Forms, Souls, and Embryos : Neoplatonists on Human Reproduction

Forms, Souls, and Embryos allows readers coming from different backgrounds to appreciate the depth and originality with which the Neoplatonists engaged with and responded to a number of philosophical questions central to human reproduction, including: What is the causal explanation of the embryo’s formation?

How and to what extent are Platonic Forms involved? In what sense is a fetus ‘alive,’ and when does it become a human being?

Where does the embryo’s soul come from, and how is it connected to its body?

This is the first full-length study in English of this fascinating subject, and is a must-read for anyone interested in Neoplatonism or the history of medicine and embryology.