Bingöl University Journal of Social Sciences Institute

Abstract

Similar to other Islamic
states, in the Ottoman Empire, there were non-educational institutions where
people were trained in science. Masjids, mosques, outdoor prayer spaces,
zawiyas, lodges, and convents and other religious institutions were used for
this purpose. Other spaces such as mansions and libraries could be preferred by
those who wanted to be trained in sciences. With the introduction of the modern
scientific age in the Ottoman Empire is generally associated with the
establishment of the Imperial School of Naval Engineering (Mühendishane-i
Bahrı-i Hümayun).

With some exceptions, the
Ottoman scholar community did not oppose the reforms in the Ottoman state. On
the contrary, the authors of certain important project proposals were the
members of the scientific community. For instance, the project presented by Tatarcik
Abdullah, who had the rank of the judge of the army, which was an important
office in the scientific community, to Sultan Selim III had a significant
impact on the reforms. Similarly, the reports presented by Keçecizade İzzet
Molla, a member of the scientific community, to Mahmud II had an impact on the
reforms introduced during the Reformation (Tanzimat) period that was initiated
in 1839. Furthermore, the scientific community supported the modern educational
institutions which were established during the 18th century.

Gelenbevî İsmail is generally
regarded as the last classical mathematician. İsmail, who was born in the
village of Gelenbe in Kırkağaç district in Manisa province and was known as
Gelenbevi after the village he was born, used the pen name Şeyhzade in some of
his works. He was from a family of scientists. It is known that his father and
grandfather were professors in the madrasah. He started his education in the
town he was born and moved to Istanbul and attended the Fatih Madrasa. There,
his professors included important scholars of the time such as Yasincizade
Osman Efendi and Müftizade Mehmet Emin Efendi.

In the 18th and 19th
centuries, significant advances were observed in the field of medicine in the
Ottoman Empire. New schools were opened in the field of medicine. Scientific
works and journals in Turkish were published. One of the names that should be
mentioned in this period is Mustafa Behçet Efendi (d.1834) who had significant
contributions to medical education in Turkey. Another significant name, who
lived in the same period, was Mehmet Şakir, who was trained in France in
medicine. His work Durus-u Hayat-ı Beşeriyye is a significant work. The X-ray
was first applied in the Ottoman Empire by Assad Feyzi (b. 1874). This
application was used during the operations conducted by surgeon Cemil Pasha
during the Greek War of 1897.