Islamic Science and the Making of the European RenaissanceThe Islamic scientific tradition has been described many times in accounts of Islamic civilization and general histories of science, with most authors tracing its beginnings to the appropriation of ideas from other ancient civilizations--the Greeks in particular. In this thought-provoking and original book, George Saliba argues that, contrary to the generally accepted view, the foundations of Islamic scientific thought were laid well before Greek sources were formally translated into Arabic in the ninth century. Drawing on an account by the tenth-century intellectual historian Ibn al-Nadim [macron over i] that is ignored by most modern scholars, Saliba suggests that early translations from mainly Persian and Greek sources outlining elementary scientific ideas for the use of government departments were the impetus for the development of the Islamic scientific tradition. He argues further that there was an organic relationship between the Islamic scientific thought that developed in later centuries and the science that came into being in Europe during the Renaissance. Saliba outlines the conventional accounts of Islamic science, then discusses their shortcomings and proposes an alternate narrative. Using astronomy as a template for understanding the progress of science in Islamic civilization, Saliba demonstrates the originality of Islamic scientific thought. He details the innovations (including new mathematical tools) made by the Islamic astronomers from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries, and offers evidence that Copernicus could have known of and drawn on their work. Rather than viewing the rise and fall of Islamic science from the often-narrated perspectives of politics and religion, Saliba focuses on the scientific production itself and the complex social, economic, and intellectual conditions that made it possible. |
What people are saying - Write a review
Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified
User Review - Flag as inappropriate
europoean renaissance made with the help of muslims.
this book has write it details
Contents
Question of Beginnings I | 1 |
Question of Beginnings II | 27 |
3 Encounter with the Greek Scientific Tradition | 73 |
The Critical Innovations | 131 |
The Case of Astronomy | 171 |
The Copernican Connection | 193 |
The Fecundity of Astronomical Thought | 233 |
Notes and References | 257 |
| 289 | |
| 307 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Abba¯sid accepted activities al-Dı¯n al-Nadı¯m allowed Almagest already alternative ancient apparently Arabic Aristotelian astrologers astronomy attempt become began beginning Byzantine called carried century circles classical narrative completely configuration connection context continued Copernicus criticism culture deferent demonstrate described developed direction discipline discussion dı¯wa¯n earlier early eccentric epicycle equant European example existence explain fact field find first followed Greek Ibn al-Haitham Ibn al-Sha¯tir ideas important interest Islamic civilization Islamic world kind known language later mathematical mean mentioned Mercury moon motion move nature observations once original period Persian philosophical physical Planetary planets positions principles problem produced Ptolemaic astronomy Ptolemy Ptolemy’s question reason reference religious Renaissance Saliba scientific scientists seems seen similar simply sources spheres story taken texts theorem theory thought tion took tradition translation Tu¯sı understand universe Urdı various
Bibliographic information
| Title | Islamic Science and the Making of the European Renaissance History of science: Islamic studies Transformations (Cambridge, Mass.) Transformations (M.I.T. Press) Transformations : studies in the history of science and technology |
| Author | George Saliba |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | MIT Press, 2007 |
| ISBN | 0262195577, 9780262195577 |
| Length | 315 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |