This class offers an overview and introduction to the history, main concepts, and practices of medicine in ancient times, spanning from Mesopotamia, India, and China to Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Students will explore the broader cultural contexts in which scientific and mathematical work was conducted. They will discuss the influence of scientific and medical work, as well as the lasting impact of ancient theories that are still debated by scientists today. Additionally, students will examine the connections between myth, philosophy, and science. Some of the topics covered in this class include science and empirical knowledge, pure mathematics vs. practical mathematics, astronomy and astrology, life sciences, and medicine. The authors we will discuss include Homer, Hesiod, the Presocratic philosophers, Herodotus, Hippocrates, Plato, Aristotle, Aratus, Euclid, Archimedes, Geminos, Ptolemy, Cicero, Lucretius, and Galen.
MEETS NEW GEN ED: HU