Evolution was an Islamic Theory Before Darwin was Even Born

reply to post by Leahn

Algebra was created by the Babylonians

He said Arabs not Muslims, the two aren't interchangeable, sometimes there are parallelisms but not the same . Where was Babylon ?

And the term "Dark Ages" refer to a period of history about which, until recently, very little was known, and thus "dark".

Well that is also not exactly correct, agree that less is known but the name is not because of that, it comes from the loss of light (enlightenment). The Dark ages started with the invasions of the Mongols the fall of Constantinople (Christian at the time). Europe has a serious debt to the Arabs for keeping science alive and prospering (not only the Arabs but mostly them, the Coptic Church and the Church in Greece also had a major preserving effect on culture that would have been lost otherwise). The same Mongols also invaded China but there the effect was not so damaging due to the previous homogenization. In Europe the house of cards of petty little kingdoms had not such luck they did not only succumb to the invaders they fought hard against each others, that and the plagues managed to trow the continent into chaos.

Originally posted by racasan
reply to post by 0SolidSnake0

 

en.wikipedia.org...

One should then take a look at the world of creation. It started out from the minerals and progressed, in an ingenious, gradual manner, to plants and animals. The last stage of minerals is connected with the first stage of plants, such as herbs and seedless plants. The last stage of plants, such as palms and vines, is connected with the first stage of animals, such as snails and shellfish which have only the power of touch. The word 'connection' with regard to these created things means that the last stage of each group is fully prepared to become the first stage of the newest group.
The animal world then widens, its species become numerous, and, in a gradual process of creation, it finally leads to man, who is able to think and reflect. The higher stage of man is reached from the world of monkeys, in which both sagacity and perception are found, but which has not reached the stage of actual reflection and thinking. At this point we come to the first stage of man. This is as far as our (physical) observation extends.

from Muqaddimah

It talks about stages – starts out with minerals next stage is plants (no mention of micro organisms) and so on to the final stage man, which is why I think it’s just a repeat of Aristotle’s Great chain and why it’s not ToE – ToE doesn’t do stages

I have to admit, minus the use of the phrase "stages" (should be species), and minus the monkeys not having actual reflection and thinking (they do), I have to admit that's a good description , ancient description, of what we now call Evolution.

reply to post by Confusion42


oh i agree it's a good guess at what's going on - but it's not evolution* and the stages bit gives it away as coming from Aristotle and the scale of complexity or ‘great chain of being’ thing he came up with

*evolution is about the forces such as environment and so on that select for which organisms are successful and produce a next generation - complexity is not a factor in ToE, the modern sponge is as evolved as man both lines have had as much evolutionary pressure(!) as the other its just that the outcome from that process is different - they diverged at some point in the past in to be effected by different forces (environment and so on)

Originally posted by racasan
It talks about stages – starts out with minerals next stage is plants (no mention of micro organisms) and so on to the final stage man, which is why I think it’s just a repeat of Aristotle’s Great chain and why it’s not ToE – ToE doesn’t do stages

Originally posted by racasan
reply to post by Confusion42

 

oh i agree it's a good guess at what's going on - but it's not evolution* and the stages bit gives it away as coming from Aristotle and the scale of complexity or ‘great chain of being’ thing he came up with

No, it is not The great chain of being. It obviously is about evolution , I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself. I don't know why you are denying that even tho its right there. Aristotle and Plato NEVER believed in Evolution. They didn't believe in a specie evolving to a newer one. they believed in SPONTANEOUS GENERATION, which is what the great chain of being about . The ordinary formation of living organisms without descent from similar organisms.
When you read what Ibn khaldun said, It is clear he is talking about Evolution .The stage in the great chain of being is different from "the stage" in ibn Khaldun's work. No, he is not saying first stage is minerals and last stage is man, and each has its stage like you mentioned. Ibn khaldun said the "last stage" and the "beginning stage" of EACH. He clearly meant the evolving stages, which means "species",in what we know today .
Go back to the link you provided, and read before it and after it.

I think the hindus got it first
en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by amkia


The astrolabe dates back to 150BC. It predates Islam by well over half a millennium. That in no way says anything else about the great discoveries made by Islamic society.