Ancient Greek Health Theories: Understanding the Melancholic Mean in Aristotelian Problema XXX.1
ABSTRACT: In ancient Greek theories of health, it was the equal balance or mixing of the humors or elements (i.e., the isonomic mean) that comprised the ideal healthy state. In the Aristotelian Problema XXX.1, however, there is a description of a form of melancholic constitution that is both 1) itself characterized as a mean, and 2) thought to lead to intellectual outstandingness. This is theoretically problematic since the melancholic constitution was by definition a constitution in which there was a natural preponderance of black bile. Thus, there appear to be two incompatible means that are descriptive of the ideal in ancient Greek medicine: the isonomic mean that underlies the ideal healthy state, and the melancholic mean that describes the melancholic who is capable of greatness. This paper attempts to understand the melancholic mean as described in Problema XXX.1 by considering the two different but related models of this mean that are suggested in the text. A reconciliation of the two somatic ideals is argued for on the basis of what else is said in the Problema, as well as ideas found in the Hippocratic work Airs, Waters, Places and other Aristotelian Problemata.
Why is it that all those who have become eminent in philosophy or politics or poetry or the arts are clearly of an atrabilious temperament, and some of them to such an extent as to be affected by diseases caused by black bile, as is said to have happened to Heracles among the heroes? (Problemata XXX.1 953a10-14) (1)
So begins the Aristotelian Problema XXX.1. Why indeed! The atrabilious temperament or melancholia is, according to Aristotle, a natural disposition in which there is a preponderance of black bile over the other humours. The healthy somatic ideal, however, was conceived by Greek medical theorists as the equality of the humours, either with respect to their quantity or their relative strengths (quality); disease was by definition an excess of one of the humours or elements. If the ideal state with respect to the humours was equality or isonomic proportion, but "all those who have become eminent in philosophy or politics or poetry or the arts..." be melancholics, then which state is the ideal — health or melancholia?
The explicit association of melancholia with genius is found for the first time in this Problema. The author was working within a long tradition that linked the ideal state with a mean.
In “Can You Be Educated from a Distance?” by James Barszcz, the author attempts to pinpoint the negative aspects of distance education compared to traditional classrooms. At the beginning of the article, he first describes the basic format of online courses, which results in a vast minimization of face-to-face communication of students with instructors. He then touches on some of the beneficial qualities of online education, and the reasoning for its quickly growing popularity among students and schools alike. He mainly attributes this trend to the overall convenience that is promised to students by online courses. These courses allow students to learn material in the comfort of their own home. Barszcz also considers the financial appeal for universities. Having an increasing number of students enrolled solely in online classes allows schools to save money on electricity, as well as decrease the amount of staff they employ. Also mentioned is that many strong advocates of distance...
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The Nicomachean Ethics, written by Aristotle, represents his most important contribution within the field of Ethics; it is a collection of ten books, covering a variety of interesting topics, throughout the collection. Aristotle tries to draw a general understanding of the human good, exploring the causes of human actions, trying to identify the most common ultimate purpose of human actions. Indeed, Aristotelian’s ethics, also investigates through the psychological and the spiritual realms of human beings. Without pretending to exhaust with too many references, it would be rather useful to focus on the most criticized part of the philosopher’s attempt, which is also the very starting point of his masterpiece, identified as eudaimonia (happiness, well being) and ergon (function), in Aristotelian terms.
Simply defined, happiness is the state of being happy. But, what exactly does it mean to “be happy?” Repeatedly, many philosophers and ideologists have proposed ideas about what happiness means and how one attains happiness. In this paper, I will argue that Aristotle’s conception of happiness is driven more in the eye of ethics than John Stuart Mill. First, looking at Mill’s unprincipled version of happiness, I will criticize the imperfections of his definition in relation to ethics. Next, I plan to identify Aristotle’s core values for happiness. According to Aristotle, happiness comes from virtue, whereas Mill believes happiness comes from pleasure and the absence of pain. Ethics are the moral principles that govern a person’s behavior which are driven by virtues - good traits of character. Thus, Aristotle focuses on three things, which I will outline in order to answer the question, “what does it mean to live a good life?” The first of which is the number one good in life is happiness. Secondly, there is a difference between moral virtues and intellectual virtues and lastly, leading a good life is a state of character. Personally and widely accepted, happiness is believed to be a true defining factor on leading a well intentioned, rational, and satisfactory life. However, it is important to note the ways in which one achieves their happiness, through the people and experiences to reach that state of being. In consequence, Aristotle’s focus on happiness presents a more arguable notion of “good character” and “rational.”
