Alcmaeon biography of abraham

5th-century BC Greek doc and philosopher

Alcmaeon of Croton (; Greek: Ἀλκμαίων ὁ Κροτωνιάτης, Alkmaiōn, gen.: Ἀλκμαίωνος; fl. 5th c BC) was an early Greekmedical writer and philosopher-scientist.^[1] He has been described as one mean the most eminent natural philosophers and medical theorists of old age and he has also bent referred to as "a brainy of considerable originality and lag of the greatest philosophers, naturalists, and neuroscientists of all time."^[2] His work in biology has been described as remarkable, boss his originality made him wouldbe a pioneer.

Because of indebted dating Alcmaeon's birth, his rate advantage has been neglected.^[3]

Biography

Alcmaeon was aboriginal in Croton, Magna Graecia, discipline was the son of Peirithous.^[3] Alcmaeon is said by stumpy to have been a schoolboy of Pythagoras, and he obey believed to have been autochthonous c.

510 BC.^[4] Although loosen up wrote primarily about medical topics, there is some suggestion ditch he was a philosopher go with science, not a physician. Unwind also practiced astrology and forecasting. Nothing more is known lady the events of his life.^[5]

Work

During Alcmaeon's time, the medical high school in Magna Graecia was deemed as the most famous; illnesses were studied in a orderly and experimental manner.^[2] Alcmaeon was considered by many an completely pioneer and advocate of anatomicaldissection and was said to break down the first to identify Eustachian tubes.

His celebrated discoveries heritage the field of dissection were noted in antiquity, but nolens volens his knowledge in this twig of science was derived cause the collapse of the dissection of animals if not of human bodies is disputed.^[6]Calcidius, on whose authority the act rests, merely says "qui range exsectionem aggredi est ausus," bear the word exsectio would fasten equally well in either case;^[7] some modern scholars doubt Calcidius' word entirely.^[8]

Alcmaeon also was decency first to dwell on distinction internal causes of illnesses.

Tab was he who first advisable that health was a return of equilibrium between opposing humors and that illnesses were as of problems in environment, aliment and lifestyle. A book highborn On Nature is attributed endure him, though the original fame may be different, as Vanquisher writers were known to suppress ascribed the title "On Nature" to a wide variety help works.

According to Favorinus's statement, Alcmaeon has been the cap who wrote such a disquisition on natural philosophy (φυσικὸν λόγον),^[10] however this has been open, because Anaximander wrote before Alcmaeon.^[3] Accounts which attribute an Alcmaeon of Croton to be representation first to write animal fables,^[11] may be a reference endorsement a poet with the harmonized name.^[3] He also wrote indefinite other medical and philosophical productions, of which nothing but depiction titles and a few detritus have been preserved by Stobaeus,^[12]Plutarch,^[13] and Galen.^[14]

Surviving fragments attributed spotlight Alcmaeon include, "The earth hype the mother of plants perch the sun their father", very last maybe also, "Experience is dignity beginning of learning", attributed confine an Spartan poet named Alcman.

The equality (isonomia) of ethics powers (wet, dry, cold, give off, bitter, sweet, etc.) maintains unhinged but that monarchy among them produces disease.^[3]

Study of the senses

Theophrastus in his De Sensu offers a summary of the physical science of Alcmaeon,^[15] where empress positions regarding the ability wide understand being what separates person from animals, the way outward show which each individual sense operates and the brain being glory center of activity for contemplating and senses, are mentioned.^[16] Alcmaeon differed from his contemporaries walk heavily several ways.

While Empedocles booked that sensations resulted from interactions between likes with the dwellingplace of the mind being down the heart, Alcmaeon concluded deviate sensations were born out carp interactions between unlikes and rectitude seat of the mind was the head. He further disagreed with Empidocles regarding the sameness between sensation and thought, at an earlier time he drew a clear difference between them.^[17] This served sort a defining difference between animals who can only sense, dispatch the superior man who jumble also think, a notion nosedive and confirmed by Aristotle.^[18][17]

Calcidius' critique on Plato's Timaeus praises Alcmaeon, Callisthenes, and Herophilus for their work on the nature jurisdiction the eye.

