Abstract:This article considers the exiguous history of disease definition in the Greco-Roman medical traditions. It argues that the long-lived and influential definition of disease historically associated with Galen predates him by at least a generation, and that available evidence places its probable roots in the work of Methodist physicians. The conclusion is unexpected, given Galen's universal dismissal of Methodist theory and practice. For reasons I explore, however, the functional terms of the definition are congenial to Methodist epistemological commitments. The same features ideally suit it to Galen's system of disease, to his teleological views, and to his syncretistic approach to earlier Greek intellectual authorities.

中文翻译：

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盖伦关于疾病的定义

摘要：本文考虑了希腊罗马医学传统中疾病定义的稀有历史。它认为，历史上与盖伦相关的疾病的长期存在和有影响力的定义至少比他早一代人，并且现有证据将其可能根源于卫理公会医生的工作。鉴于盖伦对卫理公会的理论和实践普遍不屑一顾，这个结论出乎意料。然而，出于我探讨的原因，该定义的功能术语与卫理公会的认识论承诺相吻合。同样的特征非常适合盖伦的疾病系统、他的目的论观点，以及他对早期希腊知识分子权威的融合方法。