Why the Arabic World Turned Away from Science.

[Mindful]

What happened?

The Muslims invented the symbol for zero (The word "cipher" comes from Arabic sifr), and they organized the numbers into the decimal system - base 10. Additionally, they invented the symbol to express an unknown quantity, i.e. variables like x.

The first great Muslim mathematician, Al-Khawarizmi, invented the subject of algebra (al-Jabr), which was further developed by others, most notably Umar Khayyam. Al-Khawarizmi's work, in Latin translation, brought the Arabic numerals along with the mathematics to Europe, through Spain. The word "algorithm" is derived from his name.

Muslim mathematicians excelled also in geometry, as can be seen in their graphic arts, and it was the great Al-Biruni (who excelled also in the fields of natural history, even geology and mineralogy) who established trigonometry as a distinct branch of mathematics. Other Muslim mathematicians made significant progress in number theory.

 

[Mindful]

Muslim bashing. Check.

Catholic bashing. Check.

Christian bashing. Check.

Republican bashing. Check.

Looks like you guys have covered all of the bases.

No bashing on this thread. You nonce.

Uh huh.

I'll bash you if you like.

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

 

[ding]

Muslim bashing. Check.

Catholic bashing. Check.

Christian bashing. Check.

Republican bashing. Check.

Looks like you guys have covered all of the bases.

No bashing on this thread. You nonce.

Uh huh.

I'll bash you if you like.

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

Yes it does.

 

[Mindful]

No bashing on this thread. You nonce.

Uh huh.

I'll bash you if you like.

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

Yes it does.

Look.

Can't you discuss anything, if it doesn't centre around you?

 

[ding]

Muslim bashing. Check.

Catholic bashing. Check.

Christian bashing. Check.

Republican bashing. Check.

Looks like you guys have covered all of the bases.

No bashing on this thread. You nonce.

Uh huh.

I'll bash you if you like.

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

BTW are you ever going to create an OP that isn’t a copy and paste from a website?

 

[ding]

Uh huh.

I'll bash you if you like.

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

Yes it does.

Look.

Can't you discuss anything, if it doesn't centre around you?

I discuss all kinds of things. You are the one obsessed over me.

 

[Mindful]

No bashing on this thread. You nonce.

Uh huh.

I'll bash you if you like.

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

BTW are you ever going to create an OP that isn’t a copy and paste from a website?

You're just deflecting.

Why are you here?

 

[ding]

Uh huh.

I'll bash you if you like.

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

BTW are you ever going to create an OP that isn’t a copy and paste from a website?

You're just deflecting.

Why are you here?

Good question. Why are you here?

 

[Mindful]

I'll bash you if you like.

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

BTW are you ever going to create an OP that isn’t a copy and paste from a website?

You're just deflecting.

Why are you here?

Good question. Why are you here?

 

[ding]

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

BTW are you ever going to create an OP that isn’t a copy and paste from a website?

You're just deflecting.

Why are you here?

Good question. Why are you here?

You didn’t mind it being jacked when hobelim’s opening post was bashing Catholicism, Ms. Selectivity.

 

[ding]

Have at it. It’s never stopped you before. I want you to be happy.

It doesn't make me happy, mocking the afflicted.

BTW are you ever going to create an OP that isn’t a copy and paste from a website?

You're just deflecting.

Why are you here?

Good question. Why are you here?

You want me to explain why societies fail?

Societies fail because when they become satisfied they become proud and when they become proud they stop doing the things that made them successful.

Hence the phrase laughing leads to crying.

Of special note this phenomenon also applies to individuals. So choose wisely. Lest you wake up in a bed of your own making.

 

[ding]

On the lost Golden Age and the rejection of reason

Contemporary Islam is not known for its engagement in the modern scientific project. But it is heir to a legendary “Golden Age” of Arabic science frequently invoked by commentators hoping to make Muslims and Westerners more respectful and understanding of each other. President Obama, for instance, in his June 4, 2009 speech in Cairo, praised Muslims for their historical scientific and intellectual contributions to civilization:

It was Islam that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed.

Such tributes to the Arab world’s era of scientific achievement are generally made in service of a broader political point, as they usually precede discussion of the region’s contemporary problems. They serve as an implicit exhortation: the great age of Arab science demonstrates that there is no categorical or congenital barrier to tolerance, cosmopolitanism, and advancement in the Islamic Middle East.

To anyone familiar with this Golden Age, roughly spanning the eighth through the thirteenth centuries a.d., the disparity between the intellectual achievements of the Middle East then and now — particularly relative to the rest of the world — is staggering indeed. In his 2002 book What Went Wrong?, historian Bernard Lewis notes that “for many centuries the world of Islam was in the forefront of human civilization and achievement.” “Nothing in Europe,” notes Jamil Ragep, a professor of the history of science at the University of Oklahoma, “could hold a candle to what was going on in the Islamic world until about 1600.” Algebra, algorithm, alchemy, alcohol, alkali, nadir, zenith, coffee, and lemon: these words all derive from Arabic, reflecting Islam’s contribution

Why the Arabic World Turned Away from Science

No original content.

