It is to the credit of the thinker Ibrahim Al-Buleihi that he was the first to bravely confront the structure of backwardness, and perhaps he paid a heavy price, as he freed us from chronic dogmatism, drew our attention to the illusory superiority, and made us aware of the facts and causes of weakness that we had long refused to acknowledge. Despite the criticism and reactions he faced from all spectra, including the heralds of enlightenment, you can discern from his features an overwhelming happiness, for within him there is a certain satisfaction, given that he opened the window to the sunlight before others, lit candles in the midst of darkness when he was alone, and built a bridge for those who wanted to move from a narrow shore to wider and more diverse shores. Perhaps he wanted to shock and be shocked, because he was confident that interaction and movement were coming and the matter was a matter of time.

Here we glimpse his voluntary isolation, hoping to give us some of his positive energy that strengthens our intentions to continue the journey.

• Do the thinker's convictions change?

•• Yes, ideas do change, but the more profound one's thinking and saturation with the nature of thought and the nature of human knowledge, the more prepared one is for change.

• What if some of your theories turned out to be speculative?

•• The basic principle is that human knowledge is speculative. Whoever believes that he possesses the absolute truth is outside the scope of scientific thinking. Therefore, the possibility of error is present with regard to any position, opinion, or idea.

• How do you see our shift from a pulpit-based discourse to a philosophical approach?

•• Philosophical discourse is an individual discourse, and philosophy cannot become the culture of a society, including (Athens), which persecuted philosophers and executed (Socrates). It is a mistake to imagine that Greek or Athenian society accepted philosophy; this is one of the great historical illusions.

• When does a thinker reap the fruits of his ideas?

•• The thinker does not expect a quick response, and often the thinker dies without finding any response, and there are as many examples of this as there are thinkers in history.

• Have you ever felt “regret” because of your initiative to champion thought and philosophy in our country?

On the contrary, I did nothing to regret, as the attempt to enlighten is a goal worth enduring hostile reactions.

Where did the structure of backwardness come from?

•• Backwardness does not stem from errors in judgment, but rather from the claim of infallibility, the illusion of perfection, and the belief in possessing absolute truth. Error is a fundamental human characteristic, and this characteristic must be dealt with realistically, positively, and rationally. Therefore, a crucial distinction must be made between errors of judgment and errors of negligence.

• What did you mean by your book “A Disabled Civilization”?

•• In my book (A Disabled Civilization), I tried to point out that despite the enormous progress that civilization has made in ideas, sciences, arts, and technologies, and the flourishing of means has reached its maximum extent, it still suffers from a structural defect that has kept it disabled, as it has focused attention throughout the world on the economic aspect and on the tools and means of conflict. This aspect has become inflated and has swallowed up all available energy. The economy is not satisfied with swallowing up all available energy, but economic conflicts and competitions also unleash the worst of human nature’s capabilities. It is enough to look at what is spent in the world on military aspects to realize the enormous distance that separates humanity from the level of civilization that befits a civilized human being.

How do you see reality?

Human life remains preoccupied with the demands of the struggle for survival. Human energy is concentrated on the economic and military aspects, and this isn't limited to nations; individuals are consumed by the necessities of survival, learning for jobs, prestige, and opportunities rather than for knowledge, enlightenment, and ethics. Similarly, societies are consumed by the pursuit of economics—production, marketing, and competition. Therefore, we can rightly describe contemporary civilization as an economic civilization suffering from a profound structural flaw. Scientific achievements are harnessed for economic purposes more than any other. Perhaps medicine is the only field that truly cares for humanity, yet patients in the wealthiest countries may die at hospital doors because they cannot afford treatment. This focus on the economy has made everything contingent on the availability of money.

• Is the problem with humans or the environment?

•• Man automatically focuses on the requirements of survival, but he is in dire need of someone to repeatedly remind him that man is not only a biological being, but first and foremost a moral being, and then a cognitive being. His life must be based on a system of ideals befitting man, and generations must be raised to strive diligently to adhere to the values ​​of truth, goodness, and beauty in order to reduce animosity and diminish conflict.

Which paradoxes worry you?

One of the greatest paradoxes of human life is the stark contrast between possessing immense and terrifying power and neglecting wisdom. The world is engaged in a frantic race to build power, yet it remains utterly oblivious to the cultivation and acquisition of wisdom. In conflicts, wisdom is lost. Moreover, no nation is immune to the follies, recklessness, and aggression of other nations. The entire global atmosphere is rife with folly, aggression, and a mentality of dominance. If you are not a wolf, the wolves will devour you.

• How can we reconcile the collective and the individual?

•• The most intractable dilemma is that power is collective, cumulative, and limitless, while wisdom is only individual and rare. Hence the paradox intensifies. Imagine America’s capabilities and listen to Biden when he talks about the most complex issues, and you will feel the enormous paradox.

What is Western civilization looking for?

From its very beginnings, Western civilization has been driven by a frantic race to build power, not to seek wisdom. Its initial impetus was Columbus's voyage, motivated by the pursuit of dominance in the conflicts between nations. Conflict, it seems, stimulates human intellect while suppressing wisdom. It unleashes the worst aspects of human nature. Conflict and rivalry may make people stronger, but they also make them less wise and more foolish.

• How can these problems be addressed?

