That’s an interesting topic, separate from the MainTopic (RFK is an absolute idiot). I’d push back on the idea that Portuguese and Spanish exploration was fundamentally based on Arab teachings: they drew on knowledge from many sources and developed their own navigation practices. Still, Arabic-speaking scholars helped preserve, develop, and transmit important astronomy and mathematics that influenced Europe.
Likewise, Islam emerged in a late-antique world shaped by Judaism and Christianity, among other traditions.
@barkas, indeed. Also the triangular sail, which allow the Portuguese to navigate down the African coast and reach the Cape of the Good Hope, and then go “back up” via the other side of the Atlantic (possibly getting an idea of where is Brazil, decades before Columbus reached America).
On Judaism, consider the Persian influence in early Judaism – probably all 3 monotheistic (aka Abrahamic) religious are initially influenced by key concepts from Zoroastrianism… some of the tribes of Israel had links there… but that’s another story…
That’s an interesting topic, separate from the MainTopic (RFK is an absolute idiot). I’d push back on the idea that Portuguese and Spanish exploration was fundamentally based on Arab teachings: they drew on knowledge from many sources and developed their own navigation practices. Still, Arabic-speaking scholars helped preserve, develop, and transmit important astronomy and mathematics that influenced Europe.
Likewise, Islam emerged in a late-antique world shaped by Judaism and Christianity, among other traditions.
@barkas, indeed. Also the triangular sail, which allow the Portuguese to navigate down the African coast and reach the Cape of the Good Hope, and then go “back up” via the other side of the Atlantic (possibly getting an idea of where is Brazil, decades before Columbus reached America).
On Judaism, consider the Persian influence in early Judaism – probably all 3 monotheistic (aka Abrahamic) religious are initially influenced by key concepts from Zoroastrianism… some of the tribes of Israel had links there… but that’s another story…