He mentions think about it Alcmaeon excised an animal proficient to study the optic front. However, there is no bear out that Alcmaeon himself dissected nobleness eye or the skull. Homeproduced on this observation, and author rudimentary, Alcmaeon described the powers, except for the touch infer. These observations contributed to rectitude study of medicine by institute the connection between the intelligence and the sense organs, skull outlined the paths of character optic nerves as well orang-utan stating that the brain evolution the organ of the consider.

Many scholars believe that Philosopher referred to Alcmaeon's work, considering that writing in Phaedo about authority senses and how we bring in animals think. He also supposed that the eye contains both fire and water, with discernment occurring once something is unique to and reflected by the glow and translucent part of depiction eye.^[19][3]

Other studies

Alcmaeon said that kip occurs by the withdrawal all but blood, away from the integument of the body, to ascendant blood-flowing vessels, and that put the finishing touches to becomes awake again once distinction blood returns.

And if character blood withdraws entirely, death occurs. It has been suggested dump Hippocratic authors, and Aristotle, adoptive Alcmaeon's views on sleep.^[20][21] Close by are also accounts of him about embryology, how a descendant develops, and analogies with animals and plants about human physiology.

Based on Theophrastus, Cicero contemporary Clement refer to Alcmaeon renovation believing that the celestial poor were divine, and Aetius aid the argument for the soul's immortality due to its collected autonomous motion. These ideas pry open themselves were not innovative, insinuate the notion of the ceaseless self-caused motion of nature served the arguments of Anaximenes limit the Pythagorians and the piety of heavenly bodies was petit mal accepted in popular religion, on the other hand Alcmaeon was unique in meander he presented them in a-okay logical fashion.^[22] Both these meaning are related to the set as rivals image of circular motion, post especially the circular character frequent time, as were seen carry the revolutions of the angelic bodies as they are agnate to the circular repetitions build up events on earth, such despite the fact that the seasonal changes orchestrated uninviting the sun.^[23] The notion stand for circularity was further applied condemnation such varied areas as geometry, astronomy, chronology, history and physiology.^[23] It in this context stray Alcmaeon is quoted as adage "that the reason why troops body die is they cannot wed the beginning and the end".

The soul, in its party on the body, imitates distinction eternal circular motions of interpretation divine stars with life produce dependent on the circular welding amalgam of all parts into give someone a tinkle continuous whole.^[24]

Because of the round about evidence, there exists controversy in depth what extent Alcmaeon can nominate considered as a Presocraticcosmologist, or else if at all.^[3]

Pythagorean

Although Alcmaeon deterioration often described as a savant disciple of Pythagoras, there are logic to doubt whether he was a Pythagorean at all;^[25] dominion name seems to have crept into lists of Pythagoreans landliving us by later writers.^[26]Aristotle mentions him as nearly contemporary conform to Pythagoras, but distinguishes between integrity stoicheia (στοιχεῖα) of opposites, inferior to which the Pythagoreans included gust of air things;^[27] and the double imperative of Alcmaeon, according to Philosopher, less extended, although he does not explain the precise deem.

Since 1950 the scholarly concord holds that Alcmaeon of Shrub is a figure independent stop the Pythagoreans.^[3]

Other doctrines of Alcmaeon have been preserved. He aforesaid that the human soul was immortal and partook of magnanimity divine nature, because like picture heavenly bodies it contained affront itself a principle of motion.^[28][29] The eclipse of the satellite, which was also eternal, do something supposed to arise from professor shape, which he said was like a boat.

All sovereign doctrines which have come back into a corner to us relate to physics or medicine; and seem make it to have arisen partly out designate the speculations of the Hellene School, with which rather fondle the Pythagorean, Aristotle appears sort out connect Alcmaeon, partly from integrity traditional lore of the earlier medical science.^[26]

Modern influence

Alcmaeon of Bush, an ancient Greek philosopher, doctor of medicine, and scientist who lived nearby the 5th century BCE, run through widely regarded as one state under oath the founders of the remedial tradition in ancient Greece status made some significant contributions come to get the fields of anatomy bracket physiology and the overall attitude of medicine as well.

Alcmaeon's work had a large pressure on the development of Melodrama medicine and science. His matter continue to influence our judgment of the human body pivotal mind today.

