Study reveals medieval Arab scientist Ibn al-Haytham's major influence on optics and physics
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) May 07, 2024

Recent research by the University of Sharjah and the Warburg Institute delves into the contributions of the 11th century scientist, al-H?asan Ibn al-Haytham, better known by his Latinized name Alhazen, highlighting his critical role in advancing optical sciences. His seminal work, the Book of Optics or Kitab al-Manazir, originally written in Arabic, laid foundational principles that have influenced European physics and optics since the Middle Ages.

Alhazen's work, particularly the divisions IV-V of the Book of Optics, has been newly translated into English and published as "The Optics of Ibn al-Haytham, Books IV-V: On Reflection and Images Seen by Reflection." These translations add to the earlier segments rendered by the Warburg Institute, facilitating a comprehensive scholarly review of his legacy.

The Warburg Institute characterizes Alhazen as "perhaps the greatest mathematician and physicist of the medieval Arabic/Islamic world," noting his rigorous scientific methods and extensive influence on subsequent Western scholars such as Kepler and Descartes. Professor Nader El-Bizri of Sharjah University recently reviewed these translations, emphasizing Alhazen's profound impact on the development of both science and visual arts from the Middle Ages onward.

Alhazen's methodologies in optics, which combined mathematical rigor with empirical testing, are still regarded as foundational in modern scientific approaches. His work influenced a broad range of European scholars and artists from the High Middle Ages through the Renaissance and into the Baroque period.

Prof. El-Bizri notes, "Ibn al-Haytham's Book of Optics not only pioneered the study of light and vision but also profoundly influenced architectural and artistic techniques in the Renaissance, including novel methods of perspective in painting."

In his academic review published in the International Journal of the Classical Tradition, El-Bizri highlights how Alhazen's ideas permeated various aspects of European intellectual life, affecting notable figures and works in the region and shaping the course of Western scientific and artistic developments.

The Warburg Institute continues to translate Alhazen's voluminous writings, underscoring their lasting importance and the ongoing relevance of his scientific principles in contemporary physics and optical studies.

Research Report:The Optics of Ibn al-Haytham, Books IV-V: On Reflection and Images Seen by Reflection

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