69 million page views

What contributions?

Reader comment on item: On NASA's Strange Priorities

Submitted by GeorgeOfTheJungle (Bulgaria), Jul 7, 2010 at 06:03

Some interesting reading quoted from Dallas M. Roark's paper (http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Roark/science_islam.htm)

"There is one more ingredient that was necessary to bring about the scientific revolution in the West which did not arrive in the Muslim cultures. Muslim astronomy was on the verge of the break through to the Copernican theory but failed to arrive there. In reality Muslim science went into a state of decline.

The ingredient was the university. The university and the Madrasas are quite different.

The legal system of the West developed the concept of a corporation which stands alone in society, has certain protections, and is free from outside control. Madrasas were controlled by the religious authorities and most often the natural sciences were rejected as part of the curriculum. Moreover, there was no standard curriculum in the Madrasas as there came to be in the university where a faculty existed, common curriculum was developed, disputations were held and tests were given. The universities were "centered on the values of universalisms, communalism, organized skepticism, and disinterestedness."

The lack of success in science in the Islamic culture "hinged on the problem of institution building. If in the long run scientific thought and intellectual creativity in general are to keep themselves alive and advance into new domains of conquest and creativity, multiple spheres of freedom – what we may call neutral zones – must exist within which large groups of people can pursue their genius free from the censure of political and religious authorities. In addition, certain metaphysical and philosophical assumptions must accompany this freedom. Insofar as science is concerned, individuals must be conceived to be endowed with reason, the world must be thought to be a rational and consistent whole, and various levels of universal representation, participation, and discourse must be available. It is precisely here that one finds the greatest weaknesses of Arabic-Islamic civilization as an incubator of modern science."

Science demanded the freedom to pursue truth wherever it led, and Islamic culture shut down this freedom."

It has been shut down for 600 years or more now. Madrasas still refuse to teach anything to do with what the west would call a curriculum, and they continue to instill hatred and violence towards to west, and insist attendees learn by heart the Cowran in a language that their so-called scholars don't understand.

. And Obama wants to put a misguided muslim on the moon? He is a moonbat, a con artist, and a liar. Get rid of him.

