Single Idea 6003

[catalogued under 15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 1. Mind / d. Location of mind]

Full Idea

Galen established by experiments in neural anatomy that the brain really is, contra the Stoics and Aristotelians, the body's control centre.

Clarification

'Contra' means in opposition to

Gist of Idea

Galen showed by experiment that the brain controls the body

Source

report of Galen (On Hippocrates and Plato [c.170]) by R.J. Hankinson - Galen (damaged)

Book Reference

'Encyclopedia of Classical Philosophy', ed/tr. Zeyl,Donald J. [Fitzroy Dearborn 1997], p.243


A Reaction

And about time too. This is one of the most significant events in the development of human understanding. No one has been able to go back to the old view, even Descartes, no matter how much they may long to do so.