First, I apologize if I am using the term "ancient" wrong. Basically, what I am wondering is this: was there anything that resembled "science" outside of the "western world" (ie. europe), prior to the scientific revolution of the west?
This question is inspired by a few instances, in the past few months, were I have read the claim that science was "invented" in the west. And, while I can agree that the modern scientific enterprise is a direct descendent of the west, it seems to me that the underlying methods of science (ie. observation and hypothesis testing) could have existed elsewhere.
Is there any evidence of a codified means of questioning nature, prior to the western scientific revolution?
Thanks!
Well, I'm no historian and your question is not very accurately phrased. But i reckon you mean furthering of what we know in fields of natural/mathemathical sciences in the "dark ages", e.g. after the fall of Rome and the like.
Truth is, the east, meaning areas in the fertile crescent and around igris & Euphrat as well as Constantinople were responsible not only of furthering what we know, but also of the conservation of latin texts. Though i do now know the specifics, huge parts of ancient writings and knowledge were preserved as arabaic copies of the long-gone original texts. At the same time, huge knowledge of medicine, math, and natural sciences was gathered by several well-know arabaic polymaths like Avicenna and Al-Kwarizmi.