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Embryo, Body and Generation: A Comparative Study of Embryological Thought in Ancient Greece and Early China


Type

Thesis

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Authors

Dong, Qiaosheng 

Abstract

Embryological thought across different cultures is a field that has rarely been investigated by historians of science. The goal of this dissertation is to reveal the similarities and differences of understandings of the body, sex and embryo through a comparative study of embryological thought in ancient Greece and early China. The used materials are mainly focused on, but not limited to, the classical medical or biological writings. Close readings and contextualization will be main techniques used in the research. This study shows that there was a great deal of various theories on abnormalities of foetuses, the formation of body parts, the sex of foetuses, the way to cultivate foetuses, the process of childbirth, the treatment of dead foetuses, etc. However, all the investigated Greek and Chinese authors gave important roles to both women and men regarding the matter of generation. The dissertation is composed of six chapters, each of them dealing with separate topics. Chapter 1 explains authenticity problems, edition problems, date problems, and authorship problems of selected texts and it also explains the different motivations and tasks of selected texts. Chapter 2 makes an investigation into the process of conception, the mechanism of embryonic formation, the long period of gestation and the final stage of childbirth. Chapter 3 deals with the different understandings of the male and female bodies and it reveals the complexity of sex differences through quantitative difference and qualitative differences. Chapter 4 makes an investigation into the role of women in generation. Chapter 5 looks into the intellectual contexts and explore some specific embryological ideas influenced by contemporary philosophical concepts and social contexts. Chapter 6 addresses the way of thinking, including the issues of analogical reasoning, macrocosm and microcosm, and beliefs of numbers. These ideas play an important role in the formation of embryological knowledge in both ancient Greece and early China.

Description

Date

2021-10-14

Advisors

Flemming, Rebecca
Sterckx, Roel

Keywords

Embryo, Body, Generation, Comparative Study, Ancient Greece, Early China

Qualification

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Awarding Institution

University of Cambridge