Islamic Golden Age
• Overview
- The Islamic Golden Age was an era of blossoming intellectual and cultural achievement in science, philosophy, engineering and other fields within Islamic Civilization from the mid-8th century to the mid-13th century. The empire was ruled by the Abassid Caliphate. The Age was built upon the successful expansion of the Arab empire into North Africa, parts of Europe, and South and Southeast Asia. The successful expansion was attributed to reasons related to the strength of the armies, the use of common language, and the fair treatment of conquered peoples. These factors allowed for a free exchange and blending of multiple traditions from different regions.
- The Islamic Golden Age was an era of blossoming intellectual and cultural achievement in science, philosophy, engineering and other fields within Islamic Civilization from the mid-8th century to the mid-13th century. The empire was ruled by the Abassid Caliphate. The Age was built upon the successful expansion of the Arab empire into North Africa, parts of Europe, and South and Southeast Asia. The successful expansion was attributed to reasons related to the strength of the armies, the use of common language, and the fair treatment of conquered peoples. These factors allowed for a free exchange and blending of multiple traditions from different regions.
• Arts
- Ceramics, glass, metalwork, textiles, illuminated manuscripts, woodwork, painting, and calligraphy flourished.
- Ceramics, glass, metalwork, textiles, illuminated manuscripts, woodwork, painting, and calligraphy flourished.
• Science
- Mathematics including trigonometry, as well as optics and astronomy were substantially advanced.
• Medicine
- Scholars took important medical knowledge from Rome, Persia, and especially Greece and then made their own advancements.
- Scholars took important medical knowledge from Rome, Persia, and especially Greece and then made their own advancements.
• Philosophy
- Islamic scholars translated philosophical literature from many cultures including China, India, and Ancient Greece.
- In early Islamic philosophy, two main currents may be distinguished. The first is Kalam, that mainly dealt with Islamic theological questions, and the other is Falsafa, that was founded on interpretations of Aristotelianism and Neoplatonism. There were attempts by later philosopher-theologians at harmonizing both trends, notably by Avicenna and Averroes.
- Islamic scholars translated philosophical literature from many cultures including China, India, and Ancient Greece.
- In early Islamic philosophy, two main currents may be distinguished. The first is Kalam, that mainly dealt with Islamic theological questions, and the other is Falsafa, that was founded on interpretations of Aristotelianism and Neoplatonism. There were attempts by later philosopher-theologians at harmonizing both trends, notably by Avicenna and Averroes.
• Decline
- The decline of the Islamic Golden Age was the result of several factors, including the end of the Abassid Caliphate, which decentralized power.
- Religious groups splintered and fundamentalism was on the rise. The appeal by some theologians including Al-Ghazali turned the tide toward orthodoxy, declaring reason and its entire works to be bankrupt. They declared that experience and reason that grew out of it were not to be trusted. As a result, free scientific investigation and philosophical and religious toleration were phenomena of the past. Schools limited their teaching to theology and scientific progress came to a halt.
- The European Crusades (1097-1291) assailed Islam militarily from the West and the Mongols invaded from the East. The Mongol sack of Baghdad in 1258 is widely considered the end of the Golden Age as the Islamic Empire never recovered. Trade routes became unsafe. Urban life broke down. Individual communities drew in upon themselves in feudal isolation. Science and philosophy survived for a while in scattered pockets, but the Golden Age of Islam was at an end.
- The decline of the Islamic Golden Age was the result of several factors, including the end of the Abassid Caliphate, which decentralized power.
- Religious groups splintered and fundamentalism was on the rise. The appeal by some theologians including Al-Ghazali turned the tide toward orthodoxy, declaring reason and its entire works to be bankrupt. They declared that experience and reason that grew out of it were not to be trusted. As a result, free scientific investigation and philosophical and religious toleration were phenomena of the past. Schools limited their teaching to theology and scientific progress came to a halt.
- The European Crusades (1097-1291) assailed Islam militarily from the West and the Mongols invaded from the East. The Mongol sack of Baghdad in 1258 is widely considered the end of the Golden Age as the Islamic Empire never recovered. Trade routes became unsafe. Urban life broke down. Individual communities drew in upon themselves in feudal isolation. Science and philosophy survived for a while in scattered pockets, but the Golden Age of Islam was at an end.
Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age
http://robtshepherd.tripod.com/islamic.html
http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/goldenages/islam.cfm
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