Source edition
Galen. Claudii Galeni Opera Omnia, Volume 1. Kühn, Karl Gottlob, editor. Leipzig: Knobloch, 1821.
Source data
A Digital Corpus for Graeco-Arabic Studies · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
In this short treatise, the ancient Roman physician Galen argues that mastering philosophy is indispensable for practicing medicine at its highest level. He sharply criticizes the physicians of his time who pay lip service to the great pioneer Hippocrates while neglecting the necessary training out of a pursuit of wealth and luxury. According to Galen, a true physician must possess the diligence to endure rigorous study and the ethical temperance to resist greed and pleasure. Furthermore, understanding pathology requires logical methods and knowledge of nature. Since these requirements correspond directly to the three branches of philosophy—ethics, logic, and physics—Galen concludes that the best doctor must inevitably be a philosopher, urging readers to commit to genuine philosophical and medical practice.