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Abstract / Synopsis

Schools commonly teach a history of mathematics and science that is Eurocentric. This selective version of the history of science, called Classical Narrative by some, is rooted in colonial times and mindset, and has reinforced certain negative opinions about other cultures. It ignores or downplays contributions to mathematics and sciences from non-western civilizations, and falsely attributes many scientific discoveries to European scholars. Medieval Islamic Civilization, which had strong connections to Renaissance Europe, serves as a clear example of how this narrative is distorted. Based on research on primary sources since the middle of the 20th century, we now know that some of the most fundamental notions of modern mathematics and science come from the medieval Islamic Civilization. Moreover, modern researchers also discovered that Islamic science was influential on Renaissance scholars. However, these facts are generally not known and there is a significant disconnect between the most accurate academic knowledge on the subject and what is being taught, or not taught in schools. Despite the passage of many decades, accurate knowledge based on primary source research has not become common knowledge or part of the school curricula. Based on my personal journey into the field, academic research on primary sources, and discovery of a global story, I draw attention to what needs to be done in this area, and invite the larger community to help develop strategies to contribute to efforts to decolonize the curriculum.

DOI

10.5642/jhummath.THPK8014

Terms of Use & License Information

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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