PDF hosted at the Radboud Repository of the Radboud University Nijmegen The following full text is a publisher's version. For additional information about this publication click this link. https://hdl.handle.net/2066/216568 Please be advised that this information was generated on 2021-09-29 and may be subject to change. THE RISE AND FALL OF HUMAN LIFE THEORY ON LIFE COURSE, NUTRITION AND SPERM IN LATE MEDIEVAL UNIVERSITY MEDICINE KARINE VAN ‘T LAND THE RISE AND FALL OF HUMAN LIFE 2 The rise and fall of human life Theory on life course, nutrition and sperm in late medieval university medicine Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen op gezag van de rector magnificus prof. dr. J.H.J.M. van Krieken, volgens besluit van het college van decanen in het openbaar te verdedigen op donderdag 13 februari 2020 om 10.30 uur precies door Catharina Johanna van ‘t Land geboren op 13 augustus 1974 te Wageningen 3 Promotor: Prof. dr. P.G.J.M. Raedts Prof. dr. C.G. Santing (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) Copromotor: Manuscriptcommissie: Prof. dr. M.L.M. van Berkel Prof. dr. M.E.B. Derks Prof. dr. O.S.H. Lie (Universiteit Utrecht) Dr. B. Roest Dr. C.V. Weeda (Universiteit Leiden) 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. 9 Abstract ............................................................................................................... 11 Samenvatting ....................................................................................................... 14 Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................ 18 I. Outline and Research Question ...................................................................... 18 II. Sources ........................................................................................................ 22 1. Avicenna’s Canon and its Commentaries ................................................. 22 2. Texts: Characteristics and Approach ........................................................ 27 III. Status quaestionis ........................................................................................ 31 1. Change, Matter and Identity: Carolyn Walker Bynum’s Oeuvre ................ 32 2. Human Beings and Food in Medieval Theology ....................................... 36 3. Late Medieval Medicine, Food, and Digestion.......................................... 39 4. Radical Moisture and Theology ............................................................... 43 5. Radical Moisture and Medicine ................................................................ 48 6. Ages of Man ............................................................................................ 50 7. Which Human Being, and What Body? ..................................................... 55 Chapter 2: The Late Medieval Life Course and Avicenna’s Ages of Man ................ 61 1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 61 2. Avicenna’s ages and Western Late Medieval Culture ............................... 64 3. The Ages of Man in the Canon Commentaries ......................................... 69 4. Adolescentia ............................................................................................ 72 5. Luventus .................................................................................................. 79 6. Senectus .................................................................................................. 86 7. Senium..................................................................................................... 91 8. The Extended Life Course from Conception to Death .............................. 96 Chapter 3: Embryos of Sperm and Blood, Form and Food ................................... 100 1. Introduction .......................................................................................... 100 2. Male Sperm as Matter: Galen’s Spermatic and Fleshy Parts .................... 103 5 3 . Male Sperm as Matter: The Late Medieval Scholarly Context................. 107 4. Spermatic and Fleshy membra ................................................................ 110 5. Multiple Sperms ..................................................................................... 113 6. Male Sperm as Matter: The Canon and its Commentaries ....................... 117 7. Menstruum, Female Sperm, and Filthy Menses ....................................... 126 8. Menstruum as Source for the Fleshy Membra .......................................... 130 9. Spermatic and Fleshy Membra Later in Life ............................................ 135 10. Conclusion ........................................................................................... 140 Chapter 4: .......................................................................................................... 143 A Matter of Expansion: Radical Moisture in Youth and Adulthood ...................... 143 1. Introduction ........................................................................................... 143 2. Adolescentia in Terms of Moisture and Soul Functions ............................ 145 3. Iuventus in Terms of Moisture and Soul Functions ................................. 148 4. Heat of the Child, Heat of the Man ......................................................... 154 5. Radical Membra and Growth in Adolescentia .......................................... 160 6. The Definition of Expanding Moisture ....................................................165 7. Mixtures of Wine and Water: Background ............................................... 170 8. Metaphorical Vessels in the Canon Commentaries ................................. 176 9. Conclusion ............................................................................................. 183 Chapter 5: .......................................................................................................... 186 Radical Moisture on the Decline: The Downward Spiral of Old Age .................... 186 1. Introduction .......................................................................................... 186 2. Lamp Metaphors ................................................................................... 188 3. The Second Half of Life.......................................................................... 194 4. Extraneous Excess Moisture and a Dry Core .......................................... 198 5. The Downward Spiral ............................................................................ 204 6. Natural Death ....................................................................................... 209 7. Longevity of Complexions ..................................................................... 216 8. The Necessity of Death ......................................................................... 222 6 9. Conclusion ............................................................................................ 228 Chapter 6: Conclusion ........................................................................................ 231 I. Narratives on Continuity and Change ........................................................... 231 II. The Late Medieval Theories ........................................................................ 232 1. Heat versus Moisture ............................................................................. 232 2. Sperm versus Food ................................................................................ 234 3. Two Narratives Brought Together: Adolescentia .................................... 236 4. Two Narratives Brought Together: Old Age and the Necessity of Death 238 Epilogue ............................................................................................................. 241 1. Modern and Medieval Science ............................................................... 242 2. The Body as Disposable Good ............................................................... 244 3. Richard Dawkins on Genes and Memes.................................................. 246 4. Radical Moisture, Genes and Memes: Similarities .................................. 250 5. Radical Moisture, Genes and Memes: Differences .................................. 251 6. Theories and Meaning ........................................................................... 254 Sources .............................................................................................................. 257 Bibliography ...................................................................................................... 260 7 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation is the product of an extended project; or perhaps I should say, an over-extended project. So many people have supported me along the way, shown their interest, encouraged me, discussed matters, advised me. I feel that it is a risky business to attempt to thank anyone, as I am certain that I am sadly forgetting others. I will venture anyway. First and foremost, I would like to thank my PhD supervisors Peter Raedts and Catrien Santing. They most cordially guided me, not just in becoming a mediaevalist, but also in networking, presenting, organising, hosting, operating within complex organisations and in many other skills which come in handy outside university walls. I am most grateful to the members of the PhD committee Marjet Derks, Orlanda Lie, Janneke Raaijnmakers, Bert