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This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

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Chapters: Alhazen. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 122. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt:(Arabic: , Persian: , Latinized: Alhacen or (deprecated) Alhazen) (965 in Basra - c. 1039 in Cairo) was an Arab or Persian scientist and polymath. He made significant contributions to the principles of optics, as well as to physics, anatomy, astronomy, engineering, mathematics, medicine, ophthalmology, philosophy, psychology, visual perception, and to science in general with his early application of the scientific method. He is sometimes called al-Basri (Arabic: ), after his birthplace in the city of Basra. He was also nicknamed Ptolemaeus Secundus ("Ptolemy the Second") or simply "The Physicist" in medieval Europe. Born circa 965, in Basra, Iraq and part of Buyid Persia at that time, he lived mainly in Cairo, Egypt, dying there at age 76. Over-confident about practical application of his mathematical knowledge, he assumed that he could regulate the floods of the Nile. After being ordered by Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the sixth ruler of the Fatimid caliphate, to carry out this operation, he quickly perceived the impossibility of what he was attempting to do, and retired from engineering. Fearing for his life, he feigned madness and was placed under house arrest, during and after which he devoted himself to his scientific work until his death. Ibn al-Haytham is regarded as the "father of modern optics" for his influential Book of Optics which proved the intromission theory of vision and refined it into essentially its modern form. He is also recognized so for his experiments on optics, including experiments on lenses, mirrors, refraction, reflection, and the dispersion of light into its constituent colours. He studied binocular vision and the Moon illusion, described the finite speed of light, and a...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1645 ... Read more

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Polymath. Humanism, Leon Battista Alberti, Italian Renaissance, Renaissance, Imhotep, Cicero, Abbas Ibn Firnas, Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi, Abu Rayhan Biruni, Alhazen, Avicenna, Averroes, Ibn Khaldun, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Blaise Pascal, Isaac Newton, Gottfried Leibniz, Mikhail Lomonosov, Thomas Jefferson, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Henri Poincaré, Rabindranath Tagore, Pythagoras, Aristotle, Archimedes, Zhang Heng, Geber, Muhammad ibn M?s? al-Khw?rizm?, Ziryab, Al-Kindi, Al-Masudi, Ibn Hazm, Abhinavagupta, Shen Kuo, Omar Khayyám, Acharya Hemachandra, Ibn Tufail, Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, Ibn al-Nafis, Imam al-Suyuti, Matteo Ricci ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not written by scholars
This book is NOT a serious source of information for scholars or people simply curious about this subject. It was not put together by scholars, researchers, or people who are at all knowledgeable about this field of knowledge.

This volume is literally a bunch of articles literally copied and pasted off Wikipedia literally as is, with literally no clean-up of text or anything else. Literally. The text is very clunky since it was not cleaned up or formatted properly. You can see arrows where on Wikipedia there were links, as well as 'citation needed' and other html markup. Foreign language text along with symbols are also missing from the printed text in this book.

There's nothing with with Wikipedia itself. It's a lovely source of free information, but it needs to be taken with a grain of salt due to vandals and people posting - intentionally or not - inaccurate information. To exacerbate the problem, the original subject of this book actually only makes up part of this volume. If you've read Wikipedia, you are familiar with how some words within the article provide links to other articles (for those curious and wishing to expand their research/reading) and while this can be helpful, not all of the links within any particular Wikipedia article are too relevant to the original subject matter. There is also often a list of other articles at the bottom of any Wikipedia article that are 'See also...' but these articles vary in relevance. Sadly, the 'editors' of this book simply click these links and copy and paste these articles, whether or not they're truly relevant (or even related) to the original subject matter, so a decent portion of this book actually has nothing to do with the original subject matter.

