TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE


PROMO FOR"Science and the Search for Meaning: 5 Questions (4) Can Islam
and Science Co-Exist?"
*Islamic culture was once the center of the scientific world. During
Europe's Dark Ages, Baghdad, Cairo and other Middle Eastern cities were
the key repositories of ancient Greek science. Muslim scholars
themselves made breakthroughs in medicine, optics, and mathematics.
Today the Islamic world lags far behind the West in science and
technology. What happened? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge
we'll look at the challenges facing Muslim scientists.


PROGRAM RUNDOWN: HOUR 1:   "Science and the Search for Meaning: 5
Questions (4) Can Islam and Science Co-Exist?"

0:00 - 20:32        SEGMENT 1: (20:33)
            Steve Paulson presents a round-up of scholars who track
            scientific developments in the Muslim world.   First he
            speaks with Taner Edis, a physicist at Truman State
            University whose books include "An Illusion of Harmony:
            Science and Religion in Islam." Edis says the state of
            science is dismal in the Muslim world today.  Ziauddin
            Sardar, a London based scholar and cultural critic,
            agrees, to a point.  He tells Steve what's needed now is
            "an Islamic science" and explains what that is. Sardar's
            memoir is "Desperately seeking Paradise: Journeys of a
            Skeptical Muslim." And Nidhal Guessoum, an Algerian born
            astrophysicist who teaches at American University in the
            United Arab Emirates, agrees that contemporary science in
            the Arab word is abysmal, but he looks back with great
            pride at the Golden Age of Islam and talks with Steve
            about what happened.
                         
            Segment One Outcue:  "...PRI - Public Radio
            International."

20:33 - 21:02  LOCAL OPTION with music bed (:29)

21:03 - 41:35       SEGMENT 2: (20:33)
            Anousheh Ansari became the first Muslim woman to venture
            into space when she traveled aboard the International
            Space Station.  She talks about her trip with Jim Fleming
            and writes about it in her book "My Dream of Stars: From
            Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer."  Also, Steve Paulson
            travels to Turkey to report on Harun Yahya, Islam's
            leading creationist, who runs a sophisticated media
            empire and has considerable influence.  He also has
            critics. 
                         
            Segment Two Outcue:  "...PRI - Public Radio
            International."

41:36 - 42:05       LOCAL OPTION with music bed (:29)

42:06 - 53:00       SEGMENT 3: (10:54)
            After all the debates about the Musli world, it's
            refreshing to look back at one of the world's great
            mystics - the Sufi poet Rumi. Rumi lived in the
            thirteenth century in what is now Turkey and left a
            remarkable cache of poetry and spiritual wisdom.  He's
            one of America's best-selling poets, thanks to the
            efforts of his long-time translator, Coleman Barks.  
            Anne Strainchamps talks with Coleman Barks about Rumi's
            insights.

            Segment Three Outcue: PRI Audio Logo


For a copy of this hour, call 1-800-747-7444, and ask for program number
12-12-A.

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