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The Arabic-Latin Intercultural Transmission of Scientific Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe: Historical Context and Case Studies

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The Role of the Arab-Islamic World in the Rise of the West

Abstract

During the rise of Islamic civilization, Europe was still at an early stage in science, medicine and technology. The Arabic-Latin translation movement in the Middle Ages led to the transformation of almost all scientific, medical and philosophical disciplines in the Medieval Latin world. The impact of Arabic knowledge on Western learning was particularly strong in mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, medicine and philosophy. However, the influence of Arabic works in fertilizing Western culture and in providing the foundation for scientific progress in pre-modern Europe is hardly recognized in the mainstream of literature outside academic circles of professional historians.

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Notes

  1. In writing this chapter I was greatly helped and inspired by the works of expert historians about the Arabic-Latin transmission movement. Special mention should be made here of the works of the following authorities in the field, whose learned works constituted the basis for the sections on mathematics, astronomy and technology. See, respectively, A. Allard (1996), ‘The Influence of Arabic Mathematics in the Medieval West’, in R. Rashed and R. Morelon (eds) Encyclopedia of the History of Arabic Science, Vol. 2 (London: Routledge), pp. 539–80;

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  1. Mohammed Abattouy
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oxford, UK

    Nayef R. F. Al-Rodhan (Senior Member of St Antony’s College, Senior Scholar in Geostrategy and Director) (Senior Member of St Antony’s College, Senior Scholar in Geostrategy and Director)

  2. Geopolitics of Globalisation and Transnational Security Programme, Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Switzerland

    Nayef R. F. Al-Rodhan (Senior Member of St Antony’s College, Senior Scholar in Geostrategy and Director) (Senior Member of St Antony’s College, Senior Scholar in Geostrategy and Director)

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Abattouy, M. (2012). The Arabic-Latin Intercultural Transmission of Scientific Knowledge in Pre-Modern Europe: Historical Context and Case Studies. In: Al-Rodhan, N.R.F. (eds) The Role of the Arab-Islamic World in the Rise of the West. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230393219_8

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