Article Review On Magic And Rationality In Ancient Near Eastern And Graeco-Roman Medicine

In the article “Magic and Rationality in Ancient Near Eastern and Graeco-Roman Medicine” by van der Eijk, the author studied the medical theory as well as practice during the ancient times and compared the two periods to evaluate the interaction between the two civilizations. In doing this study, van der Eijk focused on the function of religion as well as the magic in various healing traditions and the attitudes of both civilizations concerning the human body. The author also studied how the two civilizations linked the human body to the natural, social, and supernatural setting.
One notable observation van der Eijk discovered was the successful results of a study conducted in the Greek and ancient cultures even without forming any historical connections yet. Due to the limited research regarding medicine in the Near Eastern, author sought to achieve that balance by making a collaborative attempt to perform the study. In doing the study, van der Eijk encountered an obstacle with that of Babylonian medicine. There was also little consideration made in terms of cultural and historical context in the use of texts. Greek medicine was perceived as rational in terms of explaining the functions and failures of the human body and in treating diseases. Greek medicine also tried to fight disease by various natural therapeutic ways including drugs, surgery, and diet. Moreover, Greek medicine was linked to the emergence of science and philosophy. The Greeks declared that their medical practices were a lot more superior compared to the medical practices of the Mediterranean civilizations.