As ancient Greek philosophers began to investigate the mysteries of the human body, they were faced with difficult questions about what blood is, how it comes to be, and how it relates to the structures of our body.
Ancient Greek philosophers and physicians did not see blood as a mundane bodily fluid but rather as the vital, life‐sustaining essence of the human organism. Many early thinkers, particularly those involved in the development of humoral theory such as Hippocrates believed that blood was one of the fundamental substances (or "humors") that governed both physical health and temperament. An abundance or deficit of blood was linked to particular personality traits and states of health. For instance, a person with a predominance of blood, termed "sanguine," was thought to be cheerful, optimistic, and lively.
I know a book that discussed temperaments using this theory about the humors and even now people claim that it works. Very interesting. Would be great if someone would make a post analysing this.
The theory of the four humors, rooted in ancient Greek philosophy and medicine, posits that human health and temperament are governed by the balance of four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Blood, in particular, was seen not merely as a mundane fluid but as a vital, life-sustaining essence, closely linked to personality traits and overall health. This framework was foundational for thinkers like Hippocrates, who regarded blood as one of the fundamental "humors" influencing both physical and psychological states.
According to humoral theory, an excess or deficiency of blood would produce a "sanguine" temperament, characterized by cheerfulness, optimism, and liveliness. This concept extended to the other humors, each associated with distinct temperaments and health conditions, forming a comprehensive system that explained human behavior and disease through bodily fluid balance. The theory was deeply integrated into ancient Greek medical practice and persisted as a dominant medical philosophy well into the 19th century, influencing not only medicine but also cultural understandings of personality and health.
Interestingly, the legacy of humoral theory endures in modern language and some contemporary personality typologies, where terms like "sanguine," "phlegmatic," "melancholic," and "choleric" are still used to describe temperaments. While modern science has moved beyond the literal biological claims of humoralism, the idea that bodily states affect mood and personality retains intuitive appeal and is sometimes referenced in alternative health and psychological discussions today.
Really loved this one — smart and grounded without trying too hard to sound like a TED Talk. The way you unpacked the Greeks’ idea of preparing the soul for death gave me a lot to chew on. Felt like you were channeling something ancient without losing the modern pulse. That’s a hard balance to pull off, and you nailed it. Substack needs more of this kind of writing — big ideas in a human voice.
I hadn’t realized how central blood was to Plato’s view of the body, and I love how you wove in the environmental influences wearing us down over time.
Ancient Greek philosophers and physicians did not see blood as a mundane bodily fluid but rather as the vital, life‐sustaining essence of the human organism. Many early thinkers, particularly those involved in the development of humoral theory such as Hippocrates believed that blood was one of the fundamental substances (or "humors") that governed both physical health and temperament. An abundance or deficit of blood was linked to particular personality traits and states of health. For instance, a person with a predominance of blood, termed "sanguine," was thought to be cheerful, optimistic, and lively.
I know a book that discussed temperaments using this theory about the humors and even now people claim that it works. Very interesting. Would be great if someone would make a post analysing this.
The theory of the four humors, rooted in ancient Greek philosophy and medicine, posits that human health and temperament are governed by the balance of four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Blood, in particular, was seen not merely as a mundane fluid but as a vital, life-sustaining essence, closely linked to personality traits and overall health. This framework was foundational for thinkers like Hippocrates, who regarded blood as one of the fundamental "humors" influencing both physical and psychological states.
According to humoral theory, an excess or deficiency of blood would produce a "sanguine" temperament, characterized by cheerfulness, optimism, and liveliness. This concept extended to the other humors, each associated with distinct temperaments and health conditions, forming a comprehensive system that explained human behavior and disease through bodily fluid balance. The theory was deeply integrated into ancient Greek medical practice and persisted as a dominant medical philosophy well into the 19th century, influencing not only medicine but also cultural understandings of personality and health.
Interestingly, the legacy of humoral theory endures in modern language and some contemporary personality typologies, where terms like "sanguine," "phlegmatic," "melancholic," and "choleric" are still used to describe temperaments. While modern science has moved beyond the literal biological claims of humoralism, the idea that bodily states affect mood and personality retains intuitive appeal and is sometimes referenced in alternative health and psychological discussions today.
Really loved this one — smart and grounded without trying too hard to sound like a TED Talk. The way you unpacked the Greeks’ idea of preparing the soul for death gave me a lot to chew on. Felt like you were channeling something ancient without losing the modern pulse. That’s a hard balance to pull off, and you nailed it. Substack needs more of this kind of writing — big ideas in a human voice.
Thank you! That’s very kind of you. :)
You're welcome! Thank you for your work.
That's so interesting
life juice
the only thing it can be
I hadn’t realized how central blood was to Plato’s view of the body, and I love how you wove in the environmental influences wearing us down over time.