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Ideas of Alcmaeon, by Text

[Greek, c.570 - 490 BCE, Born in Croton. Taught by Pythagoras. Ran the school after his death.]

490BCE

fragments/reports

	p.19	5987	Alcmaeon was the first to say the brain is central to thinking
			Full Idea: Alcmaeon apparently was the first Greek to assign central cognitive and biological functions to the brain.
			From: report of Alcmaeon (fragments/reports [c.490 BCE]) by Heinrich von Staden - Alcmaeon
			A reaction: The name of Alcmaeon should be remembered with honour. This was 200 years before Aristotle, who still hadn't worked it out. I presume Alcmaeon inferred the truth from head injuries, which is overwhelming evidence, if you notice it.

DK 24	p.8	24043	Soul must be immortal, since it continually moves, like the heavens
			Full Idea: Alcmaeon says that the soul is immortal because it resembles immortal things and that this affection belongs to it because it is always in movement, like divine things, such the moon, the sun, the stars and the whole heaven.
			From: report of Alcmaeon (fragments/reports [c.490 BCE], DK 24) by Aristotle - De Anima 405a30
			A reaction: Hm. Fish and rivers seem to be continually moving too. Presumably we are like gods, but then Greek gods seem awfully like humans. I don't know the history of belief in immortality; an interesting topic.