The Islamic Golden Age - Origins and Influences

[Polymath257]

Former Archbishop of Canterbury no less.

Exactly.

I'd also point out that Oresme studied uniformly accelerated motion prior to Galileo. He also did geometric reasoning with questions of motion that presaged Descartes' work on analytic geometry.

 

[Sanzbir]

You confuse the Arabic-Berber culture with religion.
It's like I said that the greatness of the British Empire was due to Anglicanism

Persians and Mongols aren't Arabic nor Berber, and they were a part of the "Golden Age" at parts of time.

Why are the Mongol invasions religion?

(sarcasm) Isn't it obvious?? The conquest of that secular Buddhist Khan who allowed free religion within his Khanate and his destruction of Bagdad's scientific achievements was clearly the fault of religion!! Somehow...

 

[Quintessence]

It's absolutely understated. Then again, coverage of the role of religion throughout history on the whole is vastly understated in public education. For reasons that are somewhat understandable, granted, but the result is a misrepresentation of human history by eliminating most religious context for historical events. In the case of the Islamic Golden Age in particular, I recall being taught nothing at all about it. In fact, I only stumbled upon it being a thing because of my interest in the Four Elements. Some Islamic scholars continued the Aristotelian tradition of the Four Elements, so I researched aspects of what they worked on.

 

[Danny1988]

The Islamic Golden Age witnessed outstanding levels of scientific, cultural, and economic developments during the 8th to 14th centuries. The House of Wisdom was established in Baghdad, a city that was to become a great centre of learning, arguably unrivalled by other civilisations during this period. The translation of Greek literature into Arabic, the development of many established branches of knowledge, and an openness to new perspectives and ideas. Many historians argue the influence of Islamic civilisation was amongst the most important factors to ignite the European Renaissance.

So what were the influences of the Islamic Golden Age and how significant was the Quran in encouraging the pursuit of knowledge?

How overrated or understated is this period of history from a Western perspective and why?

To what extent did the Islamic Golden Age really stimulate Europe to move beyond the Middle Ages?

What lead to the demise of an Empire once so vast, illustrious and open to new knowledge?

Apart from the discovery of the kabbab, what else did the Islamic golden age give the world?

The Muslims are still living in the 14th century, they haven't made any progress since then. I've never heard of any great Muslim scientists or any great discoveries. The Jews are only small in number but they have won most of the Noble Prizes for innovation in science, medicine and technology.

Islam is famous for all the wrong reasons like terrorism, I've never heard of anything good ascociated with it.

 

[Looncall]

I want to second this. The translations that stimulated later thought were almost exclusively done by monks. Much of the debate about the nature of inertia, questions involving mathematics, the use of the astrolabe (another Arabic development), how to understand astronomy, etc were done by clerics and monks until the late 15th century at least. One good example was Oresme, a monk in Paris who studied, essentially, rational exponents and speculated about irrational exponents. This was far beyond anything done previously with this notion. A good deal of questioning of Aristotelian physics happened within the Church (Thomas Bradwardine, for example). If it wasn't for the foundation laid by monks in the 13th and 14th centuries, the work of Galileo would never have happened. Don't forget that Copernicus was a monk also.



Yes, the Galileo story is more complicated than typically admitted. Remember that this was also during the backlash to the Protestant movement, so there was more concern about heretical ideas in 1600 than there were in 1400. Galileo was, from all sources, an incredibly unpleasant man. He found great joy in poking fun of those who would have helped him.

And, as you say, the issues surrounding the heliiocentric universe were certainly not resolved in the early 1600's. Galileo's observations were crucial, but not yet conclusive. Kepler's contributions also contributed greatly.



Indeed.

Did anyone other than monks have the leisure and freedom to pursue learning at that time?

A few clients of rulers, perhaps.

 

[Augustus]

Did anyone other than monks have the leisure and freedom to pursue learning at that time?

A few clients of rulers, perhaps.

Which is one of the reasons that the Church helped contribute to scientific advancement. It gave people who otherwise wouldn't have had the opportunity the motivation, education and resources to study.

 

[Polymath257]

Did anyone other than monks have the leisure and freedom to pursue learning at that time?

A few clients of rulers, perhaps.

No. Leisure wasn't very common. Which makes the contributions of the monks even more worthy of note. Also, don't forget that they translated and discussed ideas that were *very* much contrary to the dogma of the day. Their idea was that there is one truth and the Greeks, Romans, and Arabs had *parts* of it, but not everything. So, instead of a wholesale dismissal, they picked through the writings and figured out which they believed and which they didn't. They also advanced a number of different intellectual subjects. It wasn't so much of a Dark Age as many have believed.

 

[Polymath257]

Apart from the discovery of the kabbab, what else did the Islamic golden age give the world?

