Why Does the Muslim World Lag in Science?

[Developereo]

In fact some of the most famous scientists and mathematicians in history held deep religious beliefs

One of the most ironic examples in recent times is that the inventor of the gene gun, John Sanford, is an anti-evolutionist. Since the overwhelming majority of mutations in nature are harmful, he argues that, statisticaly, genomes should deteriorate far faster than any beneficial mutations could possibly accumulate.

An 'open' market is a democratic market and that is exactly what China did -- opened her market -- to foreign investments. So the experts remained correct.

I actually wrote "open societies" in the sense of... (wikipedia)
The open society is a concept originally developed by philosopher Henri Bergson. In open societies, government is responsive and tolerant, and political mechanisms are transparent and flexible.

Maybe open societies are not a prerequisite for economic development. China certainly has done well without one.

These are the people who are happy living their lives in a shell and don't contribute to productivity.

I was trying to summarize the necessary ingredients for successful economic development and came up with an acronym. It can be adapted with a slight modification to the question of scientific and technological progress.

What is needed are good TIMES: Talent, Infrastructure, Motivation, Entrepreneurship and Stability.

Talent: basic innate talent is spread randomly around the world, but is wasted unless developed and nurtured through good education and training.

Infrastructure: Einstein wouldn't have been able to do squat if he had been born as a Kalahari Bushman. Any researcher needs money, equipment, access to the global knowledge network, etc.

Motivation: this can come from capitalism (race to market), patriotism (moon landing), or authoritarianism (Stalin). Motivation can be destroyed by negative factors like corruption, nepotism, etc.

Entrepreneurship: nothing ever gets achieved without a certain level of curiosity and risk taking. This is the driver of science.

Stability: this can mean either physical safety of people and equipment, or financial stability throughout project lifetimes. Dictators provide stability, at least up to regime change, but democracies can have their own challenges (stem cell research funding in the US).

In the context of the Muslim world, we have problems with talent and motivation. Our education system is usually hopeless so it doesn't develop innate talent or prepare people adequately for advanced research. Also lacking is the motivation, because the culture doesn't reward research and scientific achievement.

 

[gambit]

I actually wrote "open societies" in the sense of... (wikipedia)
The open society is a concept originally developed by philosopher Henri Bergson. In open societies, government is responsive and tolerant, and political mechanisms are transparent and flexible.

Maybe open societies are not a prerequisite for economic development. China certainly has done well without one.

Closed systems become stagnant and eventually dies. Fortunately, human systems are seldom that closed. But regarding democracy as a general principle...It is about the allowance of diverse opinions, and actions when appropriate, in that system. Inside the larger system are many smaller subsystems such as government, economy and even the smallest unit -- the family.

For anyone of them to prosper, new ideas must be constantly introduced and even dictatorial political regimes entertain new ideas. The economic system is no different and when it is about the physical comfort, people are more than willing to entertain new ideas, which inevitably foster competition, which in turn we have new and improved products. No different for the governmental side of this society. How many times was Deng sent into political exile by Mao before Deng was able to introduce new ideas into China's economy? By that token, in Deng, is China's political leadership that closed?

Infrastructure: Einstein wouldn't have been able to do squat if he had been born as a Kalahari Bushman. Any researcher needs money, equipment, access to the global knowledge network, etc.

But then he would not be 'Einstein'. He may become the Bushman's equivalent of our version of 'Einstein'. Instead of e=mc2 this Bushman 'Einstein' probably would discover aerodynamics, or something in that vein, which would be shocking to that society, just as e=mc2 is shocking to us. In every society, there are many 'Einsteins' or different levels of creative genius and their inquisitive natures will not allow their minds to be shuttered. That is why so many Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, etc...etc...left their native lands to become smaller versions of 'Einstein' in the West. Same for the muslims.

