INTRODUCTION

In seeking the best physician, the prospective patient is advised, according to Galen, first to 'find out how wide his knowledge is and how penetrative is his training in anatomy'. For Galen, anatomy is more than a system of knowledge for its own sake. It is also used to demonstrate that Nature does nothing in vain. Further, it provides information in examining psychic or physical activities and is a precision tool for the operative practitioner. These respective epistemic, teleological, empirical and practical ends underscore the crucial place of anatomy for Galen in his medical and philosophical world. To an appreciable extent, all four cannot be entirely separated. An examination of Galen's employment of anatomy is rewarding not only because it informed his medical practice and defined for him the true worth of a physician, but also because it offers a window into his investigations into the nature of the living organism. This chapter will begin by underscoring Galen's indebtedness to his predecessors and teachers. It will next examine Galen's public anatomical demonstrations and why he felt them to be necessary.