At the crossroads of modernism

Islam world (Orient) experienced its golden times, when Western world (Occident) was still struggling in Middle Ages. At the 8th century for example Baghad had developed to be a cosmopolitan city with all its scientific innovations in mathematics, astronomic, medical, and philosophy. At that time the Occident had to go to the Orient to study.

But in the following centuries the science stayed stagnant in the Orient, while the Occident went through enlightenment and the emerging of sciences. The result: in the 21st century the Orient seems to love the Middle Ages of the Occident, while the Occident sits on the driving seat of the science. Why?

This month the well-known German Magazine Der Spiegel published an edition on Islam. 1400 years of faith, wars and culture (edition 5/2010). The summary of it is published in an article: Am Scheideweg der Moderne: Sturz in den Schatten. A highly interesting and recommendable article.