The Wonders of the Universe

Introduction The universe is a phenomenon that human beings want to understand. There are various explanation, some are religious others are scientific. The religious books explain the universe as accretion of a Supreme Being while science studies the universe by engaging in research and documenting the results.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Wonders of the Universe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The pioneering scientist like Newton and Einstein coined theories that have formed the basis for many theorists in today’s world. The theorist explained the origin of the universe and made important discoveries that influenced the world view. Other scientist have emerged and published as they continue to explore the existence of the universe (Diez 1). This research paper will compare The Exploding Suns: The Secrets of the Supernovas by Asimov and The Brief History of Time by Hawking. It will explor e the similarities and the differences. Moreover, it will discuss the advantages of each book over the other. This paper will also recommend different readers to each book while giving the reasons for the recommendation. At the end the paper will give an opinion of the favorite book and give the reasons. The Exploding Suns by Isaac Asimov The explanation of the existence of the universe is explained by the award winning scientist as having taken place billions of years ago. This happened when the â€Å"big bang† took place and molecules of helium together with molecules of hydrogen formed gigantic clouds. The author introduces the supernovas which takes the center stage in explaining the universe. The supernovas are enormous unsteady suns that are massive tremors and giant outbursts are phenomenal in the entire system. The results of the phenomenal are believed to perpetuate life and among other things the metals and rocks. In his book, Asimov puts in plain words the diverse types of stars that formed. While giving the explanations, he describes how a star becomes supernova from nova. Besides the stars he explicates the origin of life. He uses scientific knowledge to explain the existence of God without referring to any religious beliefs (Blake: 3). Asimov (13) explains the origin humans using science. In his explanations of human existence, he does not subscribe to any supernatural being or powers. To him billions of years have passed since the simple molecules that existed in the atmosphere combined to form the complex universe. The formation of the complex molecules left no trace that would imply life existed. To be able to establish the accuracy of this theory, technology which would enable more investigation in the space should be embraced.Advertising Looking for research paper on natural sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, there is need to use biotechnology in the investigati ons to establish if there is any form of life that would be likened to what is on planet Earth. Further to clarify if the human beings living on the planet Earth have any beginnings in the space. After establishing the existence of human life in the space, then the evidence should be consistent with the makeup of human beings in the contemporary world. The Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking Hawking in his books covers several subjects in cosmology. He covers the big bang theory, the black holes as well as the light cones (Diez 1). what is more the author goes ahead to discuss mathematical concepts in the book. He however refrains from using including mathematical equation in the book. His presentation of the contents in the book is organized systematically. He starts by stating the beginning of the universes and using theory he explains how the existence of objects came to be and reveals the existence of the black holes. The book answers important questions that human beings h ave about the existence of entire universe. Hawking uses scientific approach to answer these questions. In his book he discusses the commencement of time and the end of the universe. He also displays the similarities and contrasts of the different types of the black hole. He discusses the density of the universe in relation to the impact of critical value to understand the expansion rate. In his book Hawking while reviewing the writings of the Newton as well as Einstein, he discusses the role of God in the creation of the universe. His main interest is to understand how God designed the quantum mechanics law and relativity theory only to abandon the progress of the concepts without leaving room for intercession. Similarities Both books can reader friendly for non scientist. Hawking’s The Brief History of Time has only one equation. This is contrary to the fact that scientist are prone to using equations.non scientist often find the equations unfriendly and discourage them fro m reading the book. Besides having only one equation, Hawking frequently gives illustrates in the book to enable the reader understand the arguments. Asimov in the book The Exploding Suns explains the scientific concepts in his text making it possible for the reader to understand. The reader therefore does not need to have prior knowledge of scientific concepts to be able to understand the text.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Wonders of the Universe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The two authors have made great contributions in science and particularly cosmology. Asimov has written and edited over 500 books and written enormous letters as well as articles concerning science. Hawking has also made great contributions and challenged what the pioneers in science documented. For instance, Hawking contributes to the theory of black holes by noting that the black hole adheres to the thermodynamic law. By doing so he also integrates the general relativity approach together with quantum mechanics to understand his discovery that challenges existing theory of black hole. In this case he ascertains that it possible that the black hole is not entirely black, this is because radiation can leak (Hawking 30). Both authors are keen to the nature of the constantly changing world and the enormous growth in knowledge. There is more scientist than before and therefore the audiences of sciences have increased. They try to explain the nature universe using science to meet the need for knowledge. This is an attempt to incorporate new research as the explanation of some phenomenon still remains unexplained. Although the books can be read by non scientist, it is necessary for the reader to have some form of basic education in science to be able to understand some concepts explained in the books. Having studied the introductory science classes in the initial stages in school, the reader’s cu riosity arises for more knowledge. This is the information found in both books, which is how the universe came into existence in details cause the readers to develop curiosity and want to read and read contents. Asimov and Hawking have subscribed to the theories that were propounded by scientist such as Einstein, Newton among others. They refer to theory of the big bang and the concept of black holes to explain the complex reality scientifically. Although the theories were crafted many years ago they are still used in both books as a basis of explaining