It is amazing how people tend to revise history soon after it happens. Conspiracy theorists have the most absurd claims, one of which is that NASA did not land on the moon, and it was all faked in a studio setting!Wikipedia has a page dedicated to this claim, its possible origin, the main arguments and the rebuttalGoogle directory has a special sub category for this hoax.

Hoaxes and absurd claims have always been with humanity since societies started. With the proliferation of the internet, these hoaxes and absurd claims have become more visible due to the nature of the medium. Anyone can setup a web site and say whatever they want on it.One such absurd claim is one made by Richard C. Hoagland of Enterprise Mission. In true conspiracy theory fashion, he claims there are technological artifacts on Mars that are proof of previous civilizations on it. He also claims that NASA is covering up these findings, and keeping it away from the public.

Here are some links to resources on language and linguistics on the web.For the language enthusiast, the linguist, start with the great web site: Ethnologue.Check the Overview, as well as Languages of special interests which includes Pidgin languages,

For writing systems modern and ancient, check the Omniglot web site, where everything is covered from alphabetic, syllabic, logographic, or undeciphered scripts. Even some invented scripts, for fiction works, or for fun.Do not confuse writing systems, with languages themselves.

In recent times, there has been lots of speculative pseudo-research that has flimsy footing in superficial similarities between similar words or roots in otherwise different languages.One can compare these linguistic theories with the other pseudo science (often by non specialists) such as the revised chronologies of David Rohl and Ahmed Osman.Much of this pseudo-research is politically motivated. Whether it is chauvinistic nationalism, or resentment for some situation (e.g.

In his history, Ibn Khaldun uses various sources, Islamic as well as non Islamic, contemporary, or ancient.Some researchers, like Levi-Provencal, have asserted that Ibn Khaldun has used Titus Livius' (Livy) work, because he mentions Hannibal and the Battle of Cannae in his history. Levi-Provencal even speculated that a copy of Livy's now lost work is to be found in some library in the Maghreb countries (Tunis, Algiers, Morocco).

Paulus Orosius. (c.385–420), Iberian priest, theologian, apologist, and historianBorn in Tarragona, Spain or Braga, Portugal. He went to see St. Augustine (c.413) and wrote, on request, a summary of the errors of Priscillian and of Origen. Augustine then sent him to Palestine to warn St. Jerome of the menace of Pelagianism.Unable to return to Spain, which was overrun by the Vandals, Orosius remained in Africa, where he completed the Seven Books of History against the Pagans (Historiarum Adversum Paganos Libri Septem, tr. by I. W.

Abu Zayd Wali Al Din Abdulrahman Ibn Muhammad Ibn Khaldun Al Hadrami Al Ishbili Al Maliki. (1332-1406). Muslim historian, politician, and political, economic and sociological theorist, and author.

Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakareya Al Razi (c. 865-923/932 C.E.)Known in Latin as Rhazes or Rasis.

Exchange of Views, II
George Saliba
Flying Goats And Other Obsessions:
A Response to Toby Huff’s Reply

Copyright © 2002 Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies. All rights reserved. BRIIFS vol. 4 no 2, 2002. Republished on Baheyeldin.com by permission of Dr. Saliba.

Use the menus on the right, or at the bottom of this page, to read the original article, or Toby Huff's response.