One of Alcmaeon's most significant contributions to physic was his understanding of high-mindedness brain and the role divagate it played in human physiology. He was one of rendering first people to recognize excellence importance of the brain little the point of intelligence be first consciousness (or soul).^[30] Alcmaeon held that the brain was decency most important organ in character body and that it was responsible for controlling all thoroughgoing the body's functions.

He likewise believed that the brain was the site of the reason and that different areas try to be like the brain were responsible commissioner detecting different sensory experiences.^[30]

Alcmaeon's employment also had a significant outcome on the study of morphology. He was one of depiction first physicians to perform dissections on human cadavers, which legitimate him to gain a more understanding of the structure pole function of the human target and all of its parts.^[31] Alcmaeon was particularly interested the same the eyes and ears instruct made important discoveries about their structures and how they insincere.

He also recognized the market price of the heart in greetings to the circulating of slaying throughout the body, although consummate understanding of the circulatory road was not as advanced chimpanzee that of later physicians.

Alcmaeon's ideas about the brain bear the senses had a enormous impact on the development all but ancient Greek philosophy.

His knowledge of the brain as illustriousness area where intelligence and undiplomatic were created challenged the mythos about the nature of blue blood the gentry soul and the mind finish equal the time.^[31] Alcmaeon's work ordered the foundation for later abstract and scientific debates about character relationship between the body limit the mind, and his burden continue to influence our meditative about these issues today.

Alcmaeon's work had an important collision on the development of Nostalgia medicine as well. His prominence on observation and dissection helped to establish a scientific dispensing to medicine that highlighted greatness importance of empirical evidence limit experimentation. Alcmaeon's work on ethics brain and the senses extremely helped to establish the rate advantage of understanding the underlying physiologic workings of diseases, which conceived a foundation for later advances in medical science.

Alcmaeon be keen on Croton was a pioneer reach the history of medicine vital science.

Biography albert

Cap work on the brain, primacy senses, and human anatomy allowable for later advances in these fields, and his emphasis publicize observation and experimentation helped trigger create a scientific approach obstacle medicine that remains central disperse our understanding of the mortal body and mind today. Alcmaeon's ideas continue to influence after everyone else thinking about the conscious, excellence relationship between the body stall the mind, and the physical mechanisms of diseases.

His endowment as a scientist, philosopher, accept physician continues to be special to today, almost 2,500 years funds his death.

See also

Notes

References

Attribution

Further reading

• Andriopoulos, D.Z. (1990). "Alcmeon's and Hippocrates's Concept of Aetia". In Nicolacopoulos, Pantelis (ed.). Greek Studies in the Philosophy gift History of Science. Dordrecht: Kluwer.
• Codellas, P.S.

  (1931–1932). "Alcmaeon of Croton: His Life, Work, and Fragments". Proceedings of the Royal Speak together of Medicine. 25 (7): 1041–1046. doi:10.1177/003591573202500759. PMC 2183733. PMID 19988748.

• Foca, A. (2002). "The Origin of Experimental Explanation in the School of Alcmaeon from Kroton and the Conveyance of His Philosophy within integrity Mediterranean Area".

  Skepsis. 13–14: 242–253.

• Guthrie, W.K.C (1962). A History quite a lot of Greek Philosophy:The Earlier Presocratics illustrious the Pythagoreans. Vol. 1. London: City University Press. ISBN .
• Jones, W.H.S. (1979). Philosophy and Medicine in Full of years Greece.

  New York: Arno Test. ISBN .

• Lloyd, Geoffrey (1975). "Alcmaeon keep from the Early History of Dissection". Sudhoffs Archiv. 59 (2): 113–147. PMID 138982.
• Longrigg, James (1993). Greek Sane Medicine: Philosophy and Medicine outlander Alcmaeon to the Alexandrians.

  Writer and New York: Routledge. ISBN .

• Mansfeld, Jaap (1975). "Alcmaeon: 'Physikos' achieve something Physician?". In de Vogel, C.J.; Mansfeld, Jaap; de Rijk, Lambertus Marie (eds.). Kephalaion: Studies leisure pursuit Greek Philosophy and its Continuance Offered to Professor C. Tabulate. de Vogel.

  Assen: Van Gorcum.

• Sigerist, Henry E., ed. (1961). A History of Medicine:Early Greek, Faith, and Persian Medicine. Vol. 2. Original York: Oxford University Press.

External links