 

[ding]

Given that Arabic science was the most advanced in the world up until about the thirteenth century, it is tempting to ask what went wrong — why it is that modern science did not arise from Baghdad or Cairo or Córdoba. We will turn to this question later, but it is important to keep in mind that the decline of scientific activity is the rule, not the exception, of civilizations. While it is commonplace to assume that the scientific revolution and the progress of technology were inevitable, in fact the West is the single sustained success story out of many civilizations with periods of scientific flourishing. Like the Muslims, the ancient Chinese and Indian civilizations, both of which were at one time far more advanced than the West, did not produce the scientific revolution.

Nevertheless, while the decline of Arabic civilization is not exceptional, the reasons for it offer insights into the history and nature of Islam and its relationship with modernity. Islam’s decline as an intellectual and political force was gradual but pronounced: while the Golden Age was extraordinarily productive, with the contributions made by Arabic thinkers often original and groundbreaking, the past seven hundred years tell a very different story.

Also not original content. So first two posts are in violation of board rules.

 

[ding]

What happened?

The Muslims invented the symbol for zero (The word "cipher" comes from Arabic sifr), and they organized the numbers into the decimal system - base 10. Additionally, they invented the symbol to express an unknown quantity, i.e. variables like x.

The first great Muslim mathematician, Al-Khawarizmi, invented the subject of algebra (al-Jabr), which was further developed by others, most notably Umar Khayyam. Al-Khawarizmi's work, in Latin translation, brought the Arabic numerals along with the mathematics to Europe, through Spain. The word "algorithm" is derived from his name.

Muslim mathematicians excelled also in geometry, as can be seen in their graphic arts, and it was the great Al-Biruni (who excelled also in the fields of natural history, even geology and mineralogy) who established trigonometry as a distinct branch of mathematics. Other Muslim mathematicians made significant progress in number theory.

Also a direct quote from the link but at least this time you added the original question of what happened. My God you are a powerhouse of independent thought.

 

[Hollie]

Given that Arabic science was the most advanced in the world up until about the thirteenth century, it is tempting to ask what went wrong — why it is that modern science did not arise from Baghdad or Cairo or Córdoba. We will turn to this question later, but it is important to keep in mind that the decline of scientific activity is the rule, not the exception, of civilizations. While it is commonplace to assume that the scientific revolution and the progress of technology were inevitable, in fact the West is the single sustained success story out of many civilizations with periods of scientific flourishing. Like the Muslims, the ancient Chinese and Indian civilizations, both of which were at one time far more advanced than the West, did not produce the scientific revolution.

Nevertheless, while the decline of Arabic civilization is not exceptional, the reasons for it offer insights into the history and nature of Islam and its relationship with modernity. Islam’s decline as an intellectual and political force was gradual but pronounced: while the Golden Age was extraordinarily productive, with the contributions made by Arabic thinkers often original and groundbreaking, the past seven hundred years tell a very different story.

The destruction of the first caliphate by the Mongol Khans was the reason for the end of Islamic/Arabic/ME sciences.. ..

That, I think, is largely true but a contributing factor is that Arab'ism has never undertaken an enlightenment as the West did.

The symbolism of the Hajj ritual is one of many aspects of Islamism / Arab'ism that calls to mind the ancient pagan roots which were instrumental in shaping the religion that Muhammad (swish) created. One such reminder is seen on the tenth day of Hajj (the compulsory pilgrimage to Mecca) in a ritual called ramyu 'r rijam, during which Moslem pilgrims cast seven small stones each at three pillars symbolizing evil and the devil. Anthropologists would call this sympathetic magic, which is the ascription of magical properties to everyday acts and objects in an effort to control ones environment.

.

 

[Moonglow]

Today’s dung from Ding is brought to you by sanctimonious assmasters wannabe-club clique.com.

 

[ding]

Today’s dung from Ding is brought to you by sanctimonious assmasters wannabe-club clique.com.

Sticks and stones, bro.

 

[Moonglow]

Today’s dung from Ding is brought to you by sanctimonious assmasters wannabe-club clique.com.

Sticks and stones, bro.

I hope it hurts you as much as it hurts us...

 

[ding]

Today’s dung from Ding is brought to you by sanctimonious assmasters wannabe-club clique.com.

Sticks and stones, bro.

I hope it hurts you as much as it hurts us...

The am told misery does love company.

 

[Moonglow]

Today’s dung from Ding is brought to you by sanctimonious assmasters wannabe-club clique.com.

Sticks and stones, bro.

I hope it hurts you as much as it hurts us...

The am told misery does love company.

Que?