Brooke Holmes Knihy

Exploring the evolution of the physical body in Western thought, this book traces its emergence as both an object of knowledge and a part of the self, starting with Homer and continuing through classical medical texts and early ethical philosophy. Brooke Holmes challenges conventional narratives about body-soul dualism in ancient Greece, revealing how the study of the body transformed perceptions of suffering, the soul, and human nature. This work offers a fresh perspective on the interplay between physical inquiry and philosophical ideas in ancient Greece.

Our understanding of science, mathematics, and medicine today can be deeply enriched by studying the historical roots of these areas of inquiry in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean. The fields of ancient science and mathematics have in recent years witnessed remarkable growth. The present volume brings together contributions from more than thirty of the most important scholars working in these fields in the United States and Europe in honor of the eminent historian of ancient science and medicine Heinrich von Staden, Professor Emeritus of Classics and History of Science at the Institute of Advanced Study and William Lampson Professor Emeritus of Classics and Comparative Literature at Yale University. The papers range widely from Mesopotamia to Ancient Greece and Rome, from the first millennium B. C. to the early medieval period, and from mathematics to philosophy, mechanics to medicine, representing both a wide diversity of national traditions and the cutting edge of the international scholarly community.