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Reassessing Late Medieval Pharmacology: Logical and Metaphysical Tools in the Medical Context

Project description

Mediaeval philosophical doctrines and pharmacological theories

Mediaeval rational pharmacology, particularly its drug classification theories, underwent reorganisation in the 14th century under the influence of scholastic philosophy, especially at the Faculty of Medicine in Bologna. Some Bolognese scholars were influenced by French modism, a philosophical approach that divided reality into three ‘modi’ – being, knowledge, and meaning. The ERC-funded ReMedY project will explore the connection between mediaeval philosophical doctrines and pharmacological theories. It will examine the relationship between rational pharmacology and philosophy during the Middle Ages, with a focus on late mediaeval pharmacological classifications and their metaphysical, logical, and epistemological implications. Overall, the project provides access to previously unedited sources of historical scientific value.

Objective

ReMedY addresses the metaphysical, logical and epistemological implications of late medieval pharmacological classifications. Medieval pharmacology was often divided into a rational and a practical part. Rational pharmacology dealt with the theories of drug classification, explaining how to recognise the substance and the qualities of a drug and how to differentiate it from other drugs. Rational pharmacology was thoroughly re-systematised during the 14th century in various university milieus, having been influenced by scholastic philosophy. It is generally acknowledged that the faculty of medicine at Bologna played a central role in this process, due to its strong connection with the philosophical tradition. It is clear that some Bolognese masters were influenced by French modism, which based logic on ontology, dividing reality into the three 'modi' of being, knowledge and meaning. Yet, it has never been investigated how this philosophical debate has influenced rational pharmacology or how it has provided it with indispensable theoretical tools. And this is exactly where this project comes into the picture: ReMedYs unconventional and cross-disciplinary approach connects modist doctrines and pharmacological theories, providing an innovative interpretative key regarding the correlation between rational pharmacology and philosophy during the Middle Ages. The hypothesis of the project, namely that modist theories influenced a distinct tradition of late medieval rational pharmacology is entirely original. My team and I will link research fields that have been kept apart, but whose organic connections provide a new perspective on medieval philosophy. Combining philological, editorial, historical and epistemological approaches, the ReMedY team will deal with pharmacological texts from different geographical areas and provide access to previously unedited sources of historical scientifical value through critical (and digital) editions and doctrinal studies.

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HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG

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Host institution

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 498 828,00
Address
PIAZZA MARINA 61
90133 Palermo
Italy

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Region
Isole Sicilia Palermo
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 498 828,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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