 

[gambit]

Gambit,

First of all, enlightenment and dictatorship do not go along. If a person was enlightened he would most probably avoid becoming a dictator. Secondly, living under dictator ship and not excelling in R&D is somewhat legitimate an excuse because Dictators invest the resource in empowering their regimes, strengthening the Military through which they rule, and buying the loyalties of people etc. After all these 'spendings' little is left to spend on the social sectors such as health, education let alone the research. Doing Science is not cheap as you may be aware of. In addition to the cost, research is inherently an inefficient process that yields desired results in due course of time.

That as you mentioned heavily depends on the dictators personal abilities. In fact, there has been a study in Game theory economics that an efficient dictatorial regime can be more productive than a democratic one (reference needed). This presumes the existence of a perfect dictator though. But Stalin is not such an efficient dictator as you are portraying. In the end didn't USSR go on to be bankrupt. This is the long term problem with dictatorships where the individual may lose sense of ground conditions and start being unrealistic. Hence dictatorial regimes are not ideal in the long run. (I am saying this despite being a supporter of Musharraf's policies )

Gents,

We should not confine ourselves to a singular personality that constitute a dictatorship, after all, a small group holding the majority of political power also constitute a dictatorship. The group or the singular personality is the dictatorial regime and the group will have at least a titular leader to give the regime visibility. This is also not about achieving a Zen Buddhist-like type of enlightenment but an awareness of a gross disparity between the country and the rest of the world. Imperial Japan is a perfect example of the single-mindedness of a dictatorial regime.

Near the end of the 19th century, the Japanese realized how backward they were compared to the West when members of the Court were amazed at a toy steam train. Their racial superiority attitude shaken to the core. The Court then sent the brightest of the people to study abroad and task the returnees in modernizing the country. Productive timespan of about 60 yrs is the generally accepted notion of a 'generation'. In one generation, Imperial Japan went from relative backwardness to defeating the Russian Navy in the Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905. Barely one generation later, Imperial Japan became co-instigator of WW II with nuclear weapons ambitions during the war. Bombed nearly back to feudalism including two nuclear weapons dropped on two cities, Japan climbed back to global prominence within one generation. No matter how much patriotism the Japanese have for their own country, their achievements would not have been possible unless there was strong leadership for the nation to focus their patriotism and energies.

In the 20th century, it was unfortunate that like Imperial Japan there were many dictatorial regimes more interested in enriching themselves and in maintaining political power over a people. But the fact that many of these dictatorial regimes made rapid advances in modernizing their militaries, to maintain their holds to power and to sustain geopolitical alliances in the Cold War, is a hint that such single-mindedness can also be directed towards less militaristic and perhaps even benevolent national goals as well. A side benefit in having a strong military to maintain one's position in power is the deterrence effect upon one's potential enemies, especially if any is within the region. Without independence, or at least a half measure of independence from one's sponsor, no modernization is possible, military or else.

The muslims really have no legitimate excuses as to why the many countries they possess are relatively backward in science and technology compared to the West. Living under dictatorial regimes is not a valid excuse. How many muslims here applaud China? Look at the Chinese and see what kind of government they live under. Japan, China and the many muslim countries pretty much re-started at the same time -- post WW II. So why is Japan first, then China, then the muslim countries? We can throw the Taiwanese into the argument as well. The KMT certainly was no paragon of democratic virtues post WW II. Chiang Kai-shek and his clan were dictators in every sense of the word.

 

[Sinnerman108]

The question contains the answer it self.

Why does the MUSLIM world lags in science ?
=> because it is Muslim which implies Mullah factor.

Until and unless the mullah factor is chopped, the sorry state of affairs will never change.

 

[ALTAY1971]

I KNOW WHY TURKEY LAGGED BEHİND İN SCİENCE,BECAUSE DURİNG THE FİRST WORLD WAR ALMOST EVERY UNİVERSİTY STUDENT AND TEACHERS DİED AT THE FRONTS, WE WERE ALMOST KNOCKED BACK TO THE STONE AGE...

 

[Enigma SIG]

Why?

Cuz we're too busy deciding whether the next person sitting next to us is going to hell or heaven...

 

[The SC]

The apogee of Muslim science was a period of more than seven centuries, if you take it from the 8th century to the at least the 15th century which were the dark ages of the West.
A Hindu, no matter how friendly he might seem, will of course minimize that to three centuries 9th to 12th, while his empty civilization had thousands of years of scientific mis-achievements.

