Philosophy of ancient medicine: Galen on homoiomeres

Authors

  • Andrey P. Shcheglov I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 2, B. Pirogovskaya ul., Moscow, 119435, Russian Federation
  • Nataliya P. Shok  Privolzhsky Research Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 10/1, pl. Minina i Pozharskogo, Nizhny Novgorod, 603005, Russian Federation

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu17.2019.406

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to reveal the peculiarities of the teachings of the ancient philosopher and doctor Galen about “homoiomeres.” This term was established by Aristotle to denote the concept of elementary beginning, the smallest element of every quality. The relevance of this topic is primarily due to the fact that by turning to the analysis of Galen’s ideas about homoiomeres and their modern interpretation will help to reveal the unique philosophical context of the formation of medical science in antiquity. The authors turn to the study of the term “homoiomeres” in order to discern how Galen explained the disease processes occurring in the human body, based on the philosophical doctrine of “homoiomeres.” Homoiomeres, from the point of view of Galen, are insubstantial entities that are in the very basis of being. They realize the idea of anything in matter, including in the human body, both in general and in its particulars. On numerous examples from anatomy, Galen shows that homoiomeres is the equality of absolute, identical and abstract ideas in being, realized in the same volatile reality. In other words, homoiomeres and inherent identity are relative not with respect to a changeable reality, but to an ideal being. The substance, divided to infinity, is limited to a certain homogeneous quality as a result; the whole multiplicity of things appears, united by a certain existential accord. Homogeneity characterizes the forces inherent in it, acting in separate parts of the organism, endowing them with strength, movement, and function, which, in turn, are inherent in each particular part, and in the whole organism. At the same time homoiomeres are an internal harmony of the body, which contain homogeneous forces inherent in a certain qualitative state, despite the constant change of particles forming the organism.

Keywords:

homoiomeres, state of the body, identity, forces, movement, immaterial entities, homogeneity, quality, the organization of a living organism, multiplicity, matter, property, idea, natural abilities

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References

Литература

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References

1. Afonasin, E. V. (2016), Galen. On My Own Opinions, Skhole. Filosofskoe antikovedenie i klassicheskaia traditsiia, no. 10, is. 1, Novosibirsk, pp. 281–306. (In Russian)

2. Prolygina I. V. (2017), Galen. On my own books, Skhole. Filosofskoe antikovedenie i klassicheskaia traditsiia, no. 11, is. 2, Novosibirsk, pp. 636–677. (In Russian)

3. Prolygina, I. V. (2018), Galen’s De indolentia from the standpoint of moral philosophy, Filosofskii zhurnal, no. 11 (4), pp. 171–179. (In Russian)

4. Kerferd, G. B. (1993), Anaxagoras and the concept of matter before Aristotle, in Mourelatos, A. (ed.) The Pre-Socratics, Princeton University Press, Princeton, USA, pp. 489–503.

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6. On the doctrines of Hippocrates and Plato (2005), in Galen, ed., trans. and comm. by Phillip De Lacy. Part 1: Books I–V, 3rd, unrevised ed, Akademie Verlag, Berlin. 608 p.

7. Galenus (1965), De methodo medendi libri XIV, in Kuhn, C. G. (ed.) C. Galeni opera omnia, vol. 10, Knobloch, Leipzig. 1021 p.

8. Hankinson, R. J. (2008), The Cambridge Companion to Galen, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 450 p.

9. Johnston, I. and Horsley, G. H. R. (2011), Galen. Method of Medicine, vol. 1, Harvard University Press, Cambridge and London. 624 p.

10. Galenus (1965), Ad Glauconem de medendi methodo libri II in Kuhn, C. G. (ed.) C. Galeni opera omnia, vol. 11, Knobloch, Leipzig, pp. 1–146.

11. Galenus (1893), De naturalibus facultatibus, in Marquardt, J., Helmreich, G. and Müller, I. (eds), Claudii Galeni Pergameni Scripta minora, vol. 3, Teubner, Leipzig, pp. 101–257.

12. Galenus (1970), De partium homoeomerium differentia: Über die Verschiedenheit der homoiomeren Körperteile, ed. by Strohmaier, G., Akademie Verlag, Berlin. 162 p.

13. Boulogne, J. (2009), Galien. Méthode de traitement, Gallimard, Paris. 1019 p.

14. Singer, P. N. (2014), Galen: Psychological Writings, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

15. Gill, Ch., Whitmarsh, T. and Wilkins, J. (2012), Galen and the World of Knowledge (Greek Culture in the Roman World), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 327 p.

16. Cornford, F. M. (1923), Greek Religious thought from Homer to the Age of Alexander, J. M. Dent & Son, London, Toronto and New York. 298 p.

17. Aristoteles (1956), Les parties des animaux, ed., trans. and comm. by Louis, P., Les Belles Lettres, Paris. 166 p.

18. Hamilton, E. and Cairns, H. (1963), The Collected Dialogues of Plato Including the Letters, Pantheon-Random House, New York, pp. 475–525.

19. Sextus Empiricus (1961), Adversus mathematicos, ed. by Mutschmann, H. and Mau, J., vol. 2, Teubner, Leipzig. 429 p.

20. Zeller, E. (1923), Die Philosophic der Griechen in ihrer geschichtlichen Entwicklung, Reisland, Leipzig. 88 p.

21. Mann, W. E. (1980), Anaxagoras and the Homoiomere, Phronesis, vol. 25 (3). pp. 228–249.

22. Meyer-Steineg, Th. (1912), Studien zur Physiologic des Galenos, Archiv fur Geschichte der Medizin, vol. 5, Berlin, pp. 172–224.

23. Vilas, H. (1904), Der Arzt und Philosoph Asklepiades von Bithynien, Teubner, Leipzig. 86 p.

24. Parmenidus (1951), Fragmenta, in Diels, H. and Kranz, W. (eds.), Die Fragmente der Vorsokratiker, vol. 1, Weidmann, Berlin, pp. 227–246.

25. Schmid, M. (1957), Die Lehre von den Homoiomeren in der Physiologic Fernels, Sudhoffs Archiv für Geschichte der Medizin und der Naturwissenschaften, vol. 41, pp. 317–344.

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Published

2019-12-27

How to Cite

Shcheglov, A. P., & Shok, N. P. (2019). Philosophy of ancient medicine: Galen on homoiomeres. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Philosophy and Conflict Studies, 35(4), 593–606. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu17.2019.406

Issue

Vol. 35 No. 4 (2019): Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Philosophy and Conflict Studies

Section

Philosophy

License

Articles of "Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Philosophy and Conflict Studies" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.