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (104) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
3Respect for what? [399 words]Fred BaehrMar 24, 2011 04:30183565
4Thank you, Christian friends. [72 words]HershlJul 28, 2010 08:00176118
Why only Christians [30 words]Ravi Ranjan Singh BharatPanthiSep 13, 2010 13:38176118
NASA and the Muslim Space Race [81 words]Paul PearceJul 23, 2010 09:21175929
Does anyone have a barf bag? [5 words]Mitch NYJul 20, 2010 22:04175829
How much do you trust the muslim world. [84 words]DaleJul 20, 2010 00:48175775
The root cause of all judeo-islamic misunderstanding [185 words]Dawood BenatarJul 22, 2010 04:59175775
2Islamic delusions [690 words]dhimmi no moreJul 23, 2010 07:23175775
The Greatest Danger [43 words]Western Civ 101Aug 18, 2010 20:05175775
2Thank you WC 101 [75 words]dhimmi no moreAug 22, 2010 07:15175775
2Judging Muslims [37 words]MartinOct 21, 2012 19:31175775
muslims [77 words]Dawood BenatarJul 19, 2010 10:04175752
the objectives comments [18 words]b soetoroJul 20, 2010 06:22175752
historical reality [32 words]b soetoroJul 14, 2010 08:49175584
Go ahead [22 words]JeffJul 16, 2010 12:51175584
Sceince and islam [151 words]dhimmi no moreJul 17, 2010 07:17175584
1Arabs vs. Jews [20 words]Albrecht KleinJul 18, 2010 04:21175584
Muslim Misinformation Machine [7 words]Sardar Ravi Ranjan Singh 'Bharat Panthi'Jul 20, 2010 14:30175584
algorithm [525 words]b soetoroJul 20, 2010 21:58175584
Send them ASAP [18 words]nuke41Jul 13, 2010 13:57175527
1Question Of Being Nice [128 words]Mark D.Jul 11, 2010 00:20175418
Truths derived by empiricism can best foster mutual respect [88 words]Steve BorkowskiJul 10, 2010 16:06175404
1Not Just Heaven But The Virgins Too [44 words]Mark DJul 10, 2010 23:39175404
Credit, where credit is due [135 words]JohnJul 10, 2010 10:30175396
Invention [19 words]Mark D.Jul 10, 2010 23:44175396
1I know of Islams contribution to science! [84 words]kafurJul 10, 2010 05:08175388
Excuse me? [87 words]SvetJul 10, 2010 18:22175388
1Contribution to science via Nobel Prize recipients [877 words]John BradleyJul 11, 2010 22:47175388
1Muslims and the Nobel Prize [245 words]dhimmi no moreJul 14, 2010 06:53175388
dhimmi no more and Islamic science [13 words]UgriJul 15, 2010 06:15175388
Islam and science [61 words]dhimmi no moreJul 16, 2010 06:23175388
Obama's spending [127 words]Joan NeelJul 9, 2010 22:53175378
ATTACK FROM OUTER SPACE [156 words]Ilene RichmanJul 9, 2010 19:12175375
Planes First, Spaceships Next [30 words]Mark D.Jul 10, 2010 23:55175375
1On NASA's strange Prioroties [76 words]S.C.PandaJul 9, 2010 10:24175359
1space jihad [64 words]mythJul 8, 2010 14:53175329
East to West or West to East [152 words]yuval Brandstetter MDJul 12, 2010 04:01175329
islamism 3.0 [90 words]mythJul 8, 2010 14:44175326
The next attacs [25 words]WGJul 8, 2010 13:45175323
What new joint programs are in store? [24 words]Tom BryanJul 8, 2010 12:23175318
New Projects, New Money [45 words]Mark D.Jul 7, 2010 22:11175294
Our OnGoing Respect to the Muslim World [208 words]Mark D.Jul 7, 2010 22:02175293
Respect? [70 words]S ISACJul 13, 2010 13:52175293
1Pro-Arab terrorist CNN senior editor is history! [118 words]HershlJul 7, 2010 19:36175286
2Sorry, what contributions to science, math and engineering did muslims make ? [84 words]Phil GreendJul 7, 2010 16:11175275
Note: [344 words]PIED~PIPERJul 7, 2010 19:58175275
What Contributions and Nasa's Mission [63 words]Martin MayesJul 8, 2010 13:34175275
5*3 = 15 But If you answered 13, you get partial credit because it's close [61 words]Mark D.Jul 11, 2010 21:17175275
islam [12 words]islamisthebestMay 8, 2013 04:12175275
Obama [69 words]HelenJul 7, 2010 14:40175272
imagine [108 words]concernedJul 7, 2010 11:24175268
Islam & NASA? [19 words]RDJul 7, 2010 10:42175267
One More American Institution Destroyed [70 words]Kenneth S. PerlmanJul 7, 2010 10:32175266
