Visions of the Body in Early Modern Medicine

How does the body remain healthy and heal? This lecture explores evolving premodern visions of the body across medical traditions in East and West. We will trace the shift from the authority of ancient texts to the growing prestige of experimentation in early modern medicine. We will examine how mechanical models of the body, alongside new reflections on the mind-body relationship, reshaped medical theory and practice. We will also consider the roles of physicians and midwives in widening efforts to help women understand their own bodies—a theme that continues to resonate in medical discourse today.

Part of Prof. Dr. Ewa Atanassow's IS212 Early Modern Science course

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Dr. Maria Avxentevskaya (Auxent) is a Research Associate at Bard College Berlin and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the Warburg Institute (University of London). She earned her PhD at Freie Universität Berlin (2015, distinction) with a thesis on John Wilkins’ artificial language and the early Royal Society of London. Her work has been supported by the Max Planck Society, Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Herzog August Bibliothek, the German Research Foundation, the Warburg Institute, and the European Commission. She has taught history of science, scientific translation, and science communication at Bard College Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, and the University of Sydney. Her science journalism has been republished online by The Independent and Scientific American.

For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Time: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm CET/GMT+1

Location: Online (Zoom)

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