Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Jan 28;7(3):500-503.
doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2019.072. eCollection 2019 Feb 15.

The Alcmaeon's School of Croton: Philosophy and Science

Luigi Santacroce  1   2 , Ioannis Alexandros Charitos  3 , Skender Topi  4 , Lucrezia Bottalico  2
Affiliations

The Alcmaeon's School of Croton: Philosophy and Science

Luigi Santacroce et al. Open Access Maced J Med Sci. .

Abstract

Among the first physicians and physiologists at the pre-Hippocratic medicine with contradictions and oscillating doctrines was Alcmaeon from Croton in the 6th century BC. For many, he shared as the father of scientific medicine. Unfortunately, we have only eighteen texts written for him and only five fragments of texts written by him. This saved extracts and testimonies they refer mostly to physiology, epistemology and psychology. Was born in the city of Croton (Κρτων) in Magna Graecia (southern Italy) was a reference point for the activity of physicians and philosophers over the years. Furthermore, Herodotus tells us about the excellent practice quality of the physicians, "compared to all the others known in that period", among which Alcmaeon. But Croton is also famous as the centre of thought and activity of the philosopher Pythagoras of Samos (Πυθαγρας ὁ Σμιος, 580-500 BC) through his Pythagorean school around 530 BC.

Keywords: Empirical research; Encephalocentric theory; Human development; Pithagorism; Pre-Hippocratic medicine.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Jardé A. The formation of the Greek people. Routledge; 2013.
    1. Herodotus The Histories. Pinguin Classics. 2014:226.
    1. Astour MC. Ancient Greek Civilization in Southern Italy. The Journal of Aesthetic Education. Paestum and Classical Culture:Past and Present. 1985;19(1Special Issue):23–37.
    1. Longeway J. Book I. Greek and Roman Thought I. Beginnings-Philosophy and the Scientific World View, Preliterate Thought, Spirits and Magic. (https://longeway.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/i-01-beginnings-philosophy-.... )
    1. Huffman C. A. Two Problems in Pythagoreanism. In: P Curd, D. W Graham., editors. The Oxford Handbook of Presocratic Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2008. pp. 284–304.

LinkOut - more resources