Start Date
5-2011 9:00 AM
End Date
5-2011 10:00 AM
Disciplines
History of Religion | History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
Subjects
Human dissection -- Moral and ethical aspects, Human dissection -- Italy -- History, Religion and science -- History
Abstract
The mystical element of the human cadaver has long determined how people interact with it. Ancient cultures often feared the wrath of a higher power arising from an investigation into the sanctity of the human corpse, a fear that for the most part stemmed from religious traditions. Despite the taboos associated with this practice, the dawn of the Italian Renaissance saw a gradual shift in this traditional perspective that allowed for scholars, particularly those in Northern Italy, to explore the subject of anatomy with greater freedom. This paper explores the factors that contributed to the proliferation of anatomical dissection throughout the Italian medical field, and the accompanying acceptance of the cadavers as an important component in understanding the body’s functions.
Rights
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Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/12397
The Anatomical Renaissance
The mystical element of the human cadaver has long determined how people interact with it. Ancient cultures often feared the wrath of a higher power arising from an investigation into the sanctity of the human corpse, a fear that for the most part stemmed from religious traditions. Despite the taboos associated with this practice, the dawn of the Italian Renaissance saw a gradual shift in this traditional perspective that allowed for scholars, particularly those in Northern Italy, to explore the subject of anatomy with greater freedom. This paper explores the factors that contributed to the proliferation of anatomical dissection throughout the Italian medical field, and the accompanying acceptance of the cadavers as an important component in understanding the body’s functions.
Notes
Winner of the Karen E. Hoppes Young Historians Award for Outstanding Research and Writing.