Philosophical Perspectives on Galen of Pergamum: Four Case-Studies on Human Nature and the Relation between Body and Soul / / Robert Vinkesteijn.

• Superior document: Philosophia Antiqua ; 166
• VerfasserIn: Vinkesteijn, Robert,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, Boston : : Brill,, [2022]; ©2023
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Language: English
• Series: Philosophia Antiqua ; 166.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource.

An innovative study of the work of Galen, and the topics of body-soul relations, human nature and melancholy in ancient Greek philosophy.

This is a ground-breaking philosophical-historical study of the work of Galen of Pergamum. It contains four case-studies on (1) Galen’s remarkable and original thoughts on the relation between body and soul, (2) his notion of human nature, (3) his engagement with Plato’s Timaeus , (4) and black bile and melancholy. It shows that Galen develops an innovative view of human nature that problematizes the distinction between body and soul.

Table of Contents

Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations and Other Notes -- Introduction -- 1 The Cultivation of the Soul in a ‘Physicalist’ World -- Ethical Philosophy in Galen’s QAM -- Introduction -- 1 Aristotle and the Non-rational Parts of the Soul -- 2 Plato and the Rational Part of the Soul -- 3 Positioning in the Scholarly Debate -- 4 The Possible Continuity in the Divine and Human Formation of the Bodily Mixture -- Conclusion -- 2 Galen on the Nature of Man -- Introduction -- 1 The Primary Substance -- 2 Divisio ad principes: a Hippocratic-Platonic Method -- 3 Elements and Qualities -- 4 Grades and Shades of Nature -- 5 Nature of the Body, Nature of the Soul -- Conclusion -- 3 Soul, Mixture and Galen’s Timaeus -- Introduction -- 1 Sources -- 2 Scope of the Commentary -- 3 Basic Tendencies in Galen’s Interpretation of the Timaeus -- 4 Comparing Galen’s Timaeus to the Larrain Fragments -- Conclusion -- 4 Galen on Black Bile and Melancholy -- Introduction -- 1 Precedents -- 2 Galen on Black Bile -- 3 Galen on Melancholy -- Conclusion on Black Bile and Melancholy -- General Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index.