The Student Room Group

Why has the Muslim world made no Contribution to Science and Technology?

Scroll to see replies

Clearly you don't have a good grasp of socioeconomics. To do science, a scientist needs the necessary tools, time, compensation and desirably a decent intellectual community. That largely doesn't exist in the Muslim world, or at least not to the same standard as some of the wealthiest universities in the world. You'd be hard-pressed to find a single revolutionary scientist who didn't have an abundance of opportunity and resources.
Yea, contributions from the Muslim world have been very limited in recent times. But don't say the Muslim world has not mady any contributions since for example the hospital comes directly from Arabia.

Immerse yourself in the Islamic golden age and the Muslim world being the richest in most of the middle ages.
Reply 62
Original post by Metalfros
Yea, contributions from the Muslim world have been very limited in recent times. But don't say the Muslim world has not mady any contributions since for example the hospital comes directly from Arabia.

Immerse yourself in the Islamic golden age and the Muslim world being the richest in most of the middle ages.


What has caused this drought?
Original post by Sarahsez
What has caused this drought?


I am of the opinion that two major things contributed to this.

1) The destabilisation of the middle east. Britain and the USA majorly contributed to this as well. If many governments are non-existent in a large area and the countries that do have one have to constantly put up with refugees (Lebanon, Jordan) or have the threat of terrorists and other groups at their border, it is hard to focus on science. Remember that since WW2 most western countries have never had a real threat to their home soil.

2) The conservative governments. Essentially they don't seem to care that much about science. This basically goes for most countries with a stable government in the region.
Reply 64
Original post by Sarahsez
What has caused this drought?

As you started this discussion , I just want to say that everyones entitled to their own opininion and thats what really counts kuttiya:smile:
I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned that western nations - especially the US - hold an iron grip on peer reviewed scientific journals.

The situation is so bad that even British scientists are often forced to publish papers in American journals because Americans are often reluctant to acknowledge discoveries if they are published in British (or other non-American) journals.
Original post by Smh82
This is what I think, thats why i posted or(copied and pasted) it:biggrin:so you haraam khor have your own opinion and i surely respect that:redface:
except that haraam khor is a heavy insult in Urdu (which is not very respectful)

best
Original post by Sarahsez
.. in the last 500 years?

There are almost 2 billion Muslims in the world. But I can't think of a significant contribution in the last 500 years.

Let's face it the most successful Muslims in recent times are those living in western countries or with western education.

Afterall, Islam is a complete way of life and according to many Muslims superior to any other.

Why have they regressed somuch?


didnt you post the exact same thread many months ago? talk about clickbaiting :lol:
Original post by Metalfros
Yea, contributions from the Muslim world have been very limited in recent times. But don't say the Muslim world has not mady any contributions since for example the hospital comes directly from Arabia.

Immerse yourself in the Islamic golden age and the Muslim world being the richest in most of the middle ages.
Muslims have made many contributions to science, although the last, say, 800 years, have not been as productive as the first 600

however, in what way is this connected to Islam ? was it thanks to Islam, or despite Islam or (most likely) there is no direct link ?

best
Original post by Akamega
Clearly you don't have a good grasp of socioeconomics. To do science, a scientist needs the necessary tools, time, compensation and desirably a decent intellectual community. That largely doesn't exist in the Muslim world, or at least not to the same standard as some of the wealthiest universities in the world. You'd be hard-pressed to find a single revolutionary scientist who didn't have an abundance of opportunity and resources.


The Gulf states are swimming in money but they do not invest any of it in science or engineering. Neither do they spend much on technical education in order to train their natives for jobs currently carried out by well paid expats.

The way that these countries work is that they effectively buy in labour and buy in skills. There is also no incentive to invest in automation because so much cheap (almost slave) labour is available from third world countries.
Original post by Metalfros
Yea, contributions from the Muslim world have been very limited in recent times. But don't say the Muslim world has not mady any contributions since for example the hospital comes directly from Arabia.

Immerse yourself in the Islamic golden age and the Muslim world being the richest in most of the middle ages.


The newly born muslim world had inherited an ancient Greek-Persian descendance of philosophy schools, as many philosophers moved to Persia in the early centuries of Christianisation, with them they brough both inspiring systems and a lot of actual knowledge that can be considered quite scientifical.

I think the daily influence of ideologies on common people, therefore, on entire societies are rather simple and can be summarized in that a very brief explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZZMXV_PRXk

Add this to the fact that their world took a strong damage from Mongol destruction of Bagadad, it was about that time when things started going unprogressive.

The Rennaisance in Europe, as historians agree, began largely thanks to the fact that ancient Greek philosophy was recovered thanks to translations from Arabic sources, and further recovery of copied works in captured Arabic libraries in Spain after the Reconquest.

Original post by Metalfros
I am of the opinion that two major things contributed to this.

1) The destabilisation of the middle east. Britain and the USA majorly contributed to this as well. If many governments are non-existent in a large area and the countries that do have one have to constantly put up with refugees (Lebanon, Jordan) or have the threat of terrorists and other groups at their border, it is hard to focus on science. Remember that since WW2 most western countries have never had a real threat to their home soil.

