In the Arab Middle East, Science Lags Behind - Lee Smith
"Between 1980 and 2000," writes Hillel Ofek in The New Atlantis, "Korea granted 16,328 patents, while nine Arab countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, granted a combined total of only 370, many of them registered by foreigners."
"A study in 1989 found that in one year, the United States published 10,481 scientific papers that were frequently cited, while the entire Arab world published only four."
According to Pakistani physics professor Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy, the 57 Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries "have 8.5 scientists, engineers, and technicians per 1,000 population, compared with a world average of 40.7, and 139.3 for countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development."
"46 Muslim countries contributed 1.17% of the world's science literature, whereas 1.66% came from India alone and 1.48% from Spain. 20 Arab countries contributed 0.55%, compared with 0.89% by Israel alone."
Iranians believe that the mastery of the nuclear field of science - rather than any other field of science - will pave the way for Iran's triumphant re-entry into the community of nations.
Not a new microchip, or the cure for cancer, but a nuclear bomb - a weapon of mass destruction, meant to kill tens of thousands of people.
A wise man once said never judge a man by his mistakes, but rather by his dreams.
(Tablet)
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2 comments:
Very interesting take on this. It would seem that region has relied too heavily on oil wealth and is not seeming very interested in changing this in the future. Iran simply makes the least sense in a nonsensical situation.
I liked how this was framed too.
I pray [as everyone should] that the Muslim and Arab worlds emerge as a progressive force for good in the world.
The Arab Spring, while ushering in several Islamist regimes, proves that that world will not remain static.
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