Here’s the short explanation:
Top Map (Year 1024)
Europe (red, labeled “Too busy with religion”):
Refers to the European Middle Ages, when much of Europe was under the strong influence of the Catholic Church. Intellectual life was often subordinated to theology, and scientific inquiry was comparatively limited.
Middle East (blue, labeled “Doing science”):
Refers to the Islamic Golden Age (8th–13th centuries), when scholars in the Muslim world were advancing in mathematics, medicine, astronomy, philosophy, chemistry, and engineering. Baghdad, Cordoba, Cairo, and other centers flourished with libraries and scholars.
Bottom Map (Year 2024)
Europe (blue, labeled “Doing science”):
Refers to the Scientific Revolution, Enlightenment, Industrial Revolution and modern era, when Europe became the center of global scientific and technological progress. Today, Europe (and the West more broadly) is strongly associated with secularism, science, and technological innovation.
Middle East (red, labeled “Too busy with religion”):
Suggests that in modern times, much of the Middle East is more focused on religion and less on scientific progress, often due to political instability, religious conservatism, and lower investment in research and education compared to Europe and other parts of the world.
Books o the topic:
- The History and Achievements of the Islamic Golden Age
- The New Penguin Atlas of Medieval History
- Islamic Science and the Making of the European Renaissance
What do you think?
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