|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
|
 Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 8:36 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
| thepeel wrote: |
We can not allow them to take claim for things they did not invent. We can not elevate, cause it makes us feel warm, their astonishingly little accomplishments. We focus on Western imperialism and try to take an honest assessment of it, why not Arab/islamic imperialism? |
Maybe you missed my first post? This is not the most PC topic.
The issue of whether 'Muslims' invented some of the inventions stumbles into the problem of exactly who was Muslim during the era. Certainly, many of those inventors were not Arab: the Arabs were the conquerer class and governed their racial identity carefully. Most of the people we call 'Arab' today are not Arab except by identification. Arab nationalism made millions Arabs who were not. So let's seperate the relatively few Arabs of the Islamic world's Golden Era from the rest of the Islamic population of that time.
But, without a doubt, all the education benefits went to converts, many Syrians, Persians, Seljuk Turks and the like. When it comes down to their personal beliefs they may have been Muslim in name only. We simply don't know.
The point I'm trying to make here is that Islam turned its back on the sciences and freedom when it embraced the current theology wherein Allah is a total transcendent master of the universe responsible for every cause and machination. There is no efficient cause: it would not make sense to a (devout) Muslim that I hit the keyboard and this causes the letters appear on the screen. No, my hitting of the keyboard is an independent act (caused by Allah) and so is the appearance of the letters on the screen. Of course, this is a simplification. No doubt many Muslims are willing to believe that there is limited efficient cause. But when it comes down to complex scientific explanation, inquiry is ultimately fruitless because at some point Allah takes over. The Sun rises because Allah wills it. Allah can will it not to rise. This is not how Christianity/ Judaism understands/understood the world.
But Kuros, some may say, this is craziness. I know Muslim doctors, scientists, scholars, etc. Right, and I'm trying to resolve this problem myself. What would it mean for a Muslim to believe in the sciences? Is this just a process by which Allah allows people to work miracles?
I do not know, but I think this may offer an explanation for why its the educated Muslims who turn to terrorism. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