[ A timetable of contributions:]

- Chuzini, Abu al-Fath al-; physicist.
- Ibn Hisham; biographer, historian.
- Ibn Labban, Kushyar.
- Ibn Turk, `Abd al-Hamid; mathematician.
- Ibn al-Muqtafi, Abu al-Fadl Ja`far; astronomer.
- 767 Ibn Ishaq; biographer, historian.
721- 815 Jabir ibn Hayyan, Abu Musa (Geber); alchemist.
780- 850 Khwarizmi, Muhammad ibn Musa al-; astronomer,
mathematician.
82?- 861 Farghani, Abu al-`Abbas al- (Afragamus); astronomer,
geographer.
- 870 Kindi, Abu Yusuf Ya`qub ibn Ishaq al-Sabah al-;
philosopher.
828- 889 Ibn Qutaybah; historian, philologist, theologian.
826- 901 Ibn Qurra, Thabit; mathematician.
865- 923 Razi, al- (Rhazes); alchemist, philosopher, physician.
839- 923 Tabari, al-; historian, theologian.
858- 929 Battani, al- (Albatenius); astronomer, mathematician.
870- 950 Farabi, al- (Alfarabicus); philosopher, poet.
940- 998 Abu al-Wafa'; astronomer, mathematician.
-1008 Ibn Yunus; astronomer, mathematician.
936-1013 Abu al-Qasim (Albucasis); physician.
-1029 Karkhi, al-; mathematician.
930-1030 Ibn Miskawayh; historian, philosopher.
980-1037 Ibn Sina, Abu `Ali al-Husayn (Avicenna); philosopher,
physician.
965-1039 Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen); mathematician, physicist.
973-1048 Biruni, al-; historian, mathematician, physicist.
1058-1111 Ghazali, Abu Hamid al- (Algazel); philosopher.
1048-1131 Khayyam, `Umar (Omar Khayyam); astronomer, mathematician,
poet.
1095-1138 Ibn Bajjah (Avempace); philosopher.
1075-1144 Zamakhshari, al-; philologist, theologian.
1090-1162 Ibn Zuhr, Abu Marwun `Abd al-Malik (Avenzoar, Abumeron);
physician.
1100-1185 Ibn Tufayl; philosopher, physician.
1126-1198 Ibn Rushd, Abu al-Walid (Averroes); philosopher,
physician.
1135-1204 Ibn Maymun (Maimonides); Jewish philosopher, physician.
1201-1274 Tusi, Nasir al-Din al-; astronomer, mathematician,
philosopher.
-1288 Ibn al-Nafis; physician.
-137? Ibn al-Shatir; astronomer.
1332-1406 Ibn Khaldun, Abu Zayd `Abd al-Rahman; historian,
sociologist.
-1436 Kashi, al-; mathematician.
1445-1505 Suyuti, al-; historian, philologist, theologian.

Muslim Contributions to Science, Philosophy, and the Arts

 

[The SC]

The Muslim civilization become the first and by far the most multiethnic example of humanity. With equal dedication, Arabs, Turks, Persians, Berbers and Kurds were seeking solutions to numerous societal problems in science, medicine, engineering, agriculture, .etc.. Their efforts resulted in spectacular architecture, creative art, libraries, hospitals, universities, geographic discoveries such as mapping of the world, observatories and basics of astronomy and much more – all were as George Sarton said:
"The miracle of Arabic science, using the word miracle as a symbol of our inability to explain achievements which were almost incredible…unparalleled in the history of the world." George Sarton

Due to the politics of the time, scientists to follow failed to acknowledge the crucial timing and the enormous contribution of the Muslim civilization to the development of modern science and technology. They advocated the presumption that Europe owes all its advances to ancient Greece. However, there are undeniable facts that during the Spanish re-conquest of Muslim settlements, Toledo in 1085 in particular, vast amounts of Muslim works were found and translated. Furthermore, the two centuries of the Crusades were not only filled with war and bloodshed, but also provided cultural interaction. All together, it makes it difficult to believe that the dark ages were really as dark as portrayed.

