An Encyclopedia Of Islamic Medical And Scientific Tradition

Islam developed over the course of its history one of the world's most innovative and interesting scientific and medical traditions. In this context, the term Islam should not simply be understood as referring to the religion of the prophet Muhammad, but rather to a civil engineeringization which was once surprisingly open to foreign influences, and eager to engage with the proverbial other. This book presents a selection of works that illustrate the intellectual curiosity and theoretical vigor with which Arabs and non-Arabs living in the medieval Muslim world pursued scientific endeavors.

Presents a selection of articles that illustrate the intellectual curiosity and theoretical vigour with which Arabs and non-Arabs living in the medieval Muslim world pursued scientific endeavours. The focus is firmly on articles published during the last 20 years, during which the discipline has enjoyed a new bloom.

Research from the last few decades has profoundly changed our understanding of the Islamic scientific tradition. We now know that it was richer and more profound and had more complex relations to other cultures than wehad previously thought. This book offers an overview of this newly energized field of historical investigation.

The history of medicine in non-European countries has often been characterized by the study of their native traditional medicine, such as (Galenico-)Islamic medicine, and Ayurvedic or Chinese medicine. By discarding categories of Islamic medicine as the myths invented by modern (Western) historiography in the aftermath of the colonial and post colonial periods, the book proposes to bridge the gap between Western and 'non-Western' medicines, opening a new perspective in medical historiography in which 'modern medicine' becomes an integral part of the history of medicine in non-European countries.

From an Islamic standpoint, science and the study of nature is considered to be linked to the concept of tawhid (the oneness of God), as are all other branches of knowledge. In Islam, nature is not seen as a separate entity, but rather as an integral part of Islam's holistic outlook on God, humanity and the world. This book describes the relationship between Muslim communities and science in general.

Science in the medieval Islamic world, also known as Islamic science or Arabic science, is the science developed and practised in the Islamic world during the Islamic Golden Age (c.750 CE - c.1258 CE). This book examines many of the Indian, Asyriac, Iranian and Greek translations which became a wellspring for Islamic scientific advances.

"The Arab contribution is fundamental to the history of science, mathematics and technology, but until now no single publication has offered an up-to-date synthesis of knowledge in this area. In three fully-illustrated volumes the Encyclopedia of the History of Arab Science documents the history and philosophy of Arab science from the earliest times to the present day. Thirty-one chapters, written by an international team of specialists, cover astronomy, mathematics, music, engineering, nautical science, scientific institutions and many other areas. The Encyclopedia is divided into three volumes: 1. Astronomy--Theoretical and applied 2. Mathematics and the Physical Sciences 3. Technology, Alchemy, and the Life Sciences. Extensively illustrated with figures, tables, and plates, each chapter is written by an internationally respected expert, guaranteeing accuracy and quality. Each volume contains an extensive bibliography of sources and suggestions for further reading, and the set is fully indexed. This set will interest mathematicians, engineers and scientists, as well as students of history, the history of science, and Middle Eastern studies."--Publisher's information.