CLST 170 - Ancient Greek Medicine

Institution:

University of Pennsylvania

Subject:

Description:

Distribution Course in Hist & Tradition. Class of 2009 & prior only. Rosen. The history of modern medicine as we know it in the West is remarkably recent; until the nineteenth century prevailing theories of the body and mind, and the many therapeutic methods to combat disease, were largely informed by an elaborate system developed centuries earlier in ancient Greece, at a period when the lines between philosophy, medicine, and what we might consider magic, were much less clearly defined than they are today. This course will examine the ways in which the Greeks conceptualized the body, disease, and healing, and will compare these to medical culture of our own time. We will consider sources from Hippocrates, Plato, and Aristotle to Galen and Soranus, and whenever possible we will juxtapose these writings with modern discourse about similar topics. Several visitors from the Medical School are expected to participate on a regular basis. All readings will be in English and no previous background in Classical Studies is required.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.upenn.edu

Phone Number:

(215) 898-5000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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