The pictures within this book are also poor-quality, shrunk down from their original versions on Wikipedia and made black-and-white. Diagrams and other technical images therefore become near impossible to read or study. The size of the actual book itself isn't very large, and is about the size of a larger-size paperback (the ones that measure about 8"x5.5" and are generally the next size of standard paperback after your common pocket paperback), and the text itself is actually hard to read on top of being poorly formatted (some pages actually have rather large gaps/blank spaces)

You're better off reading the original articles on Wikipedia for free, and if you wish for longer and more relevant books on this particular subject, you can look right here on Amazon for books written and edited by people who are genuinely passionate and knowledgeable about the subject. ... Read more

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Johnson Reprint Corp. 1972 Facsimile reprint of the 1572 Risner Edition (in Latin) of the great work on optics by the Muslim scientist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher Alhazen (also known as al-Basri, or Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Haitham). He was born in Basra about 965 AD. The edition includes all original diagrams and drawings. David C. Lindberg provides a historical perspective on Alhazen's theories and their influence on the optical works of Roger Bacon, John Pecham and Witelo. He also provides information on Manuscripts and Editions of Alhazen and Witelo's Perspectiva. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Middle Ages Reference Library, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 2070 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Middle Ages Reference Library explores the complex period of the Middle Ages, covering the different civilizations and peoples of Medieval times. It also includes biographical essays on significant individuals from the period and an insightful collection of full or excerpted texts from the era. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Science and Its Times, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 560 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The histories of science, technology, and mathematics merge with the study of humanities and social science in this interdisciplinary reference work. Essays on people, theories, discoveries, and concepts are combined with overviews, bibliographies of primary documents, and chronological elements to offer students a fascinating way to understand the impact of science on the course of human history and how science affects everyday life. Entries represent people and developments throughout the world, from about 2000 B.C. through the end of the twentieth century. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Science and Its Times, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 2075 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The histories of science, technology, and mathematics merge with the study of humanities and social science in this interdisciplinary reference work. Essays on people, theories, discoveries, and concepts are combined with overviews, bibliographies of primary documents, and chronological elements to offer students a fascinating way to understand the impact of science on the course of human history and how science affects everyday life. Entries represent people and developments throughout the world, from about 2000 B.C. through the end of the twentieth century. ... Read more

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These articles discuss the appropriation of Greek science by scholars in the world of medieval Islam. After presenting the historiography of this process, the volume focuses on Ibn al-Haytham, one of the most influential figures of the 11th century, and on his contribution to the science of optics and the psychology of vision. The work then analyzes how Greek thought was developed in the Islamic world, based on studies of Euclid's geomotry and critiques of Ptolemaic astronomy. Finally, some articles consider the history of logic - Aristotelian syllogism and Avicenna's views on the subject matter of logic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Little Book - Big Message
"First Scientist" is entertaining, educational and inspiring. A great read.
I am the product of a "liberal arts" education (8 years of Jesuit tutelage) plus some advanced education from USC and Harvard. MR. Steffens's "First Scientist" speaks to me, not as a child's lesson in science, but rather, as an adult historical awakening. In addition to experiencing some eye opening scientific adventure, I received a double dose of enlightenment.

A thirst for knowledge, a pursuit of truth, a cultural adherence to virtue, a unique methodology, a generosity of shared research, an intellectual pre-eminence - these traits had always been presented to me as the fountainhead of Western thought. Suddenly, with Steffens's delightful introduction to Ibn al-Haytham, I discover that people from that "other, unfamiliar" culture were honest, intense, brilliant and wise - and in this case, long before "we" were.

My ignorance of such "Eastern history" represents a judgmental void in my typically "Western" education. I am embarrassed to acknowledge my own ignorance. Ibn al-Haytham gave the world a way of knowing the truth about the universe. Had this wonderful book been available to us in our primary years, perhaps our collective understanding of Muslim intellectualism and culture might have lessened in ignorance, and awakened in enlightenment, indulgence, understanding and valuation.

Some misleading information included
I find the book interesting, for it accords and recognizes a Muslim scientist his proper place as a first scientist who is responsible for advocating experimental work in verifying conceived scientific ideas (hypotheses) instead of ascribing it to Roger Bacon.Nevertheless, it seems that the author, at the same time, tries to equate Islam with Chrisianity with regard to philosophy vs. religion.He tries to project an idea that as in Christianity, Islam also rejects science.He even quotes a prophetic saying (prayer): "May God protect us from useless knowledge" (pp. 92).Useless knowledge is knowledge that does not bring us closer to God (such as astrology).How could that prayer include science when the Qur'an clearly invites/urges people to ponder over the physical phenomena?:Surrah 'Ale-Imran-THE FAMILY OF IMRAN-Verse:189-190

In the creation of the earth and the heavens and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those gifted with understanding. These people keep Allah's Laws in mind whilst standing, sitting or reclining. After reflecting upon the creation of the heavens and the earth, they cry out, "O our Sustainer! You have not created this Universe in vain or for destructive purposes. Your Schemes of things are much above flaw. Grant us the insight to understand the functioning of these things, so that we benefit from them and remain safe from suffering."
(The Qur'an: Verse 189-190)

(it would be interesting if parallel biblical verses could be brought forward)

It must be noted that the universe is His other Signs (Aayah in Arabic also means signs apart from verses).

