1001Philosophers

Alcmaeon of Croton c. 540 BC – c. 460 BC

Alcmaeon of Croton (c. 540 BC – c. 460 BC) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Pre-Socratic and Ancient Greek Philosophy.

Alcmaeon of Croton was a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and physician, sometimes counted among the early Pythagoreans of southern Italy. He is the earliest known author of a Greek work on natural philosophy concerned with medicine, of which only short fragments survive, and is credited by ancient sources with the first anatomical investigations by dissection in the Greek tradition. His most consequential thesis is that the brain, not the heart, is the seat of sensation and thought, a doctrine that shaped Hippocratic medicine and entered the wider Greek philosophical inheritance through Plato. He also defined health as the harmony of opposed powers.

Key facts

Nationality
Greek
Era
Ancient
Movements
Pre-Socratic, Ancient Greek Philosophy

Selected quotes

  • Attributed to Alcmaeon of Croton:

    “The brain is the seat of all sensations and thought.”

  • Attributed to Alcmaeon of Croton:

    “Health is the harmony of opposites; disease is the dominance of one over another.”

  • Attributed to Alcmaeon of Croton:

    “Of the unseen things, the gods possess clear knowledge; we mortals only conjecture.”

  • Attributed to Alcmaeon of Croton:

    “Mortals perish because they cannot join end to beginning.”

  • Attributed to Alcmaeon of Croton:

    “Eyes and ears are the instruments of soul.”

Frequently asked about Alcmaeon of Croton

When did Alcmaeon of Croton live?
Alcmaeon of Croton was born in c. 540 BC and died in c. 460 BC.
Where was Alcmaeon of Croton from?
Alcmaeon of Croton was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
What philosophical movements is Alcmaeon of Croton associated with?
Alcmaeon of Croton was associated with Pre-Socratic and Ancient Greek Philosophy.
What was Alcmaeon of Croton known for?
Alcmaeon of Croton was a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and physician, sometimes counted among the early Pythagoreans of southern Italy.
How many quotes are attributed to Alcmaeon of Croton?
There are 5 attributed quotations from Alcmaeon of Croton in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.