This concise definition outlines the dual purpose of medicine according to Ibn Sina. It emphasizes both proactive prevention (preserving health) and reactive treatment (curing disease), encapsulating a holistic approach to patient care.
Quote by Ibn Sina: “Medicine is the art of preserving health and curing disease in the body.”
Insight
Historical Context
His seminal medical encyclopedia, *The Canon of Medicine*, standardized medical knowledge for centuries across Europe and the Islamic world, based on a comprehensive understanding of human physiology and therapy.
About the Author
Persian polymath born in 980 CE in Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan, who made foundational contributions to medicine, philosophy, astronomy, and mathematics. His Canon of Medicine was used as a standard medical textbook in Europe and the Islamic world for over six centuries.
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