the beginnings of the world. In their later editions of the versions of their books, they have included the developments in science that indicate changes in science. The new additional information captures the developments in theory and modifies the existing theories that have been explained in the book. This does not mean that the theories that are mentioned before are irrelevant; they are relevant as they form a basis for understan ding the new modified theory. Differences Hawking subscribes to the theories that were propounded by the pioneers of science Newton and Einstein. The concepts derived from gravitational force are compared with quantum mechanics together with relativity theory. The concepts form a basis for studying the nuclear forces (strong forces and weak forces), electromagnetic field, and the theory of superstring as well as quantum theory.Advertising Looking for research paper on natural sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Combining the concepts is a challenge because of the diversity of the forces. However, God is believed to have used a plan that combined all the concepts. On the other hand, Asimov does rely on the existing theory but he avoids dwelling on the already published theories to explain his understanding of the universe. Hawking describes the entire universe using a vast range of theories to capture every detail of the world more than Asimov. The wide ranges of theories make his book more comprehensive than the fewer theories used by Asimov. Hawking therefore makes the theories more complex when he goes ahead to combine the principles in order to come up with one theory that captures the wide range. This is evident when he incorporates the theory of relativity with quantum mechanics and relates them to the four dimensions. On the other hand besides introducing the big bang theory, Asimov chooses to follow the explanation of the supernovas to concentrate on one course. Hawking gives detail s on the objects in the universe while Asimov includes the origin of life to his theory of the universe. Besides discussing the novas and supernovas, the black hole and the big bang, Asimov briefly explains how human life began. In his explanation of the origin of life, the reader is left to engage in thoughts that doubt the credibility of his story. This is because it may be difficult to comprehend if life and the rocks together with the heavy metals could have any connection. Hawking does welcome the idea of God being included in the creation of the universe. In contrast, Asimov ignores the fact that there is a possibility that God would have played a role in the universe. Hawking in trying to explain how the four forces are intertwined visits the subject of God being the creator of the universe. He refers to Gods role intervening in the nature he created whenever there raises challenges that may have implications referring to the forces of nature. Moreover, he seldom criticizes G od’s role in the universe. Asimov on the contrast is hesitant to include God in the picture. He explains the universe purely on the basis of science. Advantages of one book over the other Advantage of the exploding suns The most fascinating aspect of The Exploding Suns is the explanation of the existence of the entire world using the theory of the supernovas. What gives the book more advantage to The Brief History of Time is the inclusion of the explanation on the beginnings of human being. The fact that Asimov uses the novas and supernovas in his book makes it possible for a new student of the science to understand. Although he does introduce complex scientific theories in the text he keeps the explanation within the scope of the novas and supernovas. This makes it possible for a reader to comprehend and flow with the ideas. The advantage Asimov’s book is that it is much simpler to follow unlike The Brief History of Time which introduces a vast range of theories and t he comprehensive information is compacted to give a brief history. The study of the stars is a complex topic that requires efforts and devotion of time to be able to understand. Asimov uses uncomplicated language in his book to disseminate the complex information about the suns. Moreover, he takes us back to the well known theories of the big bang, black holes and other theories that have been formulated to explain the reality of the universe. The concepts that are used in The Exploding Suns are explained explicitly. This enables people without prior knowledge of physics or astrology to read and understand the text. For this reason, the readers can read without consulting with the dictionary or encyclopedia for the complex theories. Asimov makes it possible for non scientist to use the book comfortably irrespective of their level of education. Advantage of the brief history of time The Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking is a book that encourages one to be more imaginative. He deeply explains the existence of the universe and the great phenomenon with enthusiasm. This he does by using understandable language. The last edition of Hawking has an additional chapter that gives the book an advantage over The exploding suns. The book has been revised making modifications according to developments in physics. The chapter talks about time travel on top of wormholes. Consequently, Hawking book thorough investigations on the theories gives credit as he makes comparison to find weakness and strengths of each. In his findings he finds similarity in the different approaches in physics. The Brief History of Time is the book for one seeking to understand the origin of the universe, how the universe formed and gets to know more about astronomy. The determination of a reader to understand is a must. This is because Hawking refers to some complex processes that require a lot of attention especially for non scientist. Although he discusses the theory of black holes in detai ls, the relativity theory is not given equal attention and thus the reader must pay attention to capture the idea. Getting started with reading the theories that summarize the existence of the universe and time is possible. Non scientist can get several theories in one book that is The Brief History of Time. The books writer did not have in mind that he writing the text for the experts. Understandable language is used with limited equations hence friendly. However, the book does use scientific concepts that either explained in detail or at least briefly. This enables the non- experts to be able to understand. The concepts that are used do not make the entire literature incomprehensible but rather introduces the reader the theories that have been in existence in the past years as stipulated by scientist. The book is informative to both non-scientist and scientist. However the reader must have at least some education to form a basis for understanding science. What kind of readers woul d be recommended to one book and why Recommending a book to a reader can be daunting task. Readers have different motives of reading a book. Both books are knowledgeable and can help the reader to understand the makeup of the universe and influence their perception about the universe. Recommend the Exploding Suns For a reader whose aim is to understand the concept of supernovas, then The Exploding Suns would be the book to read. Asimov explains the