2) The conservative governments. Essentially they don't seem to care that much about science. This basically goes for most countries with a stable government in the region.


You're forgetting that since the XVIIIth century the West was on constant boost in terms of science, technology and economy, while the Muslim world was lagging behind. Even the Ottoman Empire was lagging behind, already at the end of the XVIIth century.
It's said that the Muslim world did not produce any significant contribution to science or philosophy since XIIIth century, about the time when Averroes faced persecutions from their religious leaders.
(edited 6 years ago)
What has the western world offered in the fields of morality and ethics.?
Original post by Arran90
The Gulf states are swimming in money but they do not invest any of it in science or engineering. Neither do they spend much on technical education in order to train their natives for jobs currently carried out by well paid expats.

The way that these countries work is that they effectively buy in labour and buy in skills. There is also no incentive to invest in automation because so much cheap (almost slave) labour is available from third world countries.


I agree, but that has nothing to do with Islam, and everything to do with a relatively wealthy nation(s) not investing in it's people. It is also very difficult for recently rich states to cultivate a good intellectual community. Scientists want to go where science is best, and these countries haven't got established institutions.
Original post by Metalfros
I am of the opinion that two major things contributed to this.

1) The destabilisation of the middle east. Britain and the USA majorly contributed to this as well. If many governments are non-existent in a large area and the countries that do have one have to constantly put up with refugees (Lebanon, Jordan) or have the threat of terrorists and other groups at their border, it is hard to focus on science. Remember that since WW2 most western countries have never had a real threat to their home soil.

2) The conservative governments. Essentially they don't seem to care that much about science. This basically goes for most countries with a stable government in the region.


The Middle-East has been unstable for thousands of years though, it was just as bad in the 80's and not much better in the 90's thanks largely to Saddam. Of course the 2003 Iraq War didn't help but it's just one thing after another with that place, if it wasn't that it'd be something else. As someone said above the stable countries have **** loads of oil money and can just buy in whatever they need.

Original post by WeRTheExperience
What has the western world offered in the fields of morality and ethics.?


The Enlightenment, which lead to liberal democracies instead of being ruled by archaic religious laws.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by JamesN88
The Enlightenment, which lead to liberal democracies instead of being ruled by archaic religious laws.


The idea that prowess in science and engineering in a particular country is proportional to social liberalism in that country is a red herring.

From an historical perspective, I'm under the impression that Christianity (or more precisely the Church of Rome as an institution) inhibited progress in science and technology in Europe during the Middle Ages, when Islam had its golden age, much more so than Islam inhibited progress in science and technology in the past 500 or so years.

It's noteworthy that social liberals (in Britain at least) rarely pursue careers in science or engineering and instead gravitate towards the media, politics, the public sector, or campaign groups.
Original post by Arran90
The idea that prowess in science and engineering in a particular country is proportional to social liberalism in that country is a red herring.

From an historical perspective, I'm under the impression that Christianity (or more precisely the Church of Rome as an institution) inhibited progress in science and technology in Europe during the Middle Ages, when Islam had its golden age, much more so than Islam inhibited progress in science and technology in the past 500 or so years.

It's noteworthy that social liberals (in Britain at least) rarely pursue careers in science or engineering and instead gravitate towards the media, politics, the public sector, or campaign groups.


I agree, it was a reply to that specific post rather that the overall topic of the thread. :smile:
Original post by WeRTheExperience
What has the western world offered in the fields of morality and ethics.?


Let's start from the fact that the pagan ancient west invented the Ethics as area of philosophy and science.

Original post by Akamega
I agree, but that has nothing to do with Islam, and everything to do with a relatively wealthy nation(s) not investing in it's people.


And the matters of what a state does and does not, always has a background in it's culture. How do you intend to defend the concept that Islam has nothing to do with their culture?

Original post by Arran90

It's noteworthy that social liberals (in Britain at least) rarely pursue careers in science or engineering and instead gravitate towards the media, politics, the public sector, or campaign groups.


It takes time to have interest in something, so the fact that someone is political (in any orientation) replaces his interest in anything else.
Reply 77
Original post by mariachi
except that haraam khor is a heavy insult in Urdu (which is not very respectful)

best

Sorry man, I was told it was spanish for sir.I feel deceived now:frown:
Sumeria?

Cradle of civilisation.

Also I think binary was more of less developed by Dravidian (south indian) mathematicians.
Reply 79
Original post by Arran90
The Gulf states are swimming in money but they do not invest any of it in science or engineering. Neither do they spend much on technical education in order to train their natives for jobs currently carried out by well paid expats.

The way that these countries work is that they effectively buy in labour and buy in skills. There is also no incentive to invest in automation because so much cheap (almost slave) labour is available from third world countries.


With the amount of money they have. Why haven't they used their resources to find the next Elon Musk??

Quick Reply

Latest

Trending

Trending