Forms, Souls, and Embryos - James Wilberding

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.