Interdisciplinary Topics in the History of Medicine and Physics
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Date
2024
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Rīgas Stradiņa universitātes Medicīnas vēstures institūts (Institute of History of Medicine, Rīga Stradiņš University)
Abstract
The study presents the content of a series of seminars held in winter 2023 and spring 2024 at the Faculty of Medicine of Rīga Stradiņš University, aimed at providing students with deeper insights into the interdisciplinary topics between the history of medicine and hard sciences. In particular, the study showcases mutual influences between Life Sciences and Physics in the early 17th century when the “Emergence of Quantified Medicine” contributed to shaping methodologies of experimental science.
The shift from qualitative to quantitative mentality has been discussed with a focus on scientific instruments such as the pulsilogium and thermoscope, which were initially developed for medical purposes and have presented significant challenges to physicists.
To further illustrate consolidation of quantitative methods, historical cases – such as those of Dr. Semmelweis – have been revisited to demonstrate the use of statistical methods in evidence-based medical practice and underscore how quantitative reasoning became crucial in transforming medical epistemology.
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Keywords
teaching, interdisciplinary, Semmelweis