My problem with the course is the level of repetition that became very annoying. He also provides a compelling case for the influence the achievements had in helping to fuel the Renaissance. Professor Gearon clearly has a fascination with the achievements of the Islamic Golden Age, which were not limited to those of the Muslim inhabitants. Interesting topic marred by too much repetition A topic well deserving of a course and there are many pieces of information that were of great interest. But these are trivial in comparison to the highly competent presentation of a very interesting subject. There are also a couple of potential quibbles, such as the absence of a key letter in an algebraic equation and frequent reiteration of the dates of the Islamic Golden Age. And although we meet certain prominent individuals in multiple lectures, in each case it is as if we were meeting them for the first time. Much (but not all) of lecture 12, for instance, addresses material contained within other lectures. One consequence of using a thematic, non-chronological approach is that each lecture stands on its own, largely disassociated from the other lectures. Lack of foundation and lack of chronology might put off those who prefer a more orthodox presentation of a History course. Instead he presents things in a thematic fashion.
He basically jumps right into the Abbasid caliphate and its “Golden Age.” The Professor also does not use a conventional chronological approach in his presentation. He mentions these things in almost casual passing. He does not begin by providing a foundational description of the beginnings of Islam, of the Shia-Sunni split, or of the revolutionary overthrow of the original Umayyad caliphate by the Abbasids.
Please note, however, that in this course Professor Gearon takes a rather unconventional approach to teaching History. Indeed, his lecture on Moses Maimonides, the great Jewish rabbi and philosopher, is especially good. I believe that this course would be intellectually enriching for anyone.Ī welcome aspect of this course is that Professor Gearon recognizes that the significant achievements in Islamic lands during the long history of the Islamic Golden Age were achieved by persons of various faiths and ethnic origins. And he demonstrates how their work served as a necessary bridge between achievements of classical Greece and the “rediscovery” of those achievements in Western Europe prior to and during the Renaissance. Professor Gearon adroitly weaves the cultural, intellectual, and technological accomplishments of the Islamic Golden Age with interesting stories of the principal individuals who brought about those accomplishments.
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