Medicine and Philosophy in Classical Antiquity: Doctors and Philosophers on Nature, Soul, Health and Disease

This work brings together previously published essays by Philip van der Eijk on the close connections that existed between medicine and philosophy in antiquity. Medical authors such as the writers Hippocrates, Diocles, Galen, Soranus and Caelius Aurelianus developed philosophical methods such as causal explanation, definition and division, and applied key concepts such as the concept of nature to understanding the human body. Similarly, philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle were highly regarded for their contributions to medicine. This interaction was particularly striking in the study of the relationship of the human soul to the body, as illustrated by approaches to specific topics such as intellect, sleep and dreams, diet and drugs. With a detailed introduction discussing the entire topic, this entry is essential reading for those interested in ancient philosophy and science.