Dialogue of Civilizations and Modern Science Essay

Dialogue of Civilizations and Modern Science - Essay Example Those who hold this view argue that dialogue of civilizations from Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa is what led to the birth of modern science. One of the prominent scholars who hold this view is Noah Efron. Noah Efron, in his â€Å"That Christianity Gave Birth to Modern Science† in Galileo Goes to Jail, says that a dialogue of civilizations led to the birth of modern science (Numbers, 2009). This paper will discuss how a dialogue of civilizations really led to the birth of modern science. In addition, it will discuss what the relationship between science and religion in the Africa, Middle East, and Asia tell us about the subsequent history of the dialogue of civilizations and modern science. Critical examination by a number of prominent historians, philosophers, and scientists on the grand question of the birth or genesis of modern science have often indicated that modern science was a product of a dialogue of civilizations from many parts of the world (Brooke and Number s, 2011). There is a consensus among most of them that different cultures and civilizations is what contributed to the birth and development of modern science. ... Besides, while these views tend to acknowledge that there were developments and inventions in other civilizations that might have led to birth of modern science, they fail to acknowledge them as being critical to the birth and development of modern science (Harrison, 2010). Those holding Eurocentric views on this subject argue that modern science would not have developed in any other culture because of the absence of cultural factors that were present in Europe such as the Greek heritage, Roman concept of law, or the Christian religion (Numbers, 2009). History of science is awash with evidence of critical and unique developments and inventions that were achieved by Chinese, Arab, Indian, and Egyptian civilizations that serve to show how dialogue of civilizations led to the birth of modern science (Horton, 1997). The inventions and developments by these civilizations have had huge influence on the findings that scientists made throughout the birth and rise of modern science. The combi nation of these civilizations and European civilizations brought enormous achievements in science. Even those who argue that European civilization was the main contributing factor to the birth of science also agree that European scientists integrated discoveries across different civilizations in order to create and subsequently develop modern science (Brooke and Numbers, 2011). This point of view by those holding Eurocentric view regarding the birth of science is in itself a strong proof of how a dialogue of civilizations led to the birth of modern science (Harrison, 2010). Great findings and discoveries in various civilizations at different periods in history encouraged and guided the scientific