The point is that Arabic countries only represent 1-2% of what they “should” in modern science and literature compared to the size of the language. 1500 years ago however, they were the leaders of the world.
IDK but I think it’s fair to say that something went wrong for the Arab speaking countries at some point in the past 1500 years. So they now are culturally and scientifically behind when they used to be ahead.
Absolutely that has made things worse, but religious fundamentalism hasn’t helped either.
We had that too in Europe, but while Europe progressed the Arab countries seemed to stagnate, and even double down on it.
But I’m not a historian, there may be other reasons, I’m just not aware what they might be?
The torch of science and learning was passed from the Roman Empire to the Byzantine, and then the Muslim caliphates (principally the Abbasid Caliphate). Europe saw its resurgence beginning in the 15th century as the Islamic world declined following the reconquest of Spain. What followed was colonialism which slowly and systematically dismantled existing power structures in most of the world outside of Europe, culminating, perhaps, in WWI with the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the last center of the once great Islamic culture. Around the beginning of the 20th century at the peak of European empire, Middle Eastern oil reserves were discovered, cementing the fate of the region as the center of global struggles over energy dominance in which the Islamic powers were not equipped to compete, having already been colonized or weakened in conflicts with European powers.
Religion is a well of hope for otherwise hopeless people. It is no surprise that colonized peoples turn to it en masse.
The Petrochemical War of 1152 was quite the doozy.
The academic decline of (some portions of) the Middle East happened well before the practical use of petrochemicals or the founding or even discovery of America. The US could take this as a cautionary tale of the dangers of anti-intellectualism, but instead they will couch this as a moral failing of a race or religion.
Not quite true, 1500 years ago was the dawn of that. The point where they began to expand. And they were absolutely more than just “disjointed nomadic tribes”.
You can see the Rashidun Caliphate after the death of Muhammad in 632 was quite big and united.
The caliphate’s first 25 years were characterized by rapid military expansion during which it became the most powerful economic and military force in West Asia
And that was the precursor to the Umayyad Caliphate 661–750, that included for instance Spain.
So what if it’s not currently the major force? Last year’s Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry was Jordanian, for example.
The point is that Arabic countries only represent 1-2% of what they “should” in modern science and literature compared to the size of the language. 1500 years ago however, they were the leaders of the world.
IDK but I think it’s fair to say that something went wrong for the Arab speaking countries at some point in the past 1500 years. So they now are culturally and scientifically behind when they used to be ahead.
Yeah, petrochemical wars.
Absolutely that has made things worse, but religious fundamentalism hasn’t helped either.
We had that too in Europe, but while Europe progressed the Arab countries seemed to stagnate, and even double down on it.
But I’m not a historian, there may be other reasons, I’m just not aware what they might be?
The torch of science and learning was passed from the Roman Empire to the Byzantine, and then the Muslim caliphates (principally the Abbasid Caliphate). Europe saw its resurgence beginning in the 15th century as the Islamic world declined following the reconquest of Spain. What followed was colonialism which slowly and systematically dismantled existing power structures in most of the world outside of Europe, culminating, perhaps, in WWI with the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the last center of the once great Islamic culture. Around the beginning of the 20th century at the peak of European empire, Middle Eastern oil reserves were discovered, cementing the fate of the region as the center of global struggles over energy dominance in which the Islamic powers were not equipped to compete, having already been colonized or weakened in conflicts with European powers.
Religion is a well of hope for otherwise hopeless people. It is no surprise that colonized peoples turn to it en masse.
Religion is a well of false hope that leads nowhere.
The Petrochemical War of 1152 was quite the doozy.
The academic decline of (some portions of) the Middle East happened well before the practical use of petrochemicals or the founding or even discovery of America. The US could take this as a cautionary tale of the dangers of anti-intellectualism, but instead they will couch this as a moral failing of a race or religion.
1500 years ago, they were disjointed nomadic tribes living in the desert.
What I assume you’re referring to is maybe 1000 years ago, when they had the largest and most advanced civilization in the world.
You can look up the Baghdad University, the Cairo University, or Andalusian Spain for more info.
Not quite true, 1500 years ago was the dawn of that. The point where they began to expand. And they were absolutely more than just “disjointed nomadic tribes”.
You can see the Rashidun Caliphate after the death of Muhammad in 632 was quite big and united.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashidun_Caliphate
And that was the precursor to the Umayyad Caliphate 661–750, that included for instance Spain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umayyad_Caliphate
So 1500 years ago is more accurate than 1000.