Capabilities are the fruit of the integration between the creativity of the few and the production of the many, and the transformation of flashes of extraordinary intellect into a lethal weapon through the organized integration between the creative energy of the few and the productive energies of the masses of workers in companies that turn ideas into products. However, many of the greatest inventions resulted from wars and the search for more power. Therefore, there is a terrible and dreadful imbalance between the capabilities of nations and the wisdom with which these capabilities are managed.

Where does the individual's problem lie?

•• In overlooking the fact that what he is now in terms of amazing civilizational development is not inherent in his formation, but rather is the product of slow accumulation, as the anthropologist Richard J. Klein pointed out in his book (The Human Journey). Man is the product of the sudden leap with contemporary civilization with its unique global character, and this leap was not achieved because of a mental leap, but rather because humanity found out how to mobilize energies in one direction to turn individual flashes of genius into reality.

When can we break free from the structure of backwardness?

•• Man is a cultural being, and his cultural development has taken time for eternity. Therefore, there is a huge distance between turning the stone into a cutting tool, more than two million years ago, and then ending with this cultural growth with the invention of artificial intelligence, venturing into outer space, and achieving amazing inventions. But this was not achieved except after humanity spent a long time, steeped in its length, weakness, and stumbling, as the development of human culture took time for eternity.

People should realize that they are cultural beings, and that an individual is distinguished only by what he adds to his capabilities in terms of perceptions, knowledge, competencies, skills, and habits.

• What do you mean by the idea of ​​a “productive mistake”?

•• Contemporary philosophers affirm that one of the greatest achievements of human thought is the affirmation and dissemination of the concept of fallibility. Error is inherent and spontaneous, while correctness is the fruit of effort and focus. Humans are surrounded by the possibility of error in everything they say and do. Therefore, the famous sociologist Vilfredo Pareto points out that errors are not an absolute negativity, but rather contain great, fruitful positive seeds that blossom with the efforts of attempts at correction. No sooner does a researcher announce a discovery than others rush to verify it. Through this mobilization, the human mind is enriched and human knowledge is developed. Therefore, Pareto affirms that “error is fruitful and full of seeds of corrections.”.

• What is the effect of recognizing shortcomings and flaws and limiting self-praise?

•• When a person realizes the authenticity, priority, and spontaneity of error, in all important situations, he sharpens his thinking, mobilizes his energy, focuses his attention, and brings up all possibilities. Grasping the correct idea is like catching a runaway prey. It is not achieved automatically, but rather requires preparation, mobilization, and the use of the best available tools and means. All sciences are nothing but the correction of perceptions and a retreat from chronic general errors. The clearest example of this general human error is the discovery that the Earth is not the center of the universe, but rather just a small planet that revolves around the sun. It is a grave error that has remained prevalent throughout the centuries.

What are the consequences of denying the spontaneity of error?

Denying the priority, originality, and spontaneity of error leads to confusion, hesitation, fatigue, and sterility. It drives people to refrain from action and to abstain from taking initiative, thus planting the seeds of idleness, inertia, and backwardness. Correct action is the fruit of realizing the priority of error and focusing attention on avoiding it. I intend to publish a book on (the originality of human shortcomings), and the topic of the originality of error will be among its topics.

• Is error inherent in humankind? •• Error may arise after exhausting all effort in verification. Human beings are inherently limited, and errors occur after exerting maximum effort. Legal scholars and jurists have addressed issues of error. Libraries are replete with books discussing errors that occur despite maximum effort, such as the mistakes of military commanders. Here, we find Bill Fawcett, a specialist in tracing history, who has two books: one titled "Generals' Mistakes Throughout History" and the other "One Hundred Mistakes That Changed the Course of History." Professor Lloyd Jeff Dumas has a book titled "Human Error and Dangerous Technologies." Nigel Blundell traces human history to document "The Greatest Mistakes in the World"—which has two Arabic translations—beginning with a chapter on the Great Fire of London, caused by a fire that initially broke out in a bakery. Here, we recall the common saying, "Most fires start from a tiny spark." In general, the primacy, spontaneity, and inherent nature of error have been extensively addressed in history, medical culture, philosophical thought, ethical thought, legal thought, and administrative thought.

• You differentiate between success and making others succeed. What is your starting point for this? •• Individual success in any field is a success available to anyone who devotes their strong, spontaneous, and immersive attention to the field, and uses the means, knowledge, and tools necessary in the field. As for making life successful, this is a great matter that differs from individual success in life. Making life successful differs qualitatively from individual success in life. There are many successful people in the struggles of life, but in numbers. The success of one of them in the competition and jostling is a reason for the failure of others who had the bad luck of being in his way, so he removed them from his way and pushed them to failure. As for making others succeed, the results vary. The capable and sincere teacher may be a reason for the success of generations of students, but how rare are the likes of this exceptional teacher whose success results extend to others.

• What about a tax for resisting enlightenment?

•• Everyone who champions enlightenment bears the brunt of rigidity and fanaticism, and the resulting harassment, ostracism, and defamation, simply for seeking to spread enlightenment and light as many candles as possible on the path to it. But greater than all of these, with a broader impact and more lasting results, is when an exceptional leader rises up and changes the course of an entire society, transforming it from fragmentation to unity, from weakness to strength, from fear to security, and from poverty to prosperity. This is the success that King Abdulaziz achieved for this society when he unified it and set it on the path of growth and flourishing.

The great success that King Abdulaziz achieved for this society should be kept in mind, as he saved it from neglect that lasted throughout the centuries.