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16|CHAPTERI.HistoricalContexts
thevirtues15.Hearguedthat“itisnotthefunctionofmedicinesimplyto
makeamanquitehealthy,buttoputhimasfarasmaybeontheroadto
health”16.Hereferredtohealthissueswhileaddressingimportantethical
concerns.Hegroundedtheidealsofhealthyandvirtuouslivingonaproper
balanceandmoderation.
TheHippocraticdoctrineofthefourhumoursandthebeliefinthehealing
powerofnaturewasdismissedbytheRomanphysicianandphilosopherof
Hellenicorigin,AsclepiadesofBithynia(ca.128-56BC).Influencedbythe
atomictheoryofDemocritusofAbdera(ca.460-370BC),hebelievedthat
healthdependsontheappropriateratiobetweenporesandatoms.Excessive
relaxation,tensionorcontractionofthepores,causingdisturbancesin
themovementofatoms,influencedthepathologicalchanges.Exercise
andappropriatedietwerealsonecessarytomaintainhealth.Suchhealth-
consciousbehaviour,especiallyinoldage,washighlightedbyMarcus
TulliusCicero(106-43BC).Inhistreatise,OnOldAge,hewrotethat“care
mustbebestoweduponthehealth;moderateexercisemustbetaken;the
foodanddrinkshouldbesufficienttorecruitthestrength,andnotinsuch
excessastobecomeoppressive”17.Seneca(4BC65AD)associatedgood
healthwithmoderationofdesiresandsubmissiontothelawsofnature.
15M.Wilejczyk,Filozofiaprzyrody,pp.6-7,185-189,W.Sady,Dziejereligii,pp.139-
196;Arystoteles,Zagadnieniaprzyrodnicze,translatedbyL.Regner,in:idem,
Dzieławszystkie,WydawnictwoNaukowePWN,Warszawa1993,Vol.IV,
pp.475-731,Arystoteles,Etykanikomachejska,translatedbyD.Gromska,
WydawnictwoNaukowePWN,Warszawa2012,1137a:“Toknowthisis
agreaterachievementthanknowingwhatisgoodforthehealth;whileitiseasy
toknowthathoney,wine,hellebore,cautery,andtheuseoftheknifeareso,to
knowhow,towhom,andwhentheseshouldbeappliedwithaviewtoproducing
health,isnolessanachievementthanthatofbeingaphysician.[…]Butto
playthecowardortoactunjustlyconsistsnotindoingthesethings,except
incidentally,butindoingthemastheresultofacertainstateofcharacter,just
astopracticemedicineandhealingconsistsnotinapplyingornotapplyingthe
knife,inusingornotusingmedicines,butindoingsoinacertainway”.See
also1096a,1097a,1104a,1138b,1141a,1180b.
16Arystoteles,Retoryka,translatedbyH.Podbielski,PaństwoweWydawnictwo
Naukowe,Warszawa1988,1355b10.
17Cyceron,KatonStarszyostarości,in:Cyceron,Plutarch,Pochwałastarości,ed.
M.Szymański,translatedbyZ.Cierniakowa,A.Twardecki,UniaWydawnicza
Verum,Warszawa1996,11,pp.35-36.