way the supernovas are formed. The details of the suns are given in detail and the reader is left with no choice but to get the concept of the supernovas which is used throughout the book. Readers who have little knowledge in science may use Asimov’s book. The concepts are explained clearly. The reader need not have any knowledge in science since Asimov writes in a layman’s language. The reader will be able to understand the different principles of the suns and get insight to know more. Readers who do not believe in the exis tence of any Supreme Being and power (God) can subscribe to Asimov writings. He does not acknowledge whether God had any stake in the formation of the universe. To him science is responsible for the creation of life and the objects in space. Students without any basic knowledge on the physical sciences or astronomy can read the exploding suns. It introduces the subject of the astrology in a comprehensive yet understandable manner. Recommend the brief history of time The readers who want to explore knowledge about the big bang theory, the black holes as well as the light cones The Brief History of Time is the book to read. The reader focuses on the types of black holes and explains how they are formed and describes the scenario in detail. A reader interested in theories is physics need to read The Brief History of Time. It can be considered to be an introduction to theories in physic. This is because it calls for absolute attention while reading the text where the reader is provoked to think. Moreover, it recaptures what the existing literature about the theories talk about and adds to the discussions. A reader who wants to understand how God fits in the scientific explanation of how the universe came to be should read The Brief History of Tim. In his book, Hawking devoted a whole chapter to discuss the role of God in science. Hawking invokes God and does so tactfully. It is important to note that he avoids contradicting with God and approaches then subject with ease. The Brief History of Time arranged systematically such that a reader with little knowledge about astronomy can follow. The chapters are guiding since one chapter ushers in the next chapter. In the chapters that proceed, Hawking takes time to explain the concepts in depth. Later he keeps referring to what he explained to build in the knowledge. The most recent developments in theory are discussed in the end. For instance the last chapter on the string theory is presented last. The four dimensions o f the world are explained vividly in The Brief History of Time. The intent of relating and describing the dimensions is with an aim of approaching the subject of obtaining a theory that includes all the mentioned theories in the book. According to Hawking, science would reach its end if a unified theory that speaks about the universe would be coined. This aspect of discussing the dimensions makes the book even more interesting to read. The Brief History of Time is a book that total concentration to read. Although Hawking makes it easier to understand by arranging the chapters in a friendly way, the reader must pay attention not to skip any details. Hawking keeps referring to concepts already introduced in previous chapters to introduce other concepts in the following chapter. The four dimensions and the theories mentioned might not be easy for a non scientist to gasp. They must pay attention and meditate as they progress so as to deduce meanings that are implied within the theories. Besides the fact that some concepts in physics can be difficult to explain, I would recommend the book to a non scientist as well as emerging scientist to read the book. This is because Hawking simplified the explanation such that one can understand. If a reader wants a book that is wealthy in a lot of information, The Brief History of Time is the book to read. It is rich in information and every time the reader reads they encounter more and more information. This is to mean that the book is comprehensive in the subject of time and space, among other interesting scientific theories. The end result is that the reader broadens his knowledge in the subject. There is so much that remains unexplored in the existence of the universe. Hawking provokes other scientist who may be interested in the subject to explore so as to arrive at a unified theory. This is a call for more inventions in the subject. A scientist who would be interested in astrology may read the book to get insights from H awking. Moreover, the theory that was introduced in the last chapter, the string theory is an area that needs to be explored as it is an emerging theory. This book could be recommended to a scientist who wants to engage in research about the astronomy. As the name of the book suggests, Hawking wrapped up the entire story of time and space briefly. A reader with at least the knowledge of the physics can engage in the reading the publication. The details provided are best for someone with at least the some college education in science. This is because he does present a lot of details in physics are limits his exploration in giving an extensive definition of some concepts. However the reader despite losing the writer in some parts of the book can still catch up and get to understand as he often uses simple language, considering that physics can be complex and difficult to explain. College graduates who have completed their physics tutorials can use the book to broaden their understandi ng about the universe. The book covers several concepts that have been introduced during their training. Moreover, the book can be of great advantage to those who seek to advance in physics and astrological studies. This is because it provokes further thinking and broadens ones understanding of time and space. Although the latest edition of The Brief History of Time introduced the new developments of theory in physics, most of the content emanate from theories that were developed many years back. This book would not be the most appropriate for a reader searching for new theories in physics. Which book did I like more and why Both The Brief History of Time and The Exploding Suns give the details that a non scientist would read and understand. They have areas of similarities like the big bang theory and are presented differently. The major driving force that leads one to choose a book is to get information which is comprehensive like in The Brief History of Time. The Brief History of Time emerges s as the most comprehensive book because of the wide inclusion of many theories that explain the world phenomenon. Moreover, the theories are explained consistently and progressively. Hawking uses simple language understandable even to the non scientist. A lot of knowledge is compacted just like the title of the books calls it a brief history. For this reason one begins to gain interest and becomes more imaginative. The author further attempts to relate the complex forces of nature with the existing theories so as to come up with a unified approach on the nature of the world system. More importantly, the book is theoretical and avoids using equations. Conclusion The universe is a complex reality that can be hard to explain. The Brief History of Time and The Exploding Suns have tried to give an account of the existence of the entire universe. Among the questions answered is the