Le virtù della storia: la sfida tra dogma e innovazione nella rivoluzione anatomica di Andrea Vesalio

The Belgian anatomist Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564) was the founder of modern anatomy. His major work, "De humani corporis fabrica" is a milestone in scientific progress. The text, more than 80,000 words, written in a complex and literary humanist Latin, was highly critical of Galen and argued for a systematic and meticulous description based on direct observation. The ideological resistance on the part of the scientific community was often hostile to new medical findings. This was one of the greatest obstacles of the past for the distinguished individuals who had the courage to go against the tide, to break with existing paradigms, to overcome opposition to innovation. History of medicine introduces medical students to some of the great physicians and will allow them to consider different ways of perceiving the world. This will encourage a critical and questioning attitude and help develop judgment. The past is not simply the past; it lives on through the historical narrative of exemplary lives of certain physicians.