The West owes credit to Islam’s historical feats

[doorster]

Originally Posted by Keltoi
...
So algebra as a mathematical discipline owes its existence and understanding to hundreds of people over a long period of time

Yes! even a pygmy in Africa would know use of algebra in order to be able to survive, however, I'm told that it was a Persian who put it down on paper

Thanks for the post Keltoi. For those interested, a documentary is currently airing on BBC Four called The Story of Maths. Personally, I find it fascinating although I will completely understand if not many people share my enthusiasm. I really recommend watching it to those mathematically-inclined ones amongst you.

Also, if I may, perhaps the article was implying that Europe as we know it today owes it's existence to Islam, meaning that without the influences of the Islamic world, Europe would be quite a different place to what it is today. Do you guys think that's a fair point?

I am taping it all to keep I also collect anything/everything by Adam Hart-Davis and things like "what the ancients did for us

 

[doorster]

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[Keltoi]

even a pigmy in africa would know use of algebra in order to be able to survive, however, I'm told that it was a Persian who put it down on paper

A pigmy in Africa uses algebra to survive? What do you mean by that?

As for who put it "down on paper", again, that is a whole list of individuals who added to the development of algebra. Ranging from Arabs, Persians, Hellenists, Japanese, etc, etc ,etc. Algebra is not some static concept that one can simply "put down on paper" like a story.

 

[doorster]

A pigmy in Africa uses algebra to survive? What do you mean by that?

As for who put it "down on paper", again, that is a whole list of individuals who added to the development of algebra. Ranging from Arabs, Persians, Hellenists, Japanese, etc, etc ,etc. Algebra is not some static concept that one can simply "put down on paper" like a story.

what is algebra but finding/arriving at correct result by guessing?It is a reasoning skill as old as mankind itself! who invented reason?

 

[Keltoi]

what is algebra but finding/arriving at correct result by guessing?It is a reasoning skill as old as mankind itself! who invented reason?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Algebra is more than the ability to "reason". A caveman could reason out how to design his spear to take down a buffalo, yes, but I doubt he could "reason" what a polynomial is or make use of integers.

 

[doorster]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Algebra is more than the ability to "reason". A caveman could reason out how to design his spear to take down a buffalo, yes, but I doubt he could "reason" what a polynomial is or make use of integers.

now we are running away into the realms of silliness are we not?

next we'll be "debating" about Wright Brothers or Archibald Russell being/not being designers of Concorde or who is more clever, the man who made abacus or the one who made an electronic calculator. :hmm:

ta ta!

 

[Muezzin]

You could probably construct an algebraic equation to calculate how many lame 'get back to the topic please' comments I could make before the universe implodes under their sheer density.