The Muslims are still living in the 14th century, they haven't made any progress since then. I've never heard of any great Muslim scientists or any great discoveries. The Jews are only small in number but they have won most of the Noble Prizes for innovation in science, medicine and technology.

Islam is famous for all the wrong reasons like terrorism, I've never heard of anything good ascociated with it.

The Golden age gave us a great deal, as discussed in my previous posts. That you are unaware of their contributions doesn't mean they don't exist. It doesn't even mean they aren't well known.

 

[sun rise]

So what were the influences of the Islamic Golden Age and how significant was the Quran in encouraging the pursuit of knowledge?

To me, during that period the Quran was interpreted as favoring learning.

How overrated or understated is this period of history from a Western perspective and why?

I'm not sure from a Western perspective, but from a historical perspective it was a classic rise and fall of an Empire, much like Rome.

To what extent did the Islamic Golden Age really stimulate Europe to move beyond the Middle Ages?

Much learning that was later brought to Europe was preserved and added to during the Islamic Golden Age.

What lead to the demise of an Empire once so vast, illustrious and open to new knowledge?

Everything is born, grows and dies whether it be plants, humans or civilizations. The "youthful" energy which fueled the growth and flourishing of the Empire gave way to maturity and finally to decline. Too often various civilizations are looked at as isolated examples and specific causes assigned to their downfall. It's true that the circumstances can be very different, but the basic law of life will sooner or later determine the inevitable progression.

 

[Jumi]

Islam is famous for all the wrong reasons like terrorism, I've never heard of anything good ascociated with it.

You sure wouldn't want Christianity to be remembered for all the bad folks who happened to be Christian and used Christianity for their ends.

 

[Nakosis]

The Islamic Golden Age witnessed outstanding levels of scientific, cultural, and economic developments during the 8th to 14th centuries. The House of Wisdom was established in Baghdad, a city that was to become a great centre of learning, arguably unrivalled by other civilisations during this period. The translation of Greek literature into Arabic, the development of many established branches of knowledge, and an openness to new perspectives and ideas. Many historians argue the influence of Islamic civilisation was amongst the most important factors to ignite the European Renaissance.

So what were the influences of the Islamic Golden Age and how significant was the Quran in encouraging the pursuit of knowledge?

How overrated or understated is this period of history from a Western perspective and why?

To what extent did the Islamic Golden Age really stimulate Europe to move beyond the Middle Ages?

What lead to the demise of an Empire once so vast, illustrious and open to new knowledge?

Conquest seems to lead to a "golden" age. You absorb the science/knowledge/resources of those you conquer/rule. Decline is usually a result of no longer being able to enforce your rule, the empire's borders.

Roman empire, British empire. Conquest of the Americas etc... As soon as you lose the ability to enforce your rule the empires start to crumble.

It is really, IMO, about the ability to enforce rule. Religion is a great way to create unity amongst a people which allows enforcement.

I don't think the actual religious doctrine matters that much. Religion just creates a system of authority that acts as a unifying force.

 

[QuestioningMind]

The Islamic Golden Age witnessed outstanding levels of scientific, cultural, and economic developments during the 8th to 14th centuries. The House of Wisdom was established in Baghdad, a city that was to become a great centre of learning, arguably unrivalled by other civilisations during this period. The translation of Greek literature into Arabic, the development of many established branches of knowledge, and an openness to new perspectives and ideas. Many historians argue the influence of Islamic civilisation was amongst the most important factors to ignite the European Renaissance.

So what were the influences of the Islamic Golden Age and how significant was the Quran in encouraging the pursuit of knowledge?

How overrated or understated is this period of history from a Western perspective and why?

To what extent did the Islamic Golden Age really stimulate Europe to move beyond the Middle Ages?

What lead to the demise of an Empire once so vast, illustrious and open to new knowledge?

It's my understanding that an influential Muslim leader declared that math and science were against God and that led to the demise of the Golden Age. Sadly, you see much the same among many Christians today.

 

[England my lionheart]

The Islamic Golden Age witnessed outstanding levels of scientific, cultural, and economic developments during the 8th to 14th centuries. The House of Wisdom was established in Baghdad, a city that was to become a great centre of learning, arguably unrivalled by other civilisations during this period. The translation of Greek literature into Arabic, the development of many established branches of knowledge, and an openness to new perspectives and ideas. Many historians argue the influence of Islamic civilisation was amongst the most important factors to ignite the European Renaissance.

I don't see the science in the quran or any because of it.

So what were the influences of the Islamic Golden Age and how significant was the Quran in encouraging the pursuit of knowledge?

Again I don't see the quran as a book for those who peruse knowledge, I think it was because of soaking up conquered peoples knowledge.

How overrated or understated is this period of history from a Western perspective and why?

Its overrated because if you had an abundance of knowledge it wouldn't stagnate and move on Imo.