YOUNG AMERICAN BLACK CHILDREN [138 words]Ilene RichmanJul 7, 2010 09:16175261
Criticise the new adminstration. [24 words]David HagoelJul 8, 2010 06:37175261
THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE AND SECURITY CREATED BY DESPOTISM. [187 words]Elizabeth QuinnJul 7, 2010 09:06175260
On Nasa's Strange Priorities. Very strange indeed but understandable. response to Dr. Pipes [76 words]DebbieJul 7, 2010 08:51175259
NASA's Strange Priorities [144 words]Irina SeverienJul 7, 2010 07:05175256
What contributions? [411 words]GeorgeOfTheJungleJul 7, 2010 06:03175254
New terror weapon [24 words]VijayJul 7, 2010 06:01175253
NASA is now supposed to make Muslims "Feel Good"... [73 words]Michael SweeneyJul 7, 2010 05:01175252
A good thing [36 words]Joseph IIJul 7, 2010 04:09175248
Joseph, NOT a good thing. [51 words]Mark GJul 8, 2010 13:20175248
Change [38 words]Joe Six-PackJul 13, 2010 08:27175248
WELL [190 words]USMANOct 30, 2010 16:27175248
What a Joke - Muslims Have Produced Very Little in Science, Medicine or Technology [89 words]Dark HorseJul 7, 2010 04:00175247
Nobel prize laureates [71 words]HomefrontJul 14, 2010 00:39175247
Appeasement never works [159 words]tedJul 7, 2010 03:34175244
A setback for science [280 words]Cherif El-AyoutyJul 7, 2010 03:16175242
loser always need support [91 words]seraphimeJul 7, 2010 02:12175239
Let's simplify this [131 words]Archimedes2Jul 7, 2010 01:15175237
The Irresistable and Toxic Lure of Utopia [313 words]Pied~PiperJul 7, 2010 01:02175236
Among a host of good comments ..... [138 words]Ron ThompsonJul 7, 2010 17:44175236
This Obama [96 words]SvetJul 7, 2010 00:55175235
"Not Diplomacy?" [121 words]Lyone FeinJul 7, 2010 00:40175234
Will this insanity at least people to open their eyes? [9 words]Lori Lowenthal MarcusJul 7, 2010 00:07175233
The ...Qur'an is all Muslims need to 'feel good about themselves' [297 words]SusanJul 6, 2010 23:31175231
Brilliant text [41 words]UgriJul 8, 2010 12:48175231
The Polls [60 words]Mark D.Jul 6, 2010 23:22175230
Obama and Muslims [117 words]J.KowalikJul 6, 2010 23:22175229
Our Efforts Will Be Rewarded? [38 words]Mark D.Jul 6, 2010 23:15175228
Raising American Popularity [92 words]Edward HalperJul 6, 2010 22:46175227
just sad [49 words]sam solomonJul 6, 2010 22:30175226
NASA and the Muslims [52 words]Nelson T D'SilvaJul 6, 2010 22:20175225
thank G-d for some light in this very long dark tunnel [21 words]David EisenbergJul 6, 2010 21:47175223
Staggering [48 words]Abu NudnikJul 6, 2010 21:27175221
On NASA's Strange Priorities [32 words]steven LJul 6, 2010 21:24175220
Islamic Science [99 words]Gamaliel IsaacJul 6, 2010 21:14175219
Barack Obama ... [191 words]Nenette GrunbergJul 6, 2010 20:43175215
Thinking Out Loud [130 words]Lance WinslowJul 6, 2010 20:32175214
Interesting [90 words]Mark D.Jul 11, 2010 21:48175214
Good is bad, nay ... evil [37 words]ElanjelianAug 12, 2010 08:58175214
Not sure that Obama really wants peace in the ME. [175 words]batya daganJul 6, 2010 20:28175213
Obama and the Muslim worlds women [34 words]HomefrontJul 14, 2010 00:42175213
Pithy and on point [15 words]saraJul 14, 2010 17:04175213
You are so right homefront [64 words]batya daganJul 14, 2010 20:35175213
Why not Buddhists [41 words]Michael WatermanJul 6, 2010 20:26175212
Sending Arabs into outer space [145 words]Clifton MJul 6, 2010 20:15175211
Muslims and the Sciences [50 words]D. GibsonJul 6, 2010 20:01175210
Another example of a failed President [34 words]NinaJul 6, 2010 19:56175209
Islam Minus West Equals Zero [296 words]Edward ClineJul 6, 2010 19:45175208
Well stated Mr. Cline [143 words]Verne SimonJul 23, 2010 17:43175208
A Jihadi astronaut would be good. [26 words]MelMJul 6, 2010 19:42175206
1OBAMA's JOB IS TO BRING JOBS BACK TO THE UNITED STATES [143 words]Ilene RichmanJul 6, 2010 19:26175203

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)