Seneca the Younger: Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Seneca was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman and dramatist. Born in Córdoba, he was raised in Rome, where he was trained in rhetoric and philosophy. As "a major philosophical figure of the Roman Imperial Period", Seneca’s lasting contribution to philosophy has been to the school of Stoicism. | Ibn Rushd: Averroes
Averroes was a Muslim Andalusian polymath and jurist who wrote about many subjects, including philosophy, theology, medicine, astronomy, physics, psychology, mathematics, Islamic jurisprudence and law, and linguistics. Born in Córdoba to a family of prominent judges—his grandfather was the chief judge of the city. Averroes was a strong proponent of Aristotelianism; he attempted to restore what he considered the original teachings of Aristotle and opposed the Neoplatonist tendencies of earlier Muslim thinkers. He also defended the pursuit of philosophy against criticism by prominent Islamic theologians arguing that philosophy was permissible in Islam and even compulsory among certain elites. He also argued scriptural text should be interpreted allegorically if it appeared to contradict conclusions reached by reason and philosophy. | Maimonides: Moses ben Maimon
Maimonides was a medieval Sephardic Jewish philosopher, astronomer, physician and rabbi. He is acknowledged as among the foremost rabbinical decisors and philosophers in Jewish history, and his copious work comprises a cornerstone of Jewish scholarship. Of particular not at this time are some of his medical works. These included the impact of climate and diet and their effect on asthma and emphasized the need for clean air. Based on his medical findings he espoused healthy living, the mind body connection and the avoidance of overabundance. His medical treatises included a wide range of topics from digestion and food in his treatise on hemorrhoids to recipes for aphrodisiacs and anti-aphrodisiacs. Of particular importance at this moment in time is the importance of personal cleanliness. If you want to be healthy wash your hands ! |