The conflict between philosophy and religion in Islam is different from that of Christianity.In Islam, the rejection of philosophy pertains to metaphysics and not natural sciences (at that time, still considered as part of philosophy).Imam Al-Ghazali even discourages the Muslims to study only fiqh, abandoning medicine as he considers studying medicine (and other natural sciences) is fard-kifayyah (if a section of the Muslim Ummah has embarked upon them, then the rest of the Muslims are relieved from that religious obligation; it does not mean the rest should not study as well if they want).

superficial++
I guess the book is written with kids in mind. The author is neither a historian nor a scientist. He has apparently very superficial knowledge of the specific time and its culture he is speaking about, has not read any original source,...

If the intended reader is a young kid (say 10 years old), the book can be useful. Serious reader, abstain !

Good Biography With Few Errors
The author did a nice job of fleshing out the biographical story of Ibn Al-Haytham.Ibn Al-Haytham, a Muslim, had grown up amongst Muslims in Baghdad and seriously entertained the arguments between different schools of thought.In the end, he decided that there was only one Islam and that interpretations were the result of the different comprehension abilities amongst individuals.How then, he asked, can the religion of Islam (peace through submission to God) be articulated so that all may understand equally?The answer, he determined, lies in mathematics.No one argues that 2+2=4.If he could mathematically describe Islam, then everyone would understand God's Final Testament equally.

He studied the mathematics of the ancient Greeks.Then he wrote books on geometry and building construction.When his unappreciated genius riled the anti-Islamic dictator in Baghdad, he pretended mental illness.Just as Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber, put himself into a Denver psychiatric hospital to escape the mob after Sonny Liston was murdered, so too had Ibn Al-Haytham sought to escape the dictator's ire.

Then he went to Egypt after being summoned to build a dam.He determined that a dam could be built where it was eventually built in the 20th century, but he knew that logistically it would cost the Egyptian dictator toomuch to build and the high cost might upset him. The dictator was upset anyway, and again Ibn Al-Haytham pretended mental illness.He was arrested anyway and wrote 'The Book of Optics' while incarcerated.He was finally released and he returned to Baghdad where he wrote 90 more books on science before he died.

The author, Bradley Steffens did a good job transliterating the Arabic into English.However, he made some serious blunders concerning Spain.Spain was created in the early 1470s when King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella merged their respective kingdoms and formed the new Catholic country of Spain in Iberia.So when Steffens writes that "The only area of medieval Europe that had eluded the grasp of Christendom was Spain, which remained under Muslim rule" (p 95), he blunders.Replace Spain with Iberia, then you have it.There's no such thing as "Spanish Muslims" (p 96), only Iberian Muslims.It's like saying that 10,000 years ago the Ice Age hit the U.S.; or Native Americans arrived in the United States when they crossed a land bridge at the Bering Strait.The U.S. did not exist back then.And Spain did not exist in Iberia until the 1470s.

That said, Steffens did a nice job showing how unIslamic the governments were that terrorized Muslim populations and Ibn Al-Haytham in particular.All this before MI6 and CIA moved into the dictator installation and maintenance game in the Middle East.Muslims cannot point the finger at the colonizers alone, because why were dicators governing Muslims when Islam requires Muslims to choose their leader?The Muslim world was so topsy-turvy in Ibn Al-Haytham's time that he had to pretend to be crazy on two separate occasions in order to escape the carpricious wrath of unIslamic dictators in Muslim lands.

Fine blend of history and science biography.
Bradley Steffens' IBN AL-HAYTHAM: FIRST SCIENTIST will reach into the advanced elementary grade levels with an unusual survey of a scientific pioneer who lived from 950 to 1040 and whose work fostered several scientific and mathematical fields from physics to astronomy and geometry. Chapters consider his life, achievements, and experimental processes in this fine blend of history and science biography. ... Read more