[Galen on the seat of the mind: medical experiment and philosophical tradition]

In books I-VI of his On the doctrines of Hippocrates and Plato, the medical scientist and philosopher Galen of Pergamon (c. 129-210 CE) defends the platonic tripartition and trilocation of the soul against the cardiocentric theory endorsed by the Aristotelians, Stoics and many physicians. This article concentrates on Galen's anatomical experiments (vivisections) concerned with the nervous and arterial systems. These experiments are embedded in a theoretical framework derived in large part from Aristotelian theory of science. Though Galen is to some extent aware of certain theoretical problems involved in experimentation, notably that of experimental error, he remains in many respects a captive of a traditional debate, which is marked by a limited set of available options. Thus his experiments serve the purpose of confirming the platonic position, even though they are sometimes open to alternative interpretations.