Aristotle and Galen on sex difference and reproduction: a new approach to an ancient rivalry

Connell, Sophia M.

doi:10.1016/s1369-8486(00)00007-8

Cited by 21 publications

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“…He disseminated the doctrine that women were a replica of men, with genitalia similar to that of males but with the organs essentially turned inside out [26]. Based on his observation of testes (which were actually ovaries) and thick seminal fluid in female animals, Galen asserted that he had proof of semen being produced in females [27]. Galen offered the first characterization of nonsex induced female ejaculation in the Western ancient literature.…”

Section: Western Ancient Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…He detailed his observation of semen accumulating in women and being released and ejaculated via spasm in this passage: “[I]n the case of a woman suffering from hysterical diseases, very abundant and very thick semen was discharged first to the uterus, and from it to the outside; a widow for a long time, she had collected it in that amount and of that kind. But then certain tensions seized her in her loins and hands and feet, so that she seemed convulsed (‘spasthenai’), and at these tensions the semen was discharged (‘ex‐ekrithe’), and she said that the pleasure of it gave her was like that of sexual intercourse”[27]. Within the scope of theory of homology of men and women, Galen made the conclusion that women, like men, need to release their semen at regular intervals to avoid accumulation‐induced pain, as he observed in widows or other nonsexually‐active women at the time [27].…”

Section: Western Ancient Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…But then certain tensions seized her in her loins and hands and feet, so that she seemed convulsed (‘spasthenai’), and at these tensions the semen was discharged (‘ex‐ekrithe’), and she said that the pleasure of it gave her was like that of sexual intercourse”[27]. Within the scope of theory of homology of men and women, Galen made the conclusion that women, like men, need to release their semen at regular intervals to avoid accumulation‐induced pain, as he observed in widows or other nonsexually‐active women at the time [27]. The Galenic egalitarian homology of male and female anatomic genital structures was held for centuries and spread even through the Persian empire.…”

Section: Western Ancient Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

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SEXUAL MEDICINE HISTORY: The History of Female Ejaculation

Korda¹,

Goldstein²,

Sommer³

2010

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

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Introduction The existence of female ejaculation and the female prostate is controversial; however, most scientists are not aware that historians of medicine and psychology described the phenomenon of female ejaculation approximately 2,000 years ago. Aim To review historical literature in which female ejaculation is described. Methods A comprehensive systematic literature review. Main Outcome Measure Emission of fluid at the acme of orgasm and/or sexual pleasure in females was considered as a description of female ejaculation and therefore all documents referring to this phenomenon are included. Results Physicians, anatomists, and psychologists in both eastern and western culture have described intellectual concepts of female ejaculation during orgasm. In ancient Asia female ejaculation was very well known and mentioned in several Chinese Taoist texts starting in the 4th century. The ancient Chinese concept of female ejaculation as independent of reproduction was supported by ancient Indian writings. First mentioned in a 7th century poem, female ejaculation and the Gräfenberg spot (G-spot) are described in detail in most works of the Kāmaśāstra. In ancient Western writings the emission of female fluid is mentioned even earlier, depicted about 300 B.C. by Aristotle and in the 2nd century by Galen. Reinjier De Graaf in the 16th century provided the first scientific description of female ejaculation and was the first to refer to the periurethral glands as the female prostate. This concept was held by other scientists during the following centuries through 1952 A.D. when Ernst Gräfenberg reported on “The role of the urethra in female orgasm. Current research provides insight into the anatomy of the female prostate and describes female ejaculation as one of its functions. Conclusions Credible evidence exists among different cultures that the female prostate and female ejaculation have been discovered, described and then forgotten over the last 2,000 years.

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Section: Western Ancient Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Western Ancient Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Western Ancient Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

SEXUAL MEDICINE HISTORY: The History of Female Ejaculation

Korda¹,

Goldstein²,

Sommer³

2010

The Journal of Sexual Medicine

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“…The study of human beings probably started in ancient Greece (Ptolemaic Kingdom in 300 BC, Alexandria was the Capital) [1]. Greek physician Herophilus, living in Alexandria, was the first anatomist, who explored the flow of blood from the heart through the arteries, in his book titled Midwifery, which discussed the duration and phases of childbirth [2,3,4]. Later, Alexandria became a center of anatomy under Islamic rule, with Ibn Zuhr (1094-1162), a notable Muslim Arab physician, surgeon and poet working there [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Significance of the Structure of Human Skeleton

Hossain¹

2018

AJMSM

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This study presents the physical analysis of the structural morphology of the human skeleton at different side views. In this investigation, whole of the human skeleton system was divided into five groups of bones: skull, rib cage, pelvic girdle, lower limb and upper limb. The physical analysis of the shapes of initial four groups of bones provided looks like the four letters of the Arabic language namely Mim, Ha, Mim and Dal, respectively. Interestingly, combination of these four letters makes the Arabic word "Muhammad, (peace be upon him: PBUH)" which is the name of the best person in the universe, according to the Muslims. The observation is very clearly presented at the left side view of the human skeleton. Again, the physical analysis of the structure of bony framework of each hand in the upper limb of human skeleton as elucidated here shows the combination of four other Arabic letters: Alif, Lam, Lam and Haa, leading to making the Arabic word "Allah, ". Analytical observations in both cases are schematically presented in the article. Thus the structure of human skeleton represents two Arabic words which are very significant in the religion of Islam.

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“…183ff .). More revisionist explanations of the female's role in Aristotelian procreation have been advanced by Coles (1995) and Connell (2001), who both emphasize the presence of actual motions in the mother's contribution to generation. On this revised account, the contrast between Aristotle and Porphyry on the mother's role is made slightly less stark, but a strong contrast does remain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Porphyry and Plotinus on the Seed

Wilberding

2008

Phronesis

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Porphyry's account of the nature of seeds can shed light on some less appreciated details of Neoplatonic psychology, in particular on the interaction between individual souls. Th e process of producing the seed and the conception of the seed off er a physical instantiation of procession and reversion, activities that are central to Neoplatonic metaphysics. In an act analogous to procession, the seed is produced by the father's nature, and as such it is ontologically inferior to the father's nature. Th us, the seed does not strictly speaking contain a full-fl edged vegetative soul. Rather, it acquires its vegetative soul only while it is being actualized by an actual vegetative soul. Th is actualization takes place primarily at conception, where the seed as it were reverts back and becomes obedient to the mother's nature, but continues through the period of gestation. In this way, Porphyry can account both for maternal resemblance and for ideoplasty. He uses the Stoic language of complete blending to describe the mother's relation to the seed and embryo, and this reveals that he thinks of individuals as having their own unique individual natures (as opposed to sharing in a single universal nature). In the course of developing this theory, Porphyry makes signifi cant revisions to his philosophical predecessors' views in both embryology and botany. He revises Aristotle's verdict on the relative importance of the female in generation as well as Th eophrastus' explanation of the biological mechanics of grafting. Although Plotinus nowhere addresses embryology in the same detail as Porphyry does, we can conclude from his remarks on seeds and plants that his own views were similar to those of his student.

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Aristotle and Galen on sex difference and reproduction: a new approach to an ancient rivalry

Cited by 21 publications

References 9 publications

SEXUAL MEDICINE HISTORY: The History of Female Ejaculation

SEXUAL MEDICINE HISTORY: The History of Female Ejaculation

Significance of the Structure of Human Skeleton

Porphyry and Plotinus on the Seed

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