beginning of the universe and how forces of nature resulted into the present world. They give an account of the objects that are found in the space and explain various concepts (Girl: 1). Both books in their latest editions have introduced a chapter on the development of theories and use the earlier theories to explain the emerging theories. Among the theories commonly used in both books is the theory of the big bang and black hole among others. It is a remarkable effort from both authors that they managed to simplify the complex science into understandable layman’s language. Moreover, both authors have referred to theories that were coined by the pioneering scientist. The content found in the books is different in approach. Hawking in The Brief History of Time discusses the relativity theory; quantum mechanics among others while Asimov in The Exploding Suns dwells on the theory of the novas and the supernovas. The other difference is that Hawking book may require the reader to have some foundation in physics to be able to capture all the ideas that are presented. On the other hand Asimov’s book is written in the simplest language for readers without prior knowledge on astrology. Asimov has included in his book explanation of how human life came to be. Besides using science to explain the nature of the universe, Hawking visits the role of God in the universe. Works Cited Asimov, Isaac. The Exploding Suns: The Secrets of the Supernovas. Oak Lawn Public Library, 1991. Blake, David.   A Brief History of Time, review, 2004. Web. Diez, David.  Great Overview of Stars + Brief Biology, 2006 Web. Gir, Alam. A brief History of time from the big bang to the black holes, 2011. Web. Hawking, Steven. The Brief History of Time. New York: Bantam, 1998. This research paper on The Wonders of the Universe was written and submitted by user Madeleine Horton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on The Great Gatsby-the Color Green And White

Color symbolism is really popular in novels written during the 1920's. One such example is Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. There is much color symbolism in this novel, but there are two main colors that stand out more than the others. The colors green and white influence the story greatly. Green shows many thoughts, ideas, attitudes, and choices that Gatsby has throughout the story. White represents the stereotypical faà §ade that every character is hiding behind. The color green, as it is used in the novel, symbolizes different choices the character, Gatsby, can make during his life. The green element in this novel is taken from the green light at the end of the dock near Daisy's house. The color itself represents serenity, as in everything is perfect. This warns Gatsby that he should not pursue his dream for getting Daisy back, because his chance has passed and everything is as it should be. This is shown with Nick's insight, "...His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him... (Pg.189)" Another symbolization of the color green, which contradicts the first, is the meaning "go." As in a traffic light signal, most people associate green with the word and action "go." This can be interpreted as meaning Gatsby should go for his dream without hesitation. It implies that Gatsby and Daisy are meant to be together and nothing should stop Gatsby from his destined happiness and love with Daisy. It inspires hope for Gatsby that he is on the right path, heading towards the best years of his life. He believes that things will soon be as they once were, only better. ""I'm going to fix everything just the way they were before," he said nodding determinedly. "She'll see."(Pg. 117.)" The last symbolization the color green has in this novel is an urge to strive ahead in life, to do better in life and succeed. Gatsby changes his entire persona for a better,... Free Essays on The Great Gatsby-the Color Green And White Free Essays on The Great Gatsby-the Color Green And White Color symbolism is really popular in novels written during the 1920's. One such example is Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. There is much color symbolism in this novel, but there are two main colors that stand out more than the others. The colors green and white influence the story greatly. Green shows many thoughts, ideas, attitudes, and choices that Gatsby has throughout the story. White represents the stereotypical faà §ade that every character is hiding behind. The color green, as it is used in the novel, symbolizes different choices the character, Gatsby, can make during his life. The green element in this novel is taken from the green light at the end of the dock near Daisy's house. The color itself represents serenity, as in everything is perfect. This warns Gatsby that he should not pursue his dream for getting Daisy back, because his chance has passed and everything is as it should be. This is shown with Nick's insight, "...His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him... (Pg.189)" Another symbolization of the color green, which contradicts the first, is the meaning "go." As in a traffic light signal, most people associate green with the word and action "go." This can be interpreted as meaning Gatsby should go for his dream without hesitation. It implies that Gatsby and Daisy are meant to be together and nothing should stop Gatsby from his destined happiness and love with Daisy. It inspires hope for Gatsby that he is on the right path, heading towards the best years of his life. He believes that things will soon be as they once were, only better. ""I'm going to fix everything just the way they were before," he said nodding determinedly. "She'll see."(Pg. 117.)" The last symbolization the color green has in this novel is an urge to strive ahead in life, to do better in life and succeed. Gatsby changes his entire persona for a better,...

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Infancy and early childhood Development - Essay Example Caregivers and the family play a very important role in infants’ emotional and cognitive development. This is because they infants get attached to those people around them who are responsive and provide them comfort. According to Evans and Erikson (1981, p.12), in the first stage of cognitive development in infants, trust versus mistrust, infants get close to and develop trust on their parents and the family members from whom they find reassurance. How the family interacts with an infant or a young child defines how he is going to make a schema of the world inside his mind. If the family is going to offer him warmth and dependable fondness, the child is going to develop a trustworthy relationship not only with the family but with whomever he will meet in his life; whereas, if the family provides him with insecurities and the child does not feel that his basic needs are being fulfilled, he will develop a sense of mistrust with the whole world. Thus, the active participation of family and how they meet the basic needs (that include food, clothing, comfort, affection) of the infant define if the child is going to trust others and feel them reliable or is going to mistrust others and feel them unreliable and undependable. If the family has been abusive toward the child, he will grow up to be abusive toward the world and will perceive the world as a dangerous place to live in.

