Forms, Souls, and Embryos: Neoplatonists on Human ReproductionForms, Souls, and Embryos allows readers coming from different backgrounds to appreciate the depth and originality with which the Neoplatonists engaged with and responded to a number of philosophical questions central to human reproduction, including: What is the causal explanation of the embryo’s formation? How and to what extent are Platonic Forms involved? In what sense is a fetus ‘alive,’ and when does it become a human being? Where does the embryo’s soul come from, and how is it connected to its body? This is the first full-length study in English of this fascinating subject, and is a must-read for anyone interested in Neoplatonism or the history of medicine and embryology. |
Contents
| 1 | |
1 The Embryological Background | 13 |
2 The Metaphysical Background | 33 |
The Core Theory | 58 |
4 The Formation and Animation of the Embryo | 129 |
5 The Problem of Teratogenesis | 156 |
Epilogue | 171 |
Bibliography | 174 |
Index locorum | 201 |
| 228 | |
Other editions - View all
Forms, Souls, and Embryos: Neoplatonists on Human Reproduction James Wilberding Limited preview - 2016 |
Forms, Souls, and Embryos: Neoplatonists on Human Reproduction James Wilberding No preview available - 2017 |
Forms, Souls, and Embryos: Neoplatonists on Human Reproduction James Wilberding No preview available - 2019 |
Common terms and phrases
Aėtius Ammonius animal sit appears Aristotle Asclepius Berlin biological birth Brisson Cambridge cause Chaldean Oracles Chapter Commentary on Aristotle's Commentary on Plato's core theory Damascius Democritus discussion embryo embryological theories embryology Ennead example female seed form-principles formation Galen Gaurum Herophilus Hipp Hippocrates Hippocratic human Iamblichus Intellect Isag living things logoi male seed marrow matter menses metaphysical Michael of Ephesus Michael Psellus mother motion Mund Neoplatonic Neoplatonic embryology Neoplatonists non-rational powers non-rational soul offspring offspring’s Olympiodorus pangenesis Parm passage Philoponus Philosophy Plato Platonists Plotinus pneumatic body theory Porphyry Porphyry's potentiality powers of soul preformationism Proclus Puer rational soul reference Reimer reproduction seminal theory Simplicius In Phys soul’s Stoic suggests Syrianus terata teratogenesis Themistius Theol theory of animation theory of Forms Timaeus translation treatise two-seed theory universal nature University Press vegetative power vegetative soul Westerink Wilberding womb ἐν καὶ τὴν τῆς τὸ τῶν