A History of Ideas about the Prolongation of Life: The Evolution of Prolongevity Hypotheses to 1800American Philosophical Society, 1966 - 102 pages This study aims to trace the origin and evolution of the idea of prolongevity: the belief that it is possible and desirable to extend significantly the length of life by human action. Primary attention is given to developments before the end of the 18th century. There are, however, numerous references to modern times. The author has tried to integrate the history of ideas and the history of science, for a concept like prolongevity reflects almost equally the influence of philosophy, religion, science, and medicine. He has also attempted to apply some of the methods of world history. Contents: Introduction: The Problem of Death, and the Idea of Prolongeviry; Apologism; Prolongevity Legends; Taoist Prolongevitism in Theory and in Practice; The Alchemists; The Hygienists; The Philosophes; Epilogue; Bibiliography. This is a print on demand edition of an important, hard-to-find report. |
Contents
The Evolution of Prolongevity Hypotheses to | 9 |
Introduction | 42 |
Prolongevity legends | 63 |
Copyright | |
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adept al-Razi alchemists ancient animals apologist Arabic alchemy Aristotle Avicenna belief body breath century chap chemical chemistry China Chinese alchemy Christian Chuang Tzu cinnabar Classical concept Condorcet Cornaro death Death and Progress Descartes desire Discourse disease divine earlier earth elixir example Feifel field of cinnabar folklore fountain of youth Franklin Galen Geriatrics Gerontology gevity Gilgamesh Godwin gold Greek Hesiod History Holmyard hsien human hundred Hung hygiene hyperborean Ibid idea of progress immortality innate moisture Jabir Ko Hung Lao Tzu later legend lengthen live London longevity magic Malthus Maspero medicine medieval meliorism minerals modern nature Needham old age Pao-p'u Tzu Paracelsus philosopher possible prolongation prolongevitism prolongevitist prolongevity 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