Without the enormous amounts of borrowings from the Muslim civilization, we would be without the Arabic numerals which we use daily for our calculations and mathematics, there would be a sufficient lack of agriculture, domestication of animals for food, clothing and transportation; spinning and weaving; building; drainage and irrigation; water wheels and windmills; metal-working and tools and basic weapons; sailing ships; astronomical observation; clocks, paper, writing and the keeping of records; laws and civic life; coinage; abstract thought and most of our religious ideas and symbols. And as Wickens concludes,

"There is virtually no evidence for any of these basic things and processes and ideas being actually invented in the West." Wickens

Introduction to Muslim Science - The Religion of Islam

 

[Marshmallow]

The apogee of Muslim science was a period of more than seven centuries, if you take it from the 8th century to the at least the 15th century which were the dark ages of the West.
A Hindu, no matter how friendly he might seem, will of course minimize that to three centuries 9th to 12th, while his empty civilization had thousands of years of scientific mis-achievements.

[ A timetable of contributions:]

- Chuzini, Abu al-Fath al-; physicist.
- Ibn Hisham; biographer, historian.
- Ibn Labban, Kushyar.
- Ibn Turk, `Abd al-Hamid; mathematician.
- Ibn al-Muqtafi, Abu al-Fadl Ja`far; astronomer.
- 767 Ibn Ishaq; biographer, historian.
721- 815 Jabir ibn Hayyan, Abu Musa (Geber); alchemist.
780- 850 Khwarizmi, Muhammad ibn Musa al-; astronomer,
mathematician.
82?- 861 Farghani, Abu al-`Abbas al- (Afragamus); astronomer,
geographer.
- 870 Kindi, Abu Yusuf Ya`qub ibn Ishaq al-Sabah al-;
philosopher.
828- 889 Ibn Qutaybah; historian, philologist, theologian.
826- 901 Ibn Qurra, Thabit; mathematician.
865- 923 Razi, al- (Rhazes); alchemist, philosopher, physician.
839- 923 Tabari, al-; historian, theologian.
858- 929 Battani, al- (Albatenius); astronomer, mathematician.
870- 950 Farabi, al- (Alfarabicus); philosopher, poet.
940- 998 Abu al-Wafa'; astronomer, mathematician.
-1008 Ibn Yunus; astronomer, mathematician.
936-1013 Abu al-Qasim (Albucasis); physician.
-1029 Karkhi, al-; mathematician.
930-1030 Ibn Miskawayh; historian, philosopher.
980-1037 Ibn Sina, Abu `Ali al-Husayn (Avicenna); philosopher,
physician.
965-1039 Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen); mathematician, physicist.
973-1048 Biruni, al-; historian, mathematician, physicist.
1058-1111 Ghazali, Abu Hamid al- (Algazel); philosopher.
1048-1131 Khayyam, `Umar (Omar Khayyam); astronomer, mathematician,
poet.
1095-1138 Ibn Bajjah (Avempace); philosopher.
1075-1144 Zamakhshari, al-; philologist, theologian.
1090-1162 Ibn Zuhr, Abu Marwun `Abd al-Malik (Avenzoar, Abumeron);
physician.
1100-1185 Ibn Tufayl; philosopher, physician.
1126-1198 Ibn Rushd, Abu al-Walid (Averroes); philosopher,
physician.
1135-1204 Ibn Maymun (Maimonides); Jewish philosopher, physician.
1201-1274 Tusi, Nasir al-Din al-; astronomer, mathematician,
philosopher.
-1288 Ibn al-Nafis; physician.
-137? Ibn al-Shatir; astronomer.
1332-1406 Ibn Khaldun, Abu Zayd `Abd al-Rahman; historian,
sociologist.
-1436 Kashi, al-; mathematician.
1445-1505 Suyuti, al-; historian, philologist, theologian.

Muslim Contributions to Science, Philosophy, and the Arts

we muslims ourself are responsible for our downfall!

