[Paracelsus--why is his work interpreted so diversely?]

Few historical figures have been as diversely interpreted as the 16th century Swiss physician Paracelsus. Celebrated by some as the founder of modern medicine, accused by others as an obstacle to the development of medical science. The aim of this essay is partly to provide a description of the life and work of Paracelsus. The main focus however, lies at deepening the understanding of the different interpretations of Paracelsus, and to deliver a reasonable answer as to how they might have evolved. A categorisation of the commentators on Paracelsus into three different groups is made. The individual arguments for each of these groups of commentators are described and to some extent also categorised. Finally, four models of explanation are introduced in an attempt to answer why Paracelsus has become so diversely interpreted by the historians of medicine.