In the early 1850s, John Varden assembled a collection of hair samples from the first 14 US presidents. That’s pioneering work in bio-informatics. … Read the post hair samples from first 14 US presidents thanks to John Varden
Gate 30 of Judah al-Harizi’s Tahkemoni presents a charlatan physician. Harsh fate, or a despicable excuse, is having to dupe others to get money for food. … Read the post anti-medical satire in al-Harizi's Tahkemoni
Zabara’s and Galipapa’s under-appreciated medieval anti-medical satire attacked physicians who lost their moral balance to greed and pretense of knowledge. … Read the post medieval anti-medical satire reveals greed and pretense to know
Through humoral physiognomy, a choleric temperament became associated with yellow skin color. Yellow skin in 13th-century France signified Orientals. … Read the post physiognomy of skin color before the Enlightenment
The academic science of cultural cognition is rife with scientism. More humanistic self-consciousness and more social daring would produce better science. … Read the post cultural cognition in social self-construction of intellectual elite
Classical Arabic texts more frequently ridicule the learned than disparage common folk. That indicates high intellectual-cultural development. … Read the post ridiculing the learned measures intellectual development
Early 12th-century physician-philosopher Petrus Alfonsi described love and sharing in scholarly practice. Medical patients and Jews didn’t feel that love. … Read the post Petrus Alfonsi on love and sharing knowledge
Whether the pen is mightier than the sword becomes ambiguous among literary writers competing vigorously to impress with literary sophistication. … Read the post literary economics of pen mightier than sword and pen
Counting sheep for falling asleep has long been a widely recognized practice. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try counting sheep. That’s good science. … Read the post ancient origin of counting sheep to fall asleep
In the 11th century, the eminent physicians ibn Butlān and ibn Ridwān viciously disputed the question “which is warmer, the chick or the chicken?” … Read the post ibn Butlān and ibn Ridwān in vicious intellectual competition