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Kindred :: essays research papers

Kindred Writing Activity The fire, page 36: â€Å"I could literally smell his sweat, hear every ragged breath, every cry, every cut of the whip. I could see his body jerking, convulsing, straining against the rope as his screaming went on and on. My stomach heaved, and I had to force myself to stay where I was and keep quiet.Why didn’t they stop!† In the middle of the night, four white men storm into a cabin in the woods while four others wait outside. The cabin belongs to Alice and her mom. The four men pull out Alice’s father along with her mom, both are naked. Alice manages to scramble away. The men question Alice’s father about a pass, which allows him to visit his wife. Her father tries to explain the men about the loss of the pass but the men do not pay any attention to him. Instead they tie him to a tree and one of the white man starts to whip him for visiting his wife without the permission of Tom Weylin, the â€Å"owner† of Alice’s father. Tom Weylin forbid him to see his wife, he ordered him to choose a new wife at the plantation, so he could own their children. Since Alice’s mother is a free woman, her babies would be free as well and would be save from slavery. But her freedom â€Å"status† does not stop one of the patroller to punch her in the face and cause her to collaps e to the ground. Meanwhile, you can hear the noise of the whip clutching against the back of Alice’s father. He forces himself to stay quiet under this unbelievable pain and humiliation in front of his family. His face shows the pain and he is sweating but still no sound, until he breaks down and starts to beg for forgiveness. After a while, the white man who happens to be a patroller stops whipping him and with the help of the other patrollers he unties him from the tree and turns him around and ties his hands in front of him.

Muslims and Science

THEME OF ESSAY Please read the short book  Ã¢â‚¬ËœMuslims and Science'  by Pervaiz Hoodhbhoy. Provide your views on the central argument of this book. Building on your knowledge from Bronowski and Sagan, what were the vital characteristics that allowed Western civilization to outpace Muslim civilization in the development of science in the modern period? Muslims and Science By Zara Abbas(11020043) Perspective Ever since the advent of Islam in 7th Century, the Muslim civilization rapidly rose to the forefront of human achievement.Remarkable progress was made not only in the fields of sciences and philosophy – i. e. mathematics, astrology, astronomy, optics, cartography, medicine, anthropology, logic and literature – but they also became the dominant military and economic power of the world by the 13th Century. These accomplishments were made possible by a number of underlying factors prevailing at that time in Muslim history.The significant ones being the territorial and commercial expansion of Muslim influence to a vast area where a treasure trove of Greek, Persian and Roman works in science, medicine and philosophy was made available to their intellectuals to build upon; Patronage and encouragement was given to Muslim scholars by the ruling elite of that time, several universities were built in the Muslim lands and a spirit of freedom for inquisitive research across the religious divide was created and encouraged.But then, owing to a raging and endless conflict between the forces of logic and reason and those of rigid religious fundamentalism, Muslim Science lost its appeal and eventually disappeared into near oblivion. Resultantly, the culture of patronage of those seeking knowledge and the pursuit of excellence in the fields of sciences and the arts also died. The Muslim World today, comprising 57 countries and 1. 57 billion people – which is roughly one fifth of the world population – has made no significant contribution to s cience or offered anything substantial towards technology[1] during the last 500 years.It remains in a state of intellectual stagnation while its inept and corrupt leaders rule without any vision or foresight. Budgetary allocations for sciences and general education in most Islamic countries are low resulting in their dependence on the West for survival in vital areas of human activity. Their collective wealth of human capital and vast preserve of natural resources are being wasted on non-development expenditures. The continuing cycle of regressive policy formulation has perpetuated poverty, conflict and instability in most Muslim countries.This deliberate neglect has not only created frustration and despondency amongst the Muslim youth but has also provided space to the orthodox religious forces to breed a deep rooted hatred for the ‘Christian West’ being a convenient scapegoat. In the context of Pakistan and its regional geo-political environment we find ourselves tra pped in a serious internal conflict, socio-economic insecurity, political instability and institutional collapse which have retarded the pace of societal progress. This bleak scenario provides enough motivation to dejected members of the society to join extremist elements for their self actualization.When the sad decline of Muslims began after almost 5 centuries of world domination, the West started overtaking them in every field of human enterprise ranging from means of warfare, industry, economics, education, governance and culture. This ascendency of European nations is attributed to the collapse of feudal economy, relegation of the Church from socio-political dominance to mere religious preaching, emergence of capitalistic economy, development of a secular and rational approach towards scientific and social education[2] and lastly the productive cum commercial usefulness of science and technology for the human race.Unfortunately, the gap between both civilizations in the domain of scientific research and technological advancement has steadily widened during the last 400 years. It is therefore imperative upon the Islamic world to take drastic but pragmatic measures to stem the tide; otherwise we are headed towards an impending disaster. This is precisely the ‘Central Argument’ of Dr. Parvez Hoodbhoy’s Book ‘Muslims and Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality†.Although a nuclear physicist by profession, Dr Hoodbhoy has shown