 

[500]

The Muslim civilization become the first and by far the most multiethnic example of humanity.

Obviously u never heard about the Roman Empire.

There were Italian, Celtic, Gaulish, Illyrian, Dacian, Syrian and so on emperors.

 

[The SC]

Muslim Women Scientists Today
This is a weekly post by Nidhal Guessoum (see his earlier posts here). Nidhal is an astrophysicist and Professor of Physics at American University of Sharjah and is the author of Islam's Quantum Question: Reconciling Muslim Tradition and Modern Science.


In my post last week, I tried to look at the question of Muslim Women Scholars in the Golden Age, that is whether there were a number of Muslim female scholars/scientists during that great era of intellectual activity and achievement, whether the fact that we know of so few female names says something about the culture of that time (Muslim and other), or whether we are just to some extent ignorant about small but important episodes of history. And though my piece and the comments that ensued were far from scholarly investigations, we seemed to conclude that there was an element of both (largely male culture, even among the elite, as well as ignorance of some bright spots/names in our history).
In this post, and in continuation of the theme of Muslim women and scholarship/science, I want to look at the present and focus solely on Science. As you see, I am highly interested in women’s place, role, and contribution to society, particularly in its relation to Science and education, as I think that says quite a lot about the prevailing general mindset of the society.
Indeed, this is not the first time I raise this issue and address this theme, from one angle or another. About a year ago, I posted a piece on Irtiqa titled “Science, Education, and Women in the Arab World”. And last December, I posted a piece titled “Awards for Arab Female Scientists”.
One of the important things I noted in last year’s piece was that the percentage of females enrolled in Science fields in the Arab world is (see figure below), in most places, higher (sometimes substantially) than in western countries. In the (rich) Gulf states, the ratio of young women to young men in Science (university) fields is as high as 3 to 1.

I also mentioned the results of TIMSS 2007, TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) being an international, standardized test administered to students of Grades 4 and 8; those results, while showing pretty depressing performances by Arab/Muslim students, showed better results by the girls than by the boys, rather consistently.
Clearly, Arab/Muslim women are venturing into the sciences in large numbers these days, and they seem to be performing better than boys/young-men, though school performance is not always equivalent to scientific creativity. However, even at the PhD level, one often finds larger fractions of women. It is unclear whether that is going to translate into greater numbers of women scientists (university professors and researchers), because so far we have not seen any such phenomenon, though the trend is perhaps too recent, and one must wait some more. (In universities around me, women make up less than 10 % of the science and mathematics faculty.)
In my December piece, I mentioned the Arab Women of Science prize that the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) and the Regional Bureau for Unesco have created in partnership with L’Oreal to recognize 5 Arab women for their substantial contributions in various science fields. I listed the recent winners and briefly described their fields of research. I should also refer to the ASTF’s ‘Arab Women in Science and Technology’ website.
I would also like to mention the Ahmed Badeed Prize for Arab Women of Science, which was created in 2008 to acknowledge Arab women who have chosen scientific research as a career and who have particularly distinguished themselves through their work. This prize, given out in Paris (at the Institut du Monde Arabe), was awarded to Drs. Ilham Y. Al-Qaradawi of the University of Qatar and Asmaa Abada-Zeghal of the University of Paris XI for the year 2008, and to Drs. Arifa Ali-Khan, of the University of Yemen in Taïz and Nabila Aghanim of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orsay, for the year 2009. I don’t think it was given out for 2010, and I don’t know why.
Let me also mention a few names of women who have become famous to some extent in the Arab/Muslim world for their scientific works and achievements. (I would also like to invite our readers to remind us of or introduce us to other important female Muslim scientists of today.)
· Professor Bina Shaheen Siddiquimade substantial contributions to medicine and agriculture through her study of indigenous plant materials. She received numerous awards and patents for anticancer constituents and biopesticides; her CV mentions 213 research articles and 77 chapters in books. The Pakistan Academy of Sciences elected her as a Fellow, and she has received many prestigious awards, including the Khwarizmi International Award of Iran and the Salam Prize in Chemistry; she co-founded the Third World Organization for Women in Science.
· Professor Samira Ibrahim Islam, who was nominated by UNESCO as a distinguished scientist of the world for the Year 2000, for the significant contributions she made in drug safety through her work on the Saudi profile for drug metabolism. Prof. Islam held academic leadership positions in her country as well as international posts with the World Health Organization. She spent many years working diligently to build the academic infrastructure to support women studying science in higher education in Saudi Arabia.
· Professor Farkhonda Hassan, now 80 years old but quite active (at least until very recently),is an Egyptian professor of Geology; she worked tirelessly in national and international organizations (including UNESCO and UNDP) to promote issues of Women and Science in this part of the world (served as Vice-President of the Executive Board of the Third World Organization for Women in Science); check out her article, “Islamic Women in Science”, published in Science in 2000.
The last point I would like to make is actually related to the case of Farkhonda Hassan, who is indeed more known for her “activism” than for her scientific achievements. Indeed, we need both. And in fact, nowadays we find a number of highly competent and distinguished female Muslim scientists, but few of them are vocal participants in the cultural debates of our time, including and particularly the place of Modern Science and its harmonization with the Muslim culture, the place of technology, policies of human development, the role and space accorded to women, etc.
We Muslims have made great progress in encouraging girls and women to get as much education as they can and, whenever possible, to become accomplished scientists, but we have not yet encouraged them to become full and prime players in the social and cultural debates.

