Caroline Petit – författare

The extent to which classical theories about, and practices of, medical knowledge have shaped and continue to define medicine today is remarkable: but not always widely appreciated. Caroline Petit here offers a concise yet comprehensive account of medicine in antiquity which explores precisely that fascinating legacy. Discussing topics such as medical ethics, diagnostic explanations of illness and disease, matters of sex and gender, the ancient division between body and soul, interpretations of madness and melancholia, and methods of medical teaching and dissemination, the author draws fascinating parallels between the ancient, early modern and modern periods. We learn, positively, that the ancient medical thinking of Galen, Hippocrates and Soranos of Ephesus nourished the thought of some of the greatest physicians in history; but also that, negatively, modern medical thinkers sometimes misused ancient texts in pursuit of their own social and political agendas - a recurring problem in the history of medicine.Discussing a variety of ancient texts, from the Hippocratic era to the late Roman Empire, and examining contested literary evidence and interpretations, Petit skilfully traces the trajectory of medical practice from its magical and religious origins to a rational science of pathology, physiology, surgery and anatomy.

Le livre de Caroline Petit, Galien de Pergame ou la rhétorique de la Providence: Médecine, littérature et pouvoir à Rome constitue la première étude d’ensemble du rôle de la rhétorique dans l’œuvre de Galien. Médecin de plusieurs empereurs romains et auteur du corpus le plus impressionnant de l’antiquité avant 350 de notre ère, Galien a façonné une figure d’autorité fascinante à plus d’un titre. Le livre analyse l’éventail de la maestria rhétorique de Galien à travers cinq chapitres, étudiant tour à tour Galien et la tradition hellénique, les stratégies démonstratives de Galien, le rôle de l’enargeia dans ses descriptions et récits, l’hymne à la Nature contenu dans son principal traité anatomique, le De usu partium, et enfin l’autobiographie et l’autoportrait qui se dessinent dans son œuvre. Caroline Petit’s book, Galien de Pergame ou la rhétorique de la Providence: Médecine, littérature et pouvoir à Rome is the first comprehensive study of the role of rhetoric in Galen’s œuvre. Physician to several Roman emperors and author of the most impressive body of works in antiquity up to AD 350, Galen created a compelling figure of authority through his medical and philosophical works.The book analyses the range of Galen’s rhetorical mastery through five chapters, studying in turn Galen and the Hellenic tradition, Galen’s demonstrative and refutative tactics, the role of enargeia in Galen’s descriptions and narratives, his ‘hymn’ to Nature in his main anatomical work, De usu partium, and finally autobiography and self-portrait in his œuvre.