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How could have Mu'tazilism survived ? And then, how will it actually develop as a political and judicial framework ?

I've been re-reading again on Mu'tazilism, and while I think I still don't have sufficient grasp of the subject I shall throw this anyway for feedbacks. Ideally, Mu'tazilites still put revelation as the highest authority. However, they effectively set aside precedents as well as mandate immense weight on personal interpretation. The later part might seem sugary and ideal. But remember that Mu'tazilites came to be vilified for its association with Mihna, the initiative of Caliph Al Ma'mun of the Abbasids to centralize authority on the expense of traditional scholars. It might will stimulate flowering of natural science. But I doubt it will do so for political liberalism. Not immediately in medieval era at least. Mu'tazilist dismission of the old interpretations and and authority of scriptures can mean that power can get pretty personal and concentrated. What will we get from this ? Some sort of Islamic legalism ? Or do we get something similar to proto-Khomeinist Platonism out of the necessity for a cabal of reasoning experts ?
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