anthropology

is the body and soul together in their mutual relations, restrictions and connections.

ln the preface to his influential Anthropologie for Aerzte und Weltweise (Anthropology for Physicians and Philosophers) of 1772, Ernst Platner defines anthropology as the science of the entire human being: The knowledge IErhenntnis] of the human being, it seems to me, should be divided up into three sciences. First, one can consider only the parts and operations of the machine without considering the restrictions which these movements of the machine receive from the soul. . . . This is anatomy and physiology. Second, one can examine the forces and properties of this soul in the same manner, without ever taking the involvement of the body into consideration... this would be psychology or, for that matter, logic, aesthetics and a large part of moral philosophy. Finally, one can regard the body and the soul together in their mutual relations, restrictions and connections, and that is what I call anthropology.

Ernst PlattnerThinkers

Ernst Plattner