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141388 SE Texts in diachronic perspective (2024W)

philosophy and medicine

8.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 14 - Orientalistik, Afrikanistik, Indologie und Tibetologie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Mo 07.10. 16:45-18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
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Details

max. 30 participants
Language: German

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Monday 14.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 21.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 28.10. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 04.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 11.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 18.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 25.11. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 02.12. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 09.12. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 16.12. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 13.01. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 20.01. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27
  • Monday 27.01. 16:45 - 18:15 Seminarraum Arabica UniCampus Hof 4 2D-O1-27

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The seminar "Philosophy and Medicine" will focus on basic concepts and theories of both disciplines within the Arabic tradition from the 9th cen. CE onwards and on their mutual relationship.
Based on the Arabic translations of the corpus of the Greek physician Galen (d. around 215 CE), Arabic medicine was laid out and developed. Galen's conviction that the best physician also has to be a philosopher is at the beginning of a controversy concering the priority of the one or the other discipline which lasted for centuries.
Particularly debated is the question of the soul (what is it? how is it linked to the body? when does it start to exist? does it act on the body, does the body act on it, or is there mutual influence? how do soul and body reconnect at resurrection?), which will be one of the seminar's main topics.
We will discuss these questions and topics based on original Arabic texts.

Assessment and permitted materials

An Arabic text that we will read and discuss together has to be read and translated in preparation for each class. Additionally, a research article dealing with the text, its author or context has to be read in advance as well.
At the end of the seminar, you will write an essay giving the translation of a selected Arabic text, commenting on it and contextualising it.
Dictionaries of Classical Arabic (esp. Lane and Wahrmund) as well as grammars should be consulted.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Participation in class (no more than three classes missed)
Preparation of the distributed Arabic texts
Reading of the selected secondary literature
Actively taking part in class
--> 45% of the final marks
Submitting an essay (about 10 pages, presenting the translation of a given Arabic text, commenting on it and contextualising it while adhering to the principles of scientific writing) until March 15, 2025
--> 55% of the final marks

Examination topics

see the remarks concerning participation and essay

Reading list

Bürgel, Ärztliches Leben und Denken im arabischen Mittelalter, 2016 (e-book UB).
Eichner, Perkams und Schäfer, Islamische Philosophie im Mittelalter. Ein Handbuch, 2013.
Pormann und Savage-Smith, Medieval Islamic Medicine, 2007.
Rudolph (Hg.), Philosophie in der islamischen Welt, 2012-.
Ullmann, Die Medizin im Islam, 1970.
Wakelnig, "Galen’s Philosopher-Physician from Late Antiquity to the Arabic-Islamic World in ʿAbbāsid Times", in Das (Hg.), Galen’s Humanistic Medicine: The Essay Quod Optimus Medicus, 2023, 135-153.
Further reading will be given and discussed during the seminar.

Association in the course directory

AT-3, WM-27, WM-18

Last modified: Mo 07.10.2024 00:02