The Old Testament told of Jesus

[PatsFanInVa]

Everthing has something to do with the Templars

- Umberto Eco

 

[The Brandon Five]

Off the top of my head (because I'm too lazy/preoccupied to do more right now), here are some of the medieval examples.

- The scientific method for chemistry was developed by Hayan, an eighth century scientist.
- The first windmill was created in Persia.
- The theory of evolution was expressed during the ninth or tenth century by an Islamic scientist
- Significant contributions to algebra
- Very important contributions to astronomy (almucantara, etc.)
- Kerosene
- Medical and surgical advances

There are numerous others, and for those, as well as details on what I mentioned above, Google is useful. In the post-medieval world, not a whole hell of a lot came out of the Muslim world; at least compared to before. But the wider point is that scientific advances were definitely a part of the Islamic world, and many of those found their way to Europe through the returning Crusaders.

Thanks.

I think there is some disagreement over whether Hayyan was a Muslim. Some think that he was Persian. At that point (8th century), I don't know if we can assume that all of Persia was Muslim. Certainly his work in alchemy was a product of Persian culture, not Arab culture.

As for the windmill and Persia, again, I would argue that Persian culture was co-opted by the invasion of Islam. I would not credit it with the byproducts of the developments of those culture. Same goes for algebra, which came from the Assyrians (another culture that was hijacked by Muslim invaders).

I am not sure that any of these contributed significantly to the genesis of the Renaissance. I certainly do not think of any of these examples when I think of the great scientists and scientific developments of history (save for algebra, the Islamic origin of which I would dispute).

I think this is borne out by your closing statement. There were no later contributions because after the cultures were taken over, they took on an Arab nature. The early contributions were due more to the remnants of those peoples that were conquered, not of Islam (IMHO).

 

[The Brandon Five]

Everthing has something to do with the Templars

- Umberto Eco

His prose is more impenetrable than a Belichick press conference.

Good on you if you can grasp it!

 

[PatsFanInVa]

His prose is more impenetrable than a Belichick press conference.

Good on you if you can grasp it!

Only the parts in (translated into) English... and a word or two of the Hebrew and French. You can spend a year just figuring out the epigrams, and then find out they're sort of tangential inside jokes at best.

But what can I say... I like puzzles Plus, he makes Pynchon feel downright recreational... not to mention the positively airy Neal Stephenson.