Forms, Souls, and Embryos Neoplatonists on Human Reproduction

Forms, 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.

Introduction Chapter 1: The Embryological Background General Background: Four Key Issues in Ancient Embryology Embryology in Plato Chapter 2: The Metaphysical Background Metaphysical Models in Embryology The Biological Development of the Theory of Forms Chapter 3: Neoplatonic Embryology: The Core Theory The One-Seed Theory The Origin and Nature of the Seed The Maternal Actualization of the Seed Other External Factors in the Formation of the Offspring Appendix to Chapter 3: Eclectic Theories The Commentary on the Hippocratic On the Nature of the Child by John of Alexandria Theophilus Protospatharius’ On the Construction of the Human Being Pseudo-Galen’s De Spermate Pseudo-Iamblichus’ Theology of Arithmetic Pseudo-Galen’s Whether What is Carried in the Womb is a Living Thing The Commentary on Aristotle’s On the Generation of Animals by Michael of Ephesus Michael’s Interpretation of Aristotle’s Embryology Michael’s Interpretation of Plato’s Embryology Chapter 4: Formation and Animation of the Embryo The Order of the Embryo’s Formation The Animation of the Embryo Chapter 5: The Problem of Teratogenesis Epilogue Bibliography Index Locorum Subject Index

James Wilberding is Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at Ruhr University, Bochum (Germany). Previously he was a lecturer in Classics at Newcastle University (UK) and Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Williams College (USA).