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Diversity in Islamic Thought
- Islamic Golden Age featured diverse thought; Aristotelian philosophy was dominant but not exclusive.
- Skeptics like Al-Buruni critically questioned Aristotle, sparking invaluable debates on natural philosophy.
Al-Buruni's Earth Measurement
- Al-Buruni measured the Earth's circumference using a mountain's height and horizon angle, avoiding long desert travels.
- This ingenious method supported earlier estimates of Earth's size without traditional distance measurements.
Ibn Sina vs Al-Buruni Debate
- Ibn Sina defended Aristotle's teachings, often with clever but flawed explanations when challenged empirically by Al-Buruni.
- Their correspondence highlights tensions between traditional philosophy and experimental inquiry methods.