Fabrizio Baldassarri Bücher

René Descartes's exploration of the mechanistic interpretation of nature delves into the characteristics of various bodies, including rocks, plants, and animals. While grounded in rationalism, his work reveals a growing focus on specific collections and qualities, leading to a complex narrative that serves as a 'short history of all natural phenomena.' This intriguing blend of philosophy and natural history highlights the evolution of Descartes's thought and his attempts to reconcile abstract reasoning with the tangible world around him.

In the pre-modern times, while medicine was still relying on classical authorities on herbal remedies, a new engagement with the plant world emerged. This volume follows intertwined strands in the study of plants, examining newly introduced species that captured physicians' curiosity, expanded their therapeutic arsenal, and challenged their long-held medical theories. The development of herbaria, the creation of botanical gardens, and the inspection of plants contributed to a new understanding of the vegetal world. Increased attention to plants led to account for their therapeutic virtues, to test and produce new drugs, to recognize the physical properties of plants, and to develop a new plant science and medicine.