Today Mika and I visited the Institut du Monde Arabe to see the exposition L’âge d’or des sciences arabes. The exhibit was very interesting from our perspective as engineers, for it revealed the roots of modern math, astronomy, and engineering from the 8th through the 15th centuries. With mysterious-looking astronomical instruments, nearly unrecognizable maps of the world (comprised of Europe and the middle east), and many mathematical books in Arabic, some depicting the development of calculus, the exhibit provided a fascinating glimpse into the advances of knowledge in the Arab world.
It is ironic that during the Dark Ages, a time of war and uncertainty in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Arab-Muslim world was at its peak in terms of knowledge in medicine, astronomy, science, and math. Much of the knowledge acquired from the Greek and Roman times was passed on, not to Europe, but to the Arab world. The spread of Islam also provided an interesting relation between science and religion; for example, compass-like instruments were developed to find the direction of Mecca, and astronomy developed alongside religious influence.
In the evening, we saw Les Fables de la Fontaine at the Comédie Française. The representation of the animals by the comédiens was truly realistic and precise – it was easy to visualize the wolf, the rabbit and the lion from their distinct movements and sounds. The background scenery of the play, which was directed by the American Robert Wilson, was very simple, which enhanced the actors performance.
Sitting within the rich interior of this legendary theater and watching world-class actors perform merely feet away from my seat was truly an unforgettable experience.
January 12, 2006
Science and Theater
