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Medicine in the Encyclopédie (1751-1780) of Diderot and d'Alembert
Natale G De Santo1, Carmela Bisaccia, Massimo Cirillo
1First Chair of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples - Italy and Italian Institute for Philosophical Studies, Naples, Italy. nataleg.desanto@unina2.it
Insights
The Encyclopédie, a rational dictionary, revolutionized knowledge dissemination by emphasizing empirical observation and scientific inquiry. It introduced new definitions for medical terms and established the foundation for modern determinism in medicine.
Area of Science:
- The Encyclopédie represents a pivotal development in the history of science and philosophy.
- It synthesized knowledge across diverse fields, including medicine, natural sciences, and the arts.
Background:
- Published in 1751, the Encyclopédie aimed to be a rational dictionary, systematically organizing knowledge.
- Its creation marked a shift towards empirical observation and sensory experience as the basis for knowledge.
Discussion:
- The Encyclopédie's medical entries, contributed by renowned figures, emphasized experimental medicine and quantitative measurement.
- It introduced precise definitions for key medical concepts like disease, epidemics, and hygiene.
- The work laid the groundwork for scientific determinism, influencing later medical pioneers.
Key Insights:
- The Encyclopédie championed a rational, empirical approach to understanding the world, challenging traditional dogma.
- It established semiology as a crucial tool for diagnosing and understanding disease.
- The collaborative nature of the Encyclopédie fostered interdisciplinary knowledge sharing.
Outlook:
- The Encyclopédie's influence extended beyond its publication, shaping Enlightenment thought and scientific methodology.
- Its emphasis on empirical data and rational inquiry continues to resonate in modern scientific research.
- The comprehensive nature of the Encyclopédie served as a model for future encyclopedic endeavors.
Abstract:
On July 1, 1751, the royal Parisian printer Le Breton published the first volume of the Encyclopédie of Diderot and d'Alembert, a rational dictionary, in folio and in alphabetical order, sold by subscription. The whole work was completed in 1780 (a total of 35 volumes, of which 12 were of illustrations, 4 of supplements and 2 of indices). In 1782 it was followed by the Encyclopédie méthodique, printed by Panckoucke, which ended in 1832 with volume number 166. The frontispiece of the first volume, designed by Charles-Nicolas Cochin Jr. and engraved by Benoît-Louis Prévost showed the columns of an Ionic temple where the Truth appears between Reason and Philosophy. Reason is shown trying to break the veil of Truth, and Philosophy trying to embellish it. Below are the philosophers, their eyes fixed on Truth. Theology is on his knees with his back facing Truth, and seems to receive light from the top. The subsequent chain of figures depicts Memory, Ancient History, Modern History, Geometry, Astronomy and Physics. Below are Optics, Botany, Chemistry and Agriculture. On the bottom line one finds the representatives of arts and professions derived from science. In a 42-page preface ("Discours préliminaire") d'Alembert discussed the path to new knowledge as one "based on what we receive through senses. Ideas depend on senses." The medical collaborators were, or became, famous. Medicine was considered to be rooted in experiment, in patients and in measurements. Functions started to be described with numbers. It was the birth of determinism which was later reinforced by Magendie and Claude Bernard. Albrecht Haller, president of the Academy of Science at Göttingen, as well as a member of all European academies, wrote seminal entries. New accurate definitions appeared for life, disease, death, infections, plague, epidemics, hygiene, fevers and edema. Semiology, the study of signs, became the visible explanation of deranged function, diagnosis and prognosis.
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