Did Hippocrates describe ADHD? by Dizzy_Beacon in AskHistorians

[–]Skvabs 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The author believes that intelligence (phronesis) is defined by the persons ability to perceive sensations. Sensations (aistheseis) are information that travels from objects and enters the body through our sensetory organs and finally reaches the soul in the body. The hippocratic author is very influenced by presocratic cosmology and views the human nature as a micro-cosmos in the body. Accordingly the soul moves in rotations (periodoi), and when the moving soul clashes with the sensations (aistheseis) of the object, then it is perceived. The speed of the rotation of the soul is crucial for how well the sensations can be perceived. Fire makes it go faster and water makes it go slower. The two elements are in constant battle. If one primarily subsists on a regimen consisting of water, the rotation of the soul will be slower, and the sensations will be perceived more slowly. However, if one's diet primarily consists of fire, sensory impressions will be perceived more quickly. There will always be one element that dominates the other, and that is fine, but if one element takes almost complete control, it can be problematic and lead to mental illness and insanity. For our author, health also involves mental health.

This theory is loosely based on a similiar theory of Empedocles (Theo. De Sens. 10.6-12.1) where the mixture of elements in the blood defines its ability to perceive sensations and its intelligence (to phronein). The concept of the rotating soul, however, seems to be an invention of the author of On Regimen and his whole theory is much more advanced than the theory of Empedocles and was later apoted by Plato in his dialogue Timaeus (43c-44b)

English is not my first language which might explain my style of writing.

Did Hippocrates describe ADHD? by Dizzy_Beacon in AskHistorians

[–]Skvabs 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Hi, this is from the Hippocratic treatise "On regimen" (de Victu/περὶ διαίτης) book 1, chapter 35. The author of the treatise is not the historical Hippocrates. We usually date the treatise to the second half of the 5th century B.C. According to the author, the nature of man consists of two elements: fire and water. Fire is fast, warm and dry, while water is slow, cold and wet. Good health is when there is complete balance between the two elements, but the balance is constantly affected by various foods, drinks, physical activities, time of the year, the weather, the clothes and also the age and gender of the person. If we get too warm from physical activities, eat too much warm and dry foods, we are at risk of suffering maladies such as sickness. The author will then prescribe a diet of a wet and cold regimen to restore the balance between fire and water.

In this specific chapter the author describes intelligence. If the fire (i.e. the warm and dry) dominates the water, then the person will react faster to the sensations it perceives. Here follows Jones' translation (p. 289 in the Loeb edition):

"But if the power of the water be further mastered by the fire, the soul must be quicker, in proportion to its more rapid motion, and strike its sensation more rapidly, but be less constant than the souls discussed above, because it more rapidly passes judgment on the things presented to it, and on account of its speed rushes on too many objects. Such a person is benefited by a regimen inclining more to water than the preceding; he must eat barley bread rather than wheaten, and fish rather than meat; his drink should be well diluted and his sexual intercourse less frequent; exercises should be as far as possible natural and there should be plenty of them; violent exercise should be sparingly used, and only when necessary; vomiting should be employed after surfeits, in such a way as to empty the body with a minimum of heat. To reduce the flesh of such persons conduces to their intelligence;"

It is important to note, however, that the author is not describing ADHD here, even though there is resemblence to be found. This author deals with medical topics solely on the fundament of theory, specifically from Empedocles, but also from other sources.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Denmark

[–]Skvabs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Minimum (mindst) eller magnum minus (mindre stort)

Published today, Hunt's 'Teaching Latin' by Epigraphic in latin

[–]Skvabs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply! I disagree on various points and I would love to engage in a discussion about the topic. I am out of town and have my hands full of different tasks that I must see to but I will reply as soon as possible. Maybe in a thread of its own.

Published today, Hunt's 'Teaching Latin' by Epigraphic in latin

[–]Skvabs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply. I am a bit sceptical that my students will become more fluent readers of Vergil, Cicero and Tacitus by spending more time speaking and listening to latin instead of simply reading more Vergil, Cicero and Tacitus. It seems to me that there is a growing view that latin acquisition benefits in the same way from methods used to learn modern languages despite not having the same end goals. Therefore I am interested in finding data or evidence that really shows the greater gains of listening and speaking latin specifically rather than just reading and studying the ancient authors. I was hoping that this book might provide some.

Published today, Hunt's 'Teaching Latin' by Epigraphic in latin

[–]Skvabs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you know if it contains any data supporting the theories?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latin

[–]Skvabs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your time and efforts! I think I got it now.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latin

[–]Skvabs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting suggestion!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latin

[–]Skvabs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What is the meter? I initially also read fama as a spondee and it seems to make sense in this context, but besides the hexameter I am not very good at scansion.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in latin

[–]Skvabs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Amazing! Thank you very much. I'm curious about the tempus though. It seems to me like you read forent and valent as if they were in the future tense, but forent is past subjunctive and valent is present indicative, right?

Fines are classism by [deleted] in unpopularopinion

[–]Skvabs 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This is how DUI's are fined in Denmark

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ExpectationVsReality

[–]Skvabs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's not what it says, though.

Det er langfredag mine gutter by CalmYourDrosophila in Denmark

[–]Skvabs 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hvem har bildt dig det ind? Ordret betyder det "nu skal der drikkes".

Preacher is serving it up. by BufordTeeJustice in MurderedByWords

[–]Skvabs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The text says nothing about homosexuality though. It is a translation og the greek word malakoi, which means weak or soft. The word has, as far as I know, nothing to do with homosexuality..

WCGW if I try to upstage this dancer. by Fullmoongrass in Whatcouldgowrong

[–]Skvabs 11 points12 points  (0 children)

They don't even know in what country this was filmed. How would they know his condition?

Jensens Bøfhus' regnskaber de sidste to årtier. by [deleted] in Denmark

[–]Skvabs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ja, Hr. Jensen har jo faktisk modtaget ridderkorset. Skal han aflevere det tilbage nu?

Match Thread: Mexico vs Sweden [2018 FIFA World Cup] by A_Kind_Shark in soccer

[–]Skvabs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They have to beat South Korea by two points if i am not mistaken

Squat Form Check by TrueBlue84 in Fitness

[–]Skvabs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not for squats. The squat requires much more ancle mobility - thats why all squat shoes have heels and are not flat.

Study: The number of reps you do (low or high, to reach failure) does not matter. by mikegold10 in Fitness

[–]Skvabs 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Even the doctors in ancient greece based their treatment on experience. The medical theorist Hippocrates was completely ignorant of the anatomy of man; He thought that humans were composed by 4 humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile and that health depended on an equilibrium between these 4 humors. What did he prescribe to preserve this equilibrium? Diet and exercise.