European Science and the Ottoman Empire

Late Ottoman society underwent significant modernization, a process that was both caused and accelerated by the state reorganization program, Tanzimat, beginning in 1839....Modern-educated Ottomans soon began to emphasize in their writings the importance of European sciences....Science was seen by many officials and learned figures as the only tool to solve the problems of the empire....This elite group of Westernized Ottoman intellectuals...even adopted the belief in the supremacy of science in all aspects of life and proposed to adopt a completely [Westernized] worldview. However, this [Westernized Ottoman] elite was not the only group that focused on modern European thought. Extreme views...sparked opposition, especially among religious circles, but they also kindled a general curiosity among...a new generation of modern Ottoman religious scholars who emphasized an alternative approach toward modernization. [These scholars] proposed to combine their traditional heritage with modern ideas and methods...[and], while advocating the adoption of industrialization and political reforms, rejected a cultural identification with the West.