THE MEDIEVAL THEORY OF THE INNER SENSES

This article analyzes the theory of the inner senses, a theory of cogn ition and neuropsychology that had wide acceptance in Europe from the fourth to the sixteenth centuries. The theory proposed that incoming s ensory information was processed successively in three linearly arrang ed ventricles of the brain. It was based on the psychology of Aristotl e and the anatomical discoveries of Galen: its demise followed Vesaliu s's discovery that the anatomy on which it was based was incorrect. Th e theory of the inner senses contains many modern features and can be regarded as a considerable scientific achievement.