Hildegard of Bingen’s Embryology: Enabling Women’s Reproductive Power without Seed
This paper examines Hildegard of Bingen’s embryological theory within the intricate landscape of medieval medicine and religion. It situates Hildegard’s understanding of conception within ongoing historical debates surrounding the roles of male and female reproductive substances, particularly the co...
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Korean Society for the History of Medicine
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Uisahak |
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| Online Access: | http://www.medhist.or.kr/upload/pdf/kjmh-33-3-697.pdf |
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| author | Minji LEE |
| author_facet | Minji LEE |
| author_sort | Minji LEE |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper examines Hildegard of Bingen’s embryological theory within the intricate landscape of medieval medicine and religion. It situates Hildegard’s understanding of conception within ongoing historical debates surrounding the roles of male and female reproductive substances, particularly the concept of seed or semen. By analyzing her conceptual framework against prevailing classical and medieval reproductive theories, the research illuminates Hildegard’s distinctive contribution to understanding conception as a holistic bodily process. Classical embryological discourse predominantly oscillated between Aristotle’s one-seed theory—which positioned men as sole generative agents—and Galen’s two-seed theory, which marginally acknowledged female reproductive participation. While technically aligning with Aristotelian principles by denying female semen, Hildegard diverged significantly by valorizing women’s reproductive agency. she argued that women produced a foam essential for new life, just as essential as the man’s semen. Also, the female reproductive body played a crucial role in purifying and nurturing the defective male semen, enabling conception. This conceptualization subtly challenged contemporary gender hierarchies, presenting reproduction as a complex, interdependent physiological mechanism with theological resonances, making the parallels of the woman’s reproduction and God’s creation. In conclusion, Hildegard’s embryological theory presents a sophisticated intellectual intervention that reimagined female reproductive potential within medieval scientific and religious frameworks. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5f9e2b374f4f45af81272eb4dee88152 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1225-505X 2093-5609 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Korean Society for the History of Medicine |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Uisahak |
| spelling | doaj-art-5f9e2b374f4f45af81272eb4dee881522025-08-20T03:06:14ZengKorean Society for the History of MedicineUisahak1225-505X2093-56092024-12-0133369773110.13081/kjmh.2024.33.6972473Hildegard of Bingen’s Embryology: Enabling Women’s Reproductive Power without SeedMinji LEE0Assistant Professor, Montclair State University, College of Humanities and Social Science, Department of Religion and Medical Humanities / Contact: leemin@montclair.eduThis paper examines Hildegard of Bingen’s embryological theory within the intricate landscape of medieval medicine and religion. It situates Hildegard’s understanding of conception within ongoing historical debates surrounding the roles of male and female reproductive substances, particularly the concept of seed or semen. By analyzing her conceptual framework against prevailing classical and medieval reproductive theories, the research illuminates Hildegard’s distinctive contribution to understanding conception as a holistic bodily process. Classical embryological discourse predominantly oscillated between Aristotle’s one-seed theory—which positioned men as sole generative agents—and Galen’s two-seed theory, which marginally acknowledged female reproductive participation. While technically aligning with Aristotelian principles by denying female semen, Hildegard diverged significantly by valorizing women’s reproductive agency. she argued that women produced a foam essential for new life, just as essential as the man’s semen. Also, the female reproductive body played a crucial role in purifying and nurturing the defective male semen, enabling conception. This conceptualization subtly challenged contemporary gender hierarchies, presenting reproduction as a complex, interdependent physiological mechanism with theological resonances, making the parallels of the woman’s reproduction and God’s creation. In conclusion, Hildegard’s embryological theory presents a sophisticated intellectual intervention that reimagined female reproductive potential within medieval scientific and religious frameworks.http://www.medhist.or.kr/upload/pdf/kjmh-33-3-697.pdfhildegard of bingen causes and curesmedieval embryologymedieval gynecologymedieval medicineseed theory |
| spellingShingle | Minji LEE Hildegard of Bingen’s Embryology: Enabling Women’s Reproductive Power without Seed Uisahak hildegard of bingen causes and cures medieval embryology medieval gynecology medieval medicine seed theory |
| title | Hildegard of Bingen’s Embryology: Enabling Women’s Reproductive Power without Seed |
| title_full | Hildegard of Bingen’s Embryology: Enabling Women’s Reproductive Power without Seed |
| title_fullStr | Hildegard of Bingen’s Embryology: Enabling Women’s Reproductive Power without Seed |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hildegard of Bingen’s Embryology: Enabling Women’s Reproductive Power without Seed |
| title_short | Hildegard of Bingen’s Embryology: Enabling Women’s Reproductive Power without Seed |
| title_sort | hildegard of bingen s embryology enabling women s reproductive power without seed |
| topic | hildegard of bingen causes and cures medieval embryology medieval gynecology medieval medicine seed theory |
| url | http://www.medhist.or.kr/upload/pdf/kjmh-33-3-697.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT minjilee hildegardofbingensembryologyenablingwomensreproductivepowerwithoutseed |