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Pores and Void in Asclepiades' Physical Theory
1Jesus College, Cambridge CB5 8BL, UK dl383@cam.ac.uk.
Phronesis
|September 18, 2012
Summary
Asclepiades of Bithynia's theory of pores is fundamentally linked to Epicurean physics, specifically its concept of void. His pores represent void spaces between matter particles, mirroring Epicurus's atomic void.
Area of Science:
- Ancient Greek medicine
- History of physics
- Philosophy of science
Background:
- Asclepiades of Bithynia was an influential physician.
- His physical theory, including the doctrine of pores, remains understudied.
- Epicurean physics provides a framework for understanding ancient concepts of matter and void.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the understudied doctrine of pores in Asclepiades of Bithynia's physical theory.
- To establish the dependence of Asclepiades' pore doctrine on Epicurean physics, particularly the concept of void.
- To elucidate the precise nature of Asclepiades' pores and their analogy to Epicurean void interstices.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of historical texts on Asclepiades of Bithynia's medical and physical theories.
- Comparative analysis of Asclepiades' doctrine of pores with Epicurean physics.
- Examination of the concept of void in ancient Greek philosophy and science.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports the presence of void in Asclepiades' theory.
- Asclepiades' conception of void is fundamentally aligned with that of Epicurus.
- Asclepiadean pores are identified as void interstices between the primary particles of matter constituting the human body.
Conclusions:
- Asclepiades of Bithynia's doctrine of pores is directly influenced by Epicurean physics.
- The pores represent void spaces analogous to those described by Epicurus between atoms.
- This study highlights the interconnectedness of ancient medical and physical theories.
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