THE BODY REPUBLIC - SOCIAL-ORDER AND HUMAN-BODY IN RENAISSANCE MEDICAL THOUGHT

The representation of the human body built by medicine had historical references and analogical relations with other compounds of the cultur e of each particular period. The organic model, the coordinated and hi erarchical dependence of the body parts, its subordination to a prevai ling element (the brain or the heart, depending on the authors and tim es) guided directly by a soul infused by God... These are some of the aspects which reflect the relation between the image of the body and t he justification of the ideological and social order, as a natural one . Among the numerous sources of Renaissance medicine that could bring significant facts about this theme, the present work is based on anato mical treatises and books of natural philosophy like those written by Bernardino Montana de Monserrate, Alonso de Fuentes, Realdo Colombo, H ieronimus Montaltus, Andrea Cesalpino and Miguel Sabuco, all of whom a re good exponents of Renaissance anatomy and physiological thought.