remarkable insight into a subject of academic specialization and contemporary importance and has produced a timely and dispassionate analysis of the causes of decline of the Muslim world in the fields of sciences after remaining in the forefront for centuries. His persuasive and lucid style of argument, which at times seems rather offensive for typical Pakistani (i. e.Muslim) sensibilities, takes the reader through the entire spectrum of factors affecting the Muslim loss of wo rld leadership and retreat from modernity. Simultaneously, he also highlights the special characteristics of the Western nations that propelled them towards human excellence and accomplishment not only in sciences but also in societal activity. Finally, he also suggests some functional and sensible measures to progressively take the Muslims onto the path of modernity and scientific enterprise in harmony with our Islamic ethos. AimThe aim of this essay is to enunciate my own reflections on the decline of Muslim society after leading the world for centuries as against the ascendency of Western powers through their superior human actualization with a view to proposing a realistic way forward for the Muslims in light of the notions expressed by Hoodbhoy, Bronowski and Sagan. What Ails The Muslim World Over the past five centuries people in Islamic societies have tried to come to terms with the reality of their relegation to being the world’s ‘followers’ after remaini ng its ‘leading light’ for an equally long period in the medieval ages.The crucial but relevant question of, ‘What went wrong? ’ agitates the minds of Muslim intellectuals and youth alike. But beyond seeking scapegoats the question remains unanswered. There seems to be no common agreement and honest acknowledgement of our own failings that led to our sad but steady decay, particularly so in the arena of scientific development. However, armed with my study of the subject ‘Science and Civilization’ I shall briefly put forward an objective view of the malaise afflicting the Muslims. 1. Historical Causes of Muslim Decline a.Orthodoxy versus Rationality. The long drawn clash (801 – 1406 AD) between the supporters of Pre destination/Revelation and other Orthodox/Conservative scholars of Sharia, Theology and Islamic jurisprudence (represented by Al Ghazali, Ahmad Bin Hanbal, Al Ashari, Ibn e Taymia, Al Maalik) and the Qadarites/Mutazlites (i. e . the proponents of Free Will, Ethics and Reason represented by Al Kindi, Al Razi, Ibn e Sina, Ibn e Rushd and Ibn e Khaldun)[3] eventually led to the victory of the forces of ossified religiosity and swept rational thought away from Islamic intellectualism.Thus the hitherto patronage, respect and support extended to the scholars by the nobility of the times were also withdrawn under pressure from the conservatives. Sadly, the separation between the fundamentalists and secular/rational Muslims became complete and exists till the present times. Thereafter, no one could dare combine reason with revelation in Islam. The edifice of Islamic science and intellectual glory was reduced to ruin and could not be rebuilt. b. Non Scientific Attitude.As a logical corollary of the aforementioned rigidity of thought amongst the Muslim Orthodoxy, the attitudinal notions required for the nurture and development of sciences did not evolve in the Muslim world after the defeat of rationality. The arriv al of dogma and rigidity in Muslim intellectual thought led them to the rejection of ‘prediction’, ‘imagination’, ‘curiosity or the spirit of inquiry’ and ‘the will or urge to control one’s physical environment to human advantage’- essential ingredients of scientific knowledge – resulting in the death of creative activity.Likewise, Muslims of the ‘post golden age’ inherited a general lack of spirit and interest in ‘theoretical’ learning of various sciences owing to their insignificant material reward or utility. They would rather opt for acquisition of practical knowledge for ‘utilitarian’ ends instead of developing a general atmosphere of learning where ‘abstract thought’ and ‘spiritual values could be nurtured. [4] This general apathy towards academic learning steadily became a societal attitude amongst the Muslim generations which exists even today. c. Musli m Educational System.The traditional concept and orientation of education in Muslim societies aims at harmonizing all knowledge with Islamic thought whereby the student remains wedded to his/her Islamic ethos. This develops an attitude of ‘acquiring revealed knowledge’ being a Divine command rather than ‘discovering’ it through inquisitive and participative means. The traditional mode of education followed over centuries in the Muslim world led them to nurture the values of ‘rote learning’, ‘historical and conceptual continuity’,[5] ‘self righteousness’ and ‘rigidity’ in their psyche.Their consequent inability to respond and adjust to a constantly changing world denied them the chance to progress and achieve scientific excellence. d. Capitalism versus Islamic Law. The scientific and industrial revolution in Europe transformed a hitherto feudal society into a modern capitalistic culture. This was achieved t hrough the creation of a bourgeois class capable of investments, innovations and structural changes to coordinate the new means of production and technical progress with the new complex economic challenges.This automatically led to the development of a comprehensive legal system for regulation and dispute resolution of the new socio economic realities. [6] As against this the Islamic jurisprudence, being derived from Quranic injunctions and Prophetic traditions, has a fixed set of rules and defining principles within which justice is to be provided and these laws cannot not be altered or modified to suit changing situations. Therefore, capitalist economy could not take root and develop in its classical sense in Muslim societies. . Economic Causes. When the colonization of Muslim lands in began in the 18th Century, Muslim civilization was urban based with the city dwellers depending on the continuous and assured supply of means of subsistence from the rural peasantry. Such supplies w ould continue even during conditions of famine or strife with state assistance. Therefore, Muslim economies of that time remained immune from Europe’s revolutionary