Islamic science
Most physicists, particularly those in western nations, probably do not give religion a great deal of thought. A minority of physicists do, however, have firmly held religious beliefs and think long and hard about reconciling those beliefs with their scientific knowledge, as our report on a recent meeting on "God and physics" in Cambridge makes clear (p10, print edition only). There is much to admire in their deep thinking, which has been recognized by physicists being awarded the Templeton prize for progress in religion [my emphasis] six times [now that's funny :lol: ] in the last eight years.
But in Muslim nations, religion plays a far bigger role in everyday life than it does in the West. Indeed, today Islam is actually holding back scientific progress by placing too great an emphasis on studying and interpreting the pages of the Koran [this means you eanassir] , as the leading Iranian physicist Reza Mansouri points out (see "A way forward for Islamic science"). Those students in his country who do study science at university tend to learn a very narrow curriculum by rote, rather than being encouraged to think for themselves. Low investment in science – even in oil-rich Gulf states – and restrictions on freedom of expression compound the problem.
It was not always thus. Muslim scholars made huge contributions in areas like astronomy, optics and mathematics between the 8th and the 13th centuries, with Islam encouraging rigorous intellectual enquiry.[But now they suck @$$] Why science in the Islamic world fell from grace is a topic of considerable debate among historians, [um.. his name was Muhammad and he was a dumbass] with the advances made in Renaissance Europe certainly playing a part in halting progress.
But whatever the reasons, the key for Muslim nations now is to rebuild their scientific strengths through increased public funding – no mean feat when their governments fail to see the merits of such investment – and by encouraging links between scientists in those countries and in the West. Placing a greater focus on a few, world-class labs rather than spreading money thinly around will help too. These solutions are essentially no different to what is needed in other parts of the developing world. But given the great untapped potential in the 1.3 billion or so people who live in the Islamic world, that rebuilding – long though it may take – is a worthwhile task.
Physicsworld
Most physicists, particularly those in western nations, probably do not give religion a great deal of thought. A minority of physicists do, however, have firmly held religious beliefs and think long and hard about reconciling those beliefs with their scientific knowledge, as our report on a recent meeting on "God and physics" in Cambridge makes clear (p10, print edition only). There is much to admire in their deep thinking, which has been recognized by physicists being awarded the Templeton prize for progress in religion [my emphasis] six times [now that's funny :lol: ] in the last eight years.
But in Muslim nations, religion plays a far bigger role in everyday life than it does in the West. Indeed, today Islam is actually holding back scientific progress by placing too great an emphasis on studying and interpreting the pages of the Koran [this means you eanassir] , as the leading Iranian physicist Reza Mansouri points out (see "A way forward for Islamic science"). Those students in his country who do study science at university tend to learn a very narrow curriculum by rote, rather than being encouraged to think for themselves. Low investment in science – even in oil-rich Gulf states – and restrictions on freedom of expression compound the problem.
It was not always thus. Muslim scholars made huge contributions in areas like astronomy, optics and mathematics between the 8th and the 13th centuries, with Islam encouraging rigorous intellectual enquiry.[But now they suck @$$] Why science in the Islamic world fell from grace is a topic of considerable debate among historians, [um.. his name was Muhammad and he was a dumbass] with the advances made in Renaissance Europe certainly playing a part in halting progress.
But whatever the reasons, the key for Muslim nations now is to rebuild their scientific strengths through increased public funding – no mean feat when their governments fail to see the merits of such investment – and by encouraging links between scientists in those countries and in the West. Placing a greater focus on a few, world-class labs rather than spreading money thinly around will help too. These solutions are essentially no different to what is needed in other parts of the developing world. But given the great untapped potential in the 1.3 billion or so people who live in the Islamic world, that rebuilding – long though it may take – is a worthwhile task.
Physicsworld
