Sumeria
Questions
How do we know our translations are correct?
History of the region is really the english speaking western understanding of the region from 1800's onward. "Discoveries" are discoveries to the west.
So much of translation is based on understanding words through context or through bilingual texts, also translated through context. What is difference between context and bias? How do we know the true context of 4000 years ago?
How can we accurately separate what is religious/mythological and what is scientific/admin/historical in ancient texts? How do we decide metaphor for a language we don't speak?
Arab Sci-fi
- Zakariya al-Qazwini :: Author from 1200's. Wrote a book about an alien visiting earth and talking of our strange ways. Wrote early encylopedias and compendiums of the world (like "Marvels of Creatures and Strange Things Existing" ) that described the world as a set of spheres, wtih the celestial spheres populated by angels and jinns.
- Iraq transport minister says sumerians built airports 7000 years ago :: ancient alien belief is not just a racist white person thing. How do we decide what is deluded and what is not?
- this minister also took control of a plane to try to land it and almost killed everyone and is now in prison for corruption. He is a character.
- Futuhat al-Makkiyya) by Ibn Arabi :: early mystic sufi text of visions ibn arabi had after visit from spiritual being, who tells him of other citvilizations with technologies vastly greater than our own.
- ufos, science fiction in muslim culture :: a book by a professor from a university in Qatar.