Comments on Shining History :Medieval Islamic Civilization: Ibn Sina (Avicenna)

@NothingProfound: Thanks for stopping by and shari...

2009-10-11T11:24:51.099-07:00

@NothingProfound: Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views. Indeed, the accomplishments are quite amazing. This is not about ancestry but humanity in general. What ever contributions were made by these great people were for the benefit of humanity and we all are part of humanity.

Tricia: the time that you and other readers take t...

2009-09-16T09:43:03.350-07:00

Tricia: the time that you and other readers take to give in-depth and insightful comments are my actual reward for all the efforts behind these posts...I feel rejuvenated after reading such wonderful, friendly and appreciative comments. Thank you so much.

Wow, this must have taken you hours to research an...

2009-09-16T08:56:11.836-07:00

Wow, this must have taken you hours to research and write. It's amazing that one man is responsible of all these discoveries between 980 - 1037CE.

One that really stood out was, "Discovered that madness is a disorder of reason with its origin in the middle part of the brain (unlike Medieval physicians in Europe who believed that Demonic Possession was the explanation for the mental illnesses and as such as late as till 18th century ..."

It really shows how far behind Europe was in mental illness. They were also still drilling holes in people heads then for the demons to escape. Very brutal.

I also find it amazing that he found that music has a physical effect of the body. I thought that was a recent finding in the past 100 or 200 years. Wow.

Your blog really shows how little we (in the West) know about Islamic history. I'm amazed and surprised every time I read on of your articles.

Thanks a lot Frank for your very insightful commen...

2009-09-14T20:41:18.031-07:00

Thanks a lot Frank for your very insightful comment as well as for the appreciation: I'm flattered :)

It never ceases to amaze me the dedication that yo...

2009-09-14T20:21:07.537-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me the dedication that you put into your posts Meam. You really do incredible research. Just seeing how much Ibn Sina has contributed to medicine is remarkable. It continues to prove that the majority of accomplishments in history aid way to the innovation that takes place today. Without people like this, where would we be as a society today? You would think we may be clueless as to what to do!

1. I agree Mr.George.....only reading about his Ph...

2009-09-14T09:50:15.848-07:00

1. I agree Mr.George.....only reading about his Philosophical works for a short time made my head spin!
2. Re Medicine (#11): well I didn't use the term 'dark ages' as I just wanted to make my sentence a bit soft ......
3. Book.......thanks for your encouragement in this regard! I really don't know. My husband also keeps on prompting me to write a book as he feels that as already quite a lot of time is being spent in writing each post so a book should be the final product. I'm quite confused at the moment. I started this as a hobby/passion. Sometimes, I do get an urge to go for the book option and at other times I feel it's better for me to start focusing on programming in order to restart (almost) my career in IT. Had I got even a tiny part of Ibn Sina's brain accomplishing both would have been simple! Thanks once again for your valuable feedback.

Amazing what one individual can accomplish in a li...

2009-09-14T07:07:07.159-07:00

Amazing what one individual can accomplish in a lifetime. It's exhausting just to think of it. How sad that we are taught nothing of this in the West, and remain ignorant of the extraordinary contributions made by your ancestors.

Thank you so much Millie for providing your positi...

2009-09-13T19:10:19.772-07:00

Thank you so much Millie for providing your positive feedback. I'm glad to know that you find it useful :)

Yes Jennifer, this is indeed fascinating! What is ...

2009-09-13T19:08:09.284-07:00

Yes Jennifer, this is indeed fascinating! What is more amazing that he was 'one' of the great polymaths(person with expertise and contributions in many areas)of that era i.e. there were many others as well!!! I would just like to quote here the well-renowned Historian of Science, George Sarton, "It will suffice here to evoke a few glorious names without contemporary equivalents in the West: Jabir ibn Haiyan, al-Kindi, al-Khwarizmi, al-Fargani, al-Razi, Thabit ibn Qurra, al-Battani, Hunain ibn Ishaq, al-Farabi, Ibrahim ibn Sinan, al-Masudi, al-Tabari, Abul Wafa, 'Ali ibn Abbas, Abul Qasim, Ibn al-Jazzar, al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, Ibn Yunus, al-Kashi, Ibn al-Haitham, 'Ali Ibn 'Isa al-Ghazali, al-zarqab, Omar Khayyam. A magnificent array of names which it would not be difficult to extend. If anyone tells you that the Middle Ages were scientifically sterile, just quote these men to him, all of whom flourished within a short period, 750 to 1100 A.D."

An amazing man, Meam. One could spend several life...

2009-09-13T18:23:44.601-07:00

An amazing man, Meam. One could spend several lifetimes studying his works and his thinking, and still not have plumbed all that he did, and that doesn't include his works that were lost when public libraries were destroyed by Mongol invaders, among others.

Re your comment about medieval physicians in Europe ("Medicine', #11), that period was called "the dark ages" in European thinking for good reason.

Reading all your posts, Meam, it's beginning to look like you have a book in mind somewhere down the line. A worthy destination, don't you think?

I love your blog! This is a topic that really pea...

2009-09-13T10:08:25.528-07:00

I love your blog! This is a topic that really peaks my interest! I am learning more about the metaphysical world, higher consciousness & alternative medicine. I'm glad to have a place where I can receive more information on the subject matter. Thank you!

Wow! He did all of that in one lifetime? In all of...

2009-09-13T09:09:11.867-07:00

Wow! He did all of that in one lifetime? In all of my years in school, I don't recall hearing about him so I found this entry fascinating, particularly the melancholia and phobias part. Once you give a disorder a name, then it can finally be treated. Good for him!

Oh! And neuropsychiatry??? That's INCREDIBLE! I used to volunteer one-on-one with patients in the neuropsychiatry division of a mental health hospital as part of a school project. *sigh* I really enjoyed it and miss it a lot.

Thank you, Meam Wye for such a thought-provoking entry. :o)