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First, a new vision of human nature and heroic virtue is presented in Vergilius' poetry. He is concerned with the Roman spirit as a whole whereas Homer concentrates on individuals and their destinies. The dooms of Achilles and Hector dominate his design; ...
Behaviorism and conditioning has its share of success stories especially when used to curb undesirable habits such as smoking and drinking, however they have also had their moments of darkness as well as seen in 1920 with John Watson and his little experiments that starred a young boy dubbed Little Albert. During Watson’s experiments to help explain conditioning, During his experiments Watson exposed Albert to a number of animals and recorded Albert’s initial reactions which were next to none at all. Watson then began exposing the same animals to Albert, and providing loud bangs that startled Albert at the same time. Eventually Albert began to cry at the sight of the animals even when they were not seen simultaneously with the loud bang.
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In the following essay, we discuss different theoretical perspectives from Nomothetic and Idiographic approach. How they apply to both Personality (pattern of behavior and thinking) and Intelligence (thinking and behavior). Arguments for both sides are base on what psychologists generally use them as, because some might disagrees with the usage of the word nomothetic and idiographic, orientated by Kantian and Wilhelm Windelband.
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...ntelligence might be two different mutually exclusive matters yet melancholia implies intelligence. Agreeing with Ficino’s theory, it is more of a symbiosis between the two expressed through a variety of situations. People become melancholic because we become aware of things. Melancholic temperament is a result of continuous acts of awareness and consequential activity. The quotes listed in this essay provide evidence that indeed, Ficino convinced certain forms of melancholia and the effects on learned people in general. This last quote is what leaves an impression those philosophers, poets, and artists are yet melancholic and genius: “But of all learned people, those especially are oppressed by black bile, who, being sedulously devoted to the study of philosophy, recall their mind from the body and corporeal things and apply it to incorporeal things” (Ficino [90]).
"Why Do People Stay in Abusive Relationships?" Www.loveisrespect.org. Love Is Respect, 2010. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
In this regard, Ahmad et al (2013) states that job satisfaction could result in improved productivity, innovation anddedication to maintaining quality of service given to clients. Employees are more likely tooperate most effectively when their needs are satisfied (Bekele and Darshan, 2011). Theproductivity of employees is likely to increase, which in turn result in effective achievement ofgoals of an organization (Stone & Pattern, 2005 in Bekele &Darshan, 2011). Moreover,satisfied employees are more likely to absent less, stay at work longer, and show less job stress.Arzi&Farahbod (2014) added by saying that satisfied employees are more likely to feel senseof accountability, be committed and stay long in an organization. Job satisfaction leads to goalachievement. It also helps employees tackle obstacles that may be faced while working in anorganization(Goffee & Jones, 2007). Organizations want their employees to become satisfied in order for theemployees to become productive (Sattar, Nawaz & Khan, 2012). Furthermore, job satisfactionimposes much impact on general life of an individual employee. As being happy is the right ofhuman being, employees must be happy. Thus, “highly satisfied worker has better physical andmentalwellbeing” (Chahal, Chahal, Chowdhary, &Chahal, 2013; Rajasekar&Bhuvaneswari,2014; Garg & Kaushik, 2013; Latif, Ahmad, Qasim, Mushtaq, Ferdoos&Naeem, 2013; Singh& Jain, 2013; Naseem, Ejaz&
Distance Education is presently a compulsory option for education in developing countries. The emergence of distance learning has ben on the increase as a result of the advancement of information technology. The main objective of this research study is to understand as to what are the attitudes and perceptions of the Nigerian students towards the distance learning so as to know the way forward, if distance learning in Nigeria should be developed and sustained. The author will examine the effectiveness of distance learning programs and explore the factors driving student’s interest. The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) takes a lead in providing and exclusively open and distance learning education for the students. This report presents
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