The address welcomed expanding academic cooperation between the UAE and France and encouraged continued dialogue on shared intellectual and educational challenges.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, Chairman of the UAE Fatwa Council and the Higher Academic Council at MBZUH, explained that the conference aims to develop an integrated philosophical framework that values rational inquiry while treating revelation as a guiding reference. Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah stressed renewing discourse instead of reviving historical disputes between faith and reason.

In the inaugural lecture, Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri, Chancellor of MBZUH, noted Paris’s long-standing role as a crossroads for philosophical traditions. Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri described the event as part of an ongoing civilisational dialogue linking Greek, Islamic and European intellectual legacies, aligning MBZUH with international scholarship and sustained academic cooperation.

By the end of the conference, organisers underlined MBZUH’s commitment to advancing rigorous philosophical research, strengthening partnerships with leading institutions such as Sorbonne University and the French Institute for Islamic Studies, and supporting an outlook in which science, philosophy and belief contribute together to human understanding and future scientific and ethical discussions.

With inputs from WAM