A History of Ideas About the Prolongation of LifeSpringer Publishing Company, 2003 M02 26 - 232 pages Dr. Grumanís book examines the quest for longevity and immortality up to the year 1800. He presents multicultural perspectives and attitudes as depicted in Islamic and Chinese societies as well as in Western Civilization. This scholarly work contributes to our understanding of the origins of medicine, personal hygiene and public health as well as the underlying psychological and social determinants of longevity and humanityís longing for its attainment. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 9 | |
III Prolongevity Legends | 29 |
IV Taoist Prolongevitism in Theory | 43 |
V Taoist Prolongevitism in Practice | 60 |
VI The Alchemists | 82 |
VII The Hygienists | 116 |
VIII The Philosophes | 129 |
IX Epilogue | 157 |
Endnotes | 161 |
| 199 | |
| 213 | |
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Common terms and phrases
adept al-Razi alchemists ancient animals antediluvian apologist Arabic alchemy Aristotle Avicenna belief body breath century chap chapter chemistry China Chinese alchemy Christian Chuang Tzu cinnabar concept Condorcet Cornaro death Descartes desirable Discourse disease divine earlier earth elixir example Feifel field of cinnabar folklore fountain of youth Francis Bacon Franklin Galen Geriatrics gerontology Gilgamesh Godwin gold Greek Gruman Hesiod History hsien human hundred Hung hygiene hyperborean Ibid idea of progress idea of prolongevity immortality innate moisture Jabir Ko Hung Lao Tzu later legend lengthen live London longevity magic Malthus Maspero medicine medieval meliorism modern nature Needham old age Pao-p'u Tzu Paracelsus possible prolongation prolongevitism prolongevitist prolongevity regimen rejuvenation religion respiration Roger Bacon sage scientific senescence sexual span spirit story substance Tao Te Ching Taoist Taoist philosophy Taoist prolongevitism techniques thought tion tradition transl transmutation vital Waley York