Galen on the Atomists

Ambra Serangeli is a researcher in classics at Tor Vergata University of Rome, Italy, where she teaches history of ancient scientific thought. In 2020 she obtained her PhD in philosophy at the University of Oslo and is currently responsible for two research projects in the field of ancient medicine: The Human Body and the Environment: Ancient Medicine and Complex Adaptive Systems and Spaces and Places of Medicine in Imperial Rome (Next Generation EU-PNRR-Young Researchers funded project).

• Part One: Galen’s Design Argument vs. Epicurean Evolution in De usu partium Chapter 1Genesis, Date and Aftermath of Galen’s De usu partiumChapter 2Galen and anatomy as evidence for Nature-demiurge’s provident designChapter 3The Epicurean theory of adaptation and the case of hand tendons in Galen’s De usu partiumChapter 4Two Notions of Suitability: Lucretius on suitable and monstrous bodies, and their adaptation by extinctionPart Two: Galen on Particles in De elementis secundum Hippocratem Chapter 5De elementis, date and contentsChapter 6Indivisibility and Immutability of the Atoms in De elementis6.1 Galen’s Use of ἕν and his Description of the Democritean Atom as an Eleatic One6.2 The Properties of the Atoms and the Overlap between Ancient Atomism and Epicureanism in Galen’s De elementisChapter 7The Reception of Atomism in the Late Authors. The Case of Galen’s De elementisChapter 8Galen against atomic impassibility. The ‛needle argument’ and its backgro8.1 Cicero’s Account8.2 Plutarch’s Testimony in Adversus ColotemPart Three: Atoms or Molecules? The Nature of Asclepiades’ ὄγκοι and the Background of his Flux Theory Chapter 9Nature and meaning of Asclepiades’ ὄγκοιChapter 10The ancient testimonies on the nature of Asclepiades’ ὄγκοι10.1 Galen’s account10.2 Sextus’ account10.3 Caelius Aurelianus’ account10.4 Calcidius’ accountChapter 11Asclepiades’ flux theory and the Epicurean doctrine of emanationsChapter 12Asclepiades and Lucretius on PathologyConclusionsBibliography