advancement.Likewise, Muslim urban centers never developed municipal or corporate institutions meant for stimulation of economic growth through industry and trade. [7] As a result the Muslim economic order of that era could not compete with Europe’s phenomenal economic growth. f. Means of Warfare. The steady European advancement in the means of warfare (concepts and weaponry) along with the progress made in industry and technology after the 15th Century was also an important factor in causing European victories on the battlefield.By comparison the Muslims could not generate comparable military muscle/prowess. This incompatibility increased substantially by the 18th Century resulting in the occupation of Muslim territories in North Africa, Spain, Balkans, Russia, India and Iran culminating into the colonizat ion of almost the entire Muslim world by the 19th Century. [8] g. Non Existence of a Power Structure. The power structure of a society determines its dominant attitudes towards scientific enquiry and acquisition of knowledge.In the absence of a central authority wielding politico-religious and military power as against the Church in medieval Europe, the Islamic world did not possess the means of exercising control over its territories/subjects and resolving disputes. This inherent weakness laid bare the possibility of insurrection by powerful religious factions/sects, seizing control of distant lands by usurpers or mobilization of the majority sect against minority viewpoint on liberal religious groups. 9] This was a serious organizational weakness that eventually proved detrimental to the political, economic and intellectual ascendency of the Islamic society. 2. Present State of Muslim Science/Education a. Scientific Progress. A recent study of the World Bank indicates that the qua lity of scientific as well as general education in the Muslim World is rapidly falling behind the rest of the World and needs urgent attention if it is to cope with the demands of the future.While some Islamic countries – like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Iran and Nigeria – have drastically increased their respective resource allocations to boost general education and the Sciences, their traditional attitudes towards the education of women, non separation of religious thought from the secular nature of scientific education and discouraging a scientific culture based upon innovation, quantification and empirical verification remain uncompromising to this date. b. Science in the Productive Sector.Despite a universal recognition of the importance of industrial sector for a nation’s economic growth, value added production of contemporary Muslim economies is woefully low. Barring Malaysia, the nature of economy of key Muslim countries remains basical ly agro and mineral extraction. [10] Therefore their accumulated economic strength/capacity is comparatively lower than other developing economies. This indicates that the ‘science to production’ ratio is negligible with little indications of improvement. c. Scientific Output.The overall scientific output of Muslim countries, as indicated by the number of science research papers published together with the citations to them, indicates that we stand alarmingly low in comparison with others like India, Brazil, China and USA. Likewise, we find that 46 Muslim countries contributed 1. 17 % of the world’s science literature as against 1. 66% and 1. 48% respectively from India and Spain alone. Interestingly, 20 Arab countries contributed 0. 55% in comparison to 0. 89 % by Israel. Moreover, the scientific worth or quality of a fairly large number of these papers was not only below par but some were even plagiarized.A study by academics at the International Islamic Univer sity Malaysia showed that OIC countries have 8. 5 scientists, engineers, and technicians per 1000 population, compared with a world average of 40. 7, and 139. 3 for countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. [11] It is also a known fact that the number of Muslim Nobel Laureates is still in single digit in comparison to hundreds from Israel alone. This state of affairs does not augur well for the future of Muslim science. d. Scientific Enterprises.Over the last decade or so Muslim Governments have been steadily increasing their S & T budgets with a view to inducing greater scientific activity. The existing average spending of 57 Islamic countries on R & D is 0. 3% of their GNP which remains far below the global average of 2. 4%. [12] Nonetheless, the there is a perceptible trend of higher spending in major Muslim countries. But bigger budgets alone would not arrest the deteriorating standards unless the capacity to spend these monies is also built simult aneously on developing a critical mass of scientists, engineers and technicians besides improving their quality and professionalism.Recent surveys also indicate that spending on higher education has increased significantly resulting in a sharp rise in the number of institutions, students and infrastructural improvements. But these centers of learning still lack the qualitative edge that could make them rank amongst the foremost 500 in the world which is not the case at the moment. e. Educational Paradox – Pakistan’s Context. Ever since Pakistan’s independence no government has ever given education any status in the list of its national priorities.The public sector expenditure on this vital sector has remained abysmally low (i. e. ranging between 2. 16% to 2. 42 % of GDP from 2003-08 but was reduced to a paltry 2% in 2010 budget)[13] which compares poorly with other South Asian countries. This has left Pakistan’s literacy rates as the lowest in the region (i. e. 57% – which is 69% males and 45% females). [14] The poor quality of the learning environment is evident from the fact that a large number of schools lack basic infrastructure — 37. per cent of the schools up to the elementary level don’t have boundary walls, 33. 