Sometimes?
Scientists are so cute when they are ignoring the obvious.
What Am I taking about? How about the fact that some in the scientific community still think THIS is possible today…
[via New Scientist] SCIENTIFIC research in the Arabian, Persian and Turkish Middle East lags behind that of the west. Of course, there are individual scientists who produce world-class research and there are institutions and nations which make significant contributions in certain fields. Publication and citation indicators show some encouraging trends. But naturally one asks: “Why have Arab, Persian and Turkish scientists as a group underperformed compared with their colleagues in the west or with those rising in the east?”
It is simplistic to say that there is a single cause, such as a (false) dichotomy between faith and reason. [See? This right here. The fact that this author writes 'reason' not 'science' shows he has NO clue about the hold religion has on the Middle East...None.] Muslims are no different from anyone else; there is no ethnic or geographic monopoly on intelligence. Muslims in Spain, north Africa and Arabia were at the peak of a sophisticated civilisation when Christian Europe was in the Dark Ages.
I think the answer lies in the recent history of the Arab, Persian and Turkish world. Consider what happened in the past century. First there was colonisation by western empires, which installed class and caste systems from outside. The result was huge populations of illiterate peasants. Illiteracy reached nearly 50 per cent, and among women it was as high as 80 per cent in many countries. When colonisation ended after the second world war, these countries looked to the superpowers for help, first west then east. And when the cold war ended, there was only one place left to look: up. That search for answers has been exploited by some to politicise religion.
It goes without saying that the developing world should help itself. The Middle East must not think itself incapable of competing with developed nations. But in addressing the gap, one must bear in mind a history that has resulted in large populations of frustrated people who lack real opportunity.
Many graduates in the Middle East are without jobs. What are their options? Their energy must not be allowed to be diverted into fanaticism and violence. In contrast to the silver wave faced by rest of the world, the Arab world is facing a youth wave. These young people can achieve great things in science if they are given the chance. [Not about 'chance' its about the Quran and what is allowed per IT'S law for these people.]
I see three essential ingredients for progress. First is the building of human resources by promoting literacy, ensuring participation of women in society and improving education. Second, there is a need to reform national constitutions to allow freedom of thought, minimise bureaucracy, reward merit, and create credible- and enforceable- legal codes.
The recent revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere show that these changes are possible. Over the past two decades I have been involved in promoting political and educational reforms, and I feel we now have an opportunity to make a real change. …[Read More]
Oh, change is possible alright.
“Why wouldn’t/shouldn’t it be possible?” Well, for one glaring reason, which the mainstream liberal media has has refused to address…
You know that whole Egyptian revolution that the mainstream media said was lead by the ‘little people’ and it would lead to the betterment of the Egyptian people as a whole?
Yeah, kinda not.
Extremists, like the Muslim Brotherhood…
Yes, Islamic extremists utterly directed that revolution and now?
They want the power…
CAIRO — A majority of Egyptians believe laws in their country should observe the teachings of Islam’s holy book, the Quran, according to the results of an opinion poll by a U.S.-based research center….
slamic parties are expected to make a significant showing in the crucial vote, with 50 percent of people saying it was “very important” for religious parties to be part of a future government and as much 37 percent have a “very favorable” view of the Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s largest and best organized Islamic group.
Another 62 percent of Egyptians believe laws in their country should strictly follow the teachings of the Quran, though 27 percent thought it was enough that the laws reflect Islam’s general values and principles. [Read More]
And wow, how scary is THAT?
And when they get it?
You can throw all chances of scientific progression out the window, because in an Islamic extremists’ mind?
That way lay certain death, if you believe it…
Yours.