Irtiqa: Muslim Women Scientists Today


A new Website about the Thread's topic:
Islam & Science

A Task Force for Science Teaching in the Muslim World

by Salman Hameed

Last week, a Task Force was launched focused on the teaching of science in the Muslim world. Below is the poster for it that also lists the people involved. This looks like an interesting endeavor that will address, among other things, the role of universities in scientific progress and innovation, university culture, and issues of academic freedom. There are some good people involved in the project, including Nidhal Guessoum, Adil Najam, Michael Reiss, and Athar Osama (he is not mentioned here, but is part of the team behind the Task Force). Looking forward to their thoughts on science education in the Muslim world.



http://www.irtiqa-blog.com/search/label/science in muslim world

 

[The SC]

Obviously u never heard about the Roman Empire.

There were Italian, Celtic, Gaulish, Illyrian, Dacian, Syrian and so on emperors.

Try to argue with Wickens who said,"There is virtually no evidence for any of these basic things and processes and ideas being actually invented in the West." meaning Greece and Rome. Or with the Author of the article, I just happen to agree with them based on other facts and knowledge, that I am not willing to share with you.
So go troll somewhere else, we are not in the same league, do not try to lower me to your low lives, it won't work this time either.

Obviously you never heard of Mesopotamia and Egypt before any Roman or Greec "empire".

 

[The SC]

we muslims ourself are responsible for our downfall!

Do not forget the massive 19th century crusades against Muslims in general and the colonizations with the aim to divide and conquer that followed till the 1960s

 

[Alfa-Fighter]

Well... most of the reasons
A) Well Most of Muslims countries belief in its own religion and always tries to prove its always superior etc
e.g , PAK dont teach history to its people, when Hindu kingdom rules are afghan , etc , their real history , dark ages etc.
Like East Asia muslims country don't tell in history that they were Hindu kingdom before converting into Muslims kingdom.

B) Self filled glory of its religion and stuck in past mind set and want to live in same.

C) Women: Majority of Muslims country treat women as it slaves.

D) Work Culture: - Most of Muslim country despite how rich they are not interested in modern education but in religious study more.

E) Blame everyone else of its problem and never look inwards.

 

[Marshmallow]

Do not forget the massive 19th century crusades against Muslims in general and the colonizations with the aim to divide and conquer that followed till the 1960s

there will always be an opposition of all type against us or anyone,there was since day one,there is and will always be till the last day...we muslim arent or werent little crawling babies that enemies came and so easily destroyed us...we were morally and strategically weak so were easily conquered....we also had weaknesses...

please come out of the typical thinking and conspiracy theory that whole world is just against us and working day and night just to damage us...