9 per cent lack drinking water facility, 37 per cent don’t have latrines and 60 per cent are without electricity. [15] Owing to the criminal neglect of various successive governments in formulating coherent and sustainable education policies for the people by investing in this vital sector, we have not only ended up losing precious generations to the vicissitudes of time but have also denied them the opportunity to improve their lot through acquisition and development of skills.Apart from this, the general apathy and indifference shown towards education by our rulers has led to the creation of a stratified system of educational prejudice. In that the ‘rich and the elite’ go to the private ‘English medium’ schools while the ‘commoner class’ attends the government run ‘Urdu medium’ schools. This puts the common citizen at an unfair disadvantage against the well to do child when both aspire and compete for admission into professional institutions. Recommendations In the words from Dr. Hoodbhoy borrowed from one of his recent papers, ‘Progress will require behavioral changes.If Muslim societies are to develop technology instead of just using it, the ruthlessly competitive global marketplace will insist on not only high skill levels but also intense social work habits. Science can prosper among Muslims once again, but only with a willingness to accept certain basic philosophical and attitudinal changes—i. e. shrug off the dead hand of tradition, reject fatalism and absolute belief in authority, accept the legitimacy of temporal laws, value intellectual rigor and scientific honesty, and respect cultural and pe rsonal freedoms.The struggle to usher in science will have to go side-by-side with a much wider campaign to elbow out rigid orthodoxy and bring in modern thought, arts, philosophy, democracy, and pluralism’. Within this forthright observation lies an abstract framework of our future plan of action based on common sense and principles of logic and reason. However, we would need to tread this path with farsighted prudence and devise our strategic thinking in harmony with the obtaining socio political realities of the Islamic world.Such an approach warrants a judicious and systematic execution but profound application so that the reform process permeates into the Muslim soul without agitating its impassioned sensibilities. The new model of our education philosophy should recognize and affirm that science and religion are complementary and not contradictory to each other. Therefore, the revised concept of scientific education should clearly state that both disciplines are separat e domains which do not overlap; and that there can never be a conflict between the two as long as their protagonists do not stoke public passions for self aggrandizement.The other areas where reform is proposed are listed below: †¢ Remodel the entire concept/ philosophy of general education at the primary /secondary levels with a view to developing the traits of inquisitiveness, empirical and deductive thought process and the ability to challenge/question precepts and assumptions. †¢ Basic education up to Matriculation (or equivalent standard) should be made compulsory for all citizens (both genders) in all Muslim countries. †¢ Budgetary allocation for education be brought at par with laid down UNESCO standards. Revitalize the tertiary and post graduate education system by improving the infrastructure and facilities, provision of high quality teaching staff and improving the quality/worth of scientific research. †¢ Current standards of vocational training for ski ll development of technicians should be refined, upgraded and rejuvenated to match the ongoing technological advancement. †¢ The syllabi of Deeni Madaris (religious schools) should be suitably revamped and harmonized with the current trends in modern education. †¢ The existing disparity between the standards of education/syllabi of Public and private schools be minimized at priority.BIBLIOGRAPHY †¢ Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books , 1991) †¢ Bernard Lewis , â€Å"What Went Wrong? † (Perennial Harper Collins 2002) †¢ Jacob Bronowski, â€Å"The Ascent of Man† (1973) †¢ Carl Sagan, â€Å"Cosmos† (1980) †¢ Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Science and the Islamic World – The Quest for Rapprochement† , â€Å"Physics Today† August 2007 pg 49 < http://ptonline. aip. org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_60/iss_8/49_1. sh tml? bypassSSO=1 > †¢ â€Å"Muslim World Education – Falling Behind†, ‘Khilafah. Com’ , 24 Feb 2008 < http://www. khilafah. com/index. hp/the-khilafah/education/2019-muslim-world-education-falling-behind > †¢ Dr. Ahmad shafaat, â€Å"a review of Pervez Hoodbhoy, Islam and Science: Religious Orthodoxy and Battle for Rationality† November 2002 < http://www. islamicperspectives. com/ReviewPervezHoodbhoy. htm > †¢ Khawar Ghumman, â€Å"Only two percent of GDP Spent on Education†, Dawn. Com, (5 Jun 2010) , < http://www. dawn. com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/21-only-2pc-of-gdp-spent-on-education-560-sk-09 > ———————– [1] â€Å"Muslim World Education – Falling Behind†, ‘Khilafah. Com’ , 24 Feb 2008 < http://www. khilafah. om/index. php/the-khilafah/education/2019-muslim-world-education-fallin g-behind > [2] Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books ,1991) pg 2 &161. [3]Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books ,1991),pg 115 – 141. [4]Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books ,1991) pg 145 – 149. [5] Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books ,1991), pg 149 – 154. 6] Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books ,1991), pg 154 – 156. [7] Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books ,1991), pg 157 †“ 160. [8] Bernard Lewis , â€Å"What Went Wrong? † (Perennial Harper Collins 2002), pg 18 – 34. [9]Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books , 1991), pg 161. [10]Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Muslims & Science – Religious Orthodoxy and the Struggle for Rationality† (Vanguard Books , 1991), pg 34 – 37. 11] Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy(2007), â€Å"Science and the Islamic World – The Quest for Rapprochement† ,Physics today’ August 2007 pg 49 < http://ptonline. aip. org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_60/iss_8/49_1. shtml? bypassSSO=1 > [12] Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, â€Å"Science and the Islamic World – The Quest for Rapprochement† ,Physics Today’ August 2007 pg 49 < http://ptonline. aip. org/journals/doc/PHTOAD-ft/vol_60/iss_8/49_1. shtml? bypassSSO=1 > [13] Government of Pakistan – Ministries of Finance and Education –