Science and Scientific Production in the Middle East: Past and Present

In: Sociology of Islam, Band 8, Heft 2, S. 151-158

Abstract

Discussions concerning science and scientific production in the Middle East often trigger a comparison between a glorious past and a gloomy present. The past witnessed a thriving scientific culture within the Islamic civilization. In the present, however, science is usually entangled in a series of debates, ranging from the normative dimensions of modern science to the larger social and political circumstances shaping current realities, particularly in light of an incessant juxtaposition, competition, or rivalry with an imagined West.