To what extent did the Islamic Golden Age really stimulate Europe to move beyond the Middle Ages?

Humans ability to learn science from others.

What lead to the demise of an Empire once so vast, illustrious and open to new knowledge?

I could say religion and not enough of omar kayyam ilk.

 

[Rational Agnostic]

The Islamic Golden Age witnessed outstanding levels of scientific, cultural, and economic developments during the 8th to 14th centuries. The House of Wisdom was established in Baghdad, a city that was to become a great centre of learning, arguably unrivalled by other civilisations during this period. The translation of Greek literature into Arabic, the development of many established branches of knowledge, and an openness to new perspectives and ideas. Many historians argue the influence of Islamic civilisation was amongst the most important factors to ignite the European Renaissance.

So what were the influences of the Islamic Golden Age and how significant was the Quran in encouraging the pursuit of knowledge?

How overrated or understated is this period of history from a Western perspective and why?

To what extent did the Islamic Golden Age really stimulate Europe to move beyond the Middle Ages?

What lead to the demise of an Empire once so vast, illustrious and open to new knowledge?

Don't know. Never heard of it. I'm not an expert on history but based on what Islam is doing in the world today, I would highly doubt that it ignited the Renaissance or "encouraged the pursuit of knowledge." But what do I know?

 

[Dawnofhope]

The translations were almost all done by Syriac speaking Christians, and Christians and Jews also made other significant contributions.

You make it sound as if the Arabs had little to do with it. Of course there were many Arabs involved in the translation work, as well as Persians and even pagans. However it was the Abbasid rulers who commissioned the translation work and especially the Muslim scientists who most importantly had the vision and drove it.

Just for some perspective on this:

In arguing for the importance of the Christian and Harranian contribution should not obscure the fact it was the Muslim scientists of the early Abbasid period who led the way in their almost insatiable demand for such translations. Without the demand from these patrons and customers, there would never have developed the industry of translation which did develop. So nothing in the above should detract from the leading role played by the Abbasid court.

http://muslimheritage.com/article/syriac-speaking-christians-and-translation-greek-science-arabic

 

[Augustus]

You make it sound as if the Arabs had little to do with it. Of course there were many Arabs involved in the translation work, as well as Persians and even pagans. However it was the Abbasid rulers who commissioned the translation work and especially the Muslim scientists who most importantly had the vision and drove it.

Not at all, I thought the role of the Islamic figures went without saying. Was just pointing out the essential contributions of non-Muslims too.

The Greek translations were overwhelmingly done by Christians (missed the word Greek out of the original). There were not many Arabs who were had sufficient knowledge of Greek/Arabic and the philosophical knowledge to be able to to do this. Translation also involved interpretation, and sometimes advancement of the texts.

The term Islamic Golden Ages implicitly downplays the significant roles of non-Muslims in the era, which is why I prefer Arabic Golden Age. Saying that, many names for historical periods are misleading for somewhat self-serving reasons, Renaissance and Enlightenment key among them. Maybe they'll all go the way of the "Dark Ages" and fall out of favour when people realise they are misleading.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Don't know. Never heard of it. I'm not an expert on history but based on what Islam is doing in the world today, I would highly doubt that it ignited the Renaissance or "encouraged the pursuit of knowledge." But what do I know?

The purpose of a thread like this is to investigate truth. What we are talking about here is mainstream history, not some alternative version of facts taken from extremist websites.

The Islamic Golden Age is the era in the history of Islam, traditionally dated from the 8th century to the 14th century, during which much of the historically Islamic world was ruled by various caliphates, and science, economic development and cultural works flourished. This period is traditionally understood to have begun during the reign of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid (786 to 809) with the inauguration of the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, where scholars from various parts of the world with different cultural backgrounds were mandated to gather and translate all of the world's classical knowledge into the Arabic language. This period is traditionally said to have ended with the collapse of the Abbasid caliphate due to Mongol invasions and the Siege of Baghdad in 1258 AD. A few contemporary scholars place the end of the Islamic Golden Age as late as the end of 15th to 16th centuries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age

The poll as it stands indicates over 60% of RF participants believe the Islamic golden Age has been either underrated or fairly represented.

How about reading some respected authors on world history so you can know yourself rather than relying on the knowledge of others?

 

[Dawnofhope]

The church was the biggest funder of the sciences, and was instrumental in translating Greek and Arabic sources. It created the university system, and installed greek and natural philosophy in the curricula.

Of course it was. I agree.

Not at all, I thought the role of the Islamic figures went without saying. Was just pointing out the essential contributions of non-Muslims too.

I better see the point you're making.

 

[Shad]

1)The first university in the world was that of Fès in Morocco...and it developed the teaching of math, science, geography, philosophy.

Anachronism

 

[Estro Felino]

Anachronism

What was the first, then?