An interesting post here. You might know my thoughts about this propensity to try to link science to religion or culture. Anybody who thinks that religion has anything to do with science is an idiot. No questions asked. But take a look at this article and it just shows that even very smart people make these spectacular mistakes.
Just 3 bits will show you what I mean. Arabic science is not the same as Persian Science. Frankly, in the greater scheme of things, the Persian influence is much more on those Arabs than anything that the Arabs did. No wonder, even now, the Iranians think of the Arabs as jumped up camel herders, lol. The article itself starts talking about a Persian scholar and uses that as an example of Arabic Science.
Second aspect is that they assume that they mix language/culture with religion. As usual with people who have basic issues with history and comprehension, they say that the Arab/Muslim world is the same. Erm, no, it is not and anybody who says so is not fit to be a scientist. They are simply ignorant.
Third aspect is that they forget the power of Persian language to the east, Arabic language was used but the Persian language was also used, and in a matter of speaking, more was done using the Persian language. Take a look at India which actually ended up having more Muslim brains and money than the Arabs. And it was mostly done in Persian. So lets not forget that piece.
But that is not to take away the amazing achievements that these Persian/Arabic/Muslim scientists did. But my theory is that they did so despite their religion, rather than because of it. Scientists, scholars, artists and the lot have always been state directed and been oppressed. Almost every scholar mentioned in this article has had their run-ins with the religious establishment. And THAT, my friends, is the reason for the dire state of science in Arab education at this moment. There is no point in rediscovering science if you do not do the scientific thing and learn from it. Dont be a relativistic, be a positivistic empiricist. Living in the past is not going to give you a patent or invention today or tomorrow.
1 comment:
Could religion be a sort of scientific philosophic compendium: practical timely ephemeral reflections of some state of science and philosophy in desperate need of revision.
Dogma, slavish devotion, demagoguery, aren't these the real culprits? What good does it do intellectual people to alienate people?
You get more flies with honey.
By and by, I enjoyed you later posts (above). That bit you found on the clock is extraordinary. Thank you!
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