Archeus

Japanese: archeus

…As living things came to be explained mechanically, some people opposed this and argued for a vitalist view of living organisms. For example, JB van Helmont inherited the concept of the archeus (primal force) advocated by Paracelsus, and thought that the archeus was a spiritual gas that connected the body and soul and fought against the causes of disease. Also, Bischer advocated a strictly organicist vitalism and advocated vital materialism, Hunter thought of a vital substance called materia vitae that flies between different objects, and Blumenbach introduced the concept of a formative force called nisus formativus, which, like gravity, is invisible in itself but can be observed by its results. …

From Paracelsus

…In particular, he developed mineral medical chemicals based on the solid precipitation factor of salt for illnesses and the medicinal effects of spirit mercury. Furthermore, he placed importance on celestial causes based on the correlation between the macrocosm (the universe) and the microcosm (human beings), recognized the mystical Archeus as the originator in nature, and discussed the activation of the functions of each organ (the digestive function seen in the stomach) by this alchemist residing in humans. Therefore, instead of the conventional humoral pathology theory, he advocated a theory of five etiologies of Archeus's weakening: celestial, toxic, natural, mental, and divine causes, and reconstructed the four elements and four humors that have existed since ancient times based on these factors, and considered Arcana to be the ``secret substance'' that activates them. …

From Helmond

He is known for naming the gas generated by combustion as "gas", which he considered to be the substance of matter. He also believed that illnesses were caused by the confusion of "archeus", the life force that governs life. He observed and classified various illnesses that exist and grow with their own individuality, and studied their treatment. He is considered to be a representative of the "medical chemistry school" that emphasized chemotherapy, along with Paracelsus, who greatly influenced him. He viewed the soul, body, spirit, mind and matter as one, and was also a mystic who sought the intuition of truth by union with the object beyond the recognition by logical reason, and his visions and dream experiences are deeply related to scientific research.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "archeus" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

Japanese:

…こうして生物も機械論的に説明されるようになると，これに反対して生物体についても生気論が主張された。たとえばJ.B.vanヘルモントはパラケルススの主張した〈アルケウスarcheus(原初力)〉の概念を受け継ぎ，アルケウスは身体と魂を結合する霊的な気体で病因と闘うものであると考えた。またビシャーは厳密に有機体論的な生気論を唱えて〈生気的唯物論〉を主張し，ハンターは異質な物の間を飛ぶ〈生気物質materia vitae〉を考え，ブルーメンバハは重力と同様それ自体は見えないが結果によって観測できる〈形成力nisus formativus〉の概念を導入した。…

【パラケルスス】より

…特に固体的沈殿要因の塩による病気，その他，精気的水銀の薬剤効果などから，鉱物的医化学薬品の開発を進めた。さらにマクロコスモス(大宇宙)とミクロコスモス(人間)の相関から天体因を重視し，〈始源者〉としての霊妙なアルケウスarcheusを自然の存在物に認め，このいわば人間の中に宿る錬金術師による各臓器の機能の活性化(代表は胃に見られる消化作用)を論じた。それゆえ，従来の体液病理説ではなく，アルケウスの衰弱要因として天体因，毒因，自然因，精神因，神因の5病因説を唱え，古代以来の四元素，四体液などを以上の要因を基にして再構築し，その活性化の〈秘蔵物質〉としてアルカナarcanaを考えた。…

【ヘルモント】より

…とくに燃焼により発生する気体を物質の本体と考え，〈ガスgas〉と命名したことで知られる。また病気は生命をつかさどる生気である〈アルケウスarcheus〉の混乱により生ずるとし，個性をもって存在し生長するさまざまな病気を観察･分類し，治療法を研究，大きな影響を受けたパラケルススと並んで，化学療法を重視した〈医療化学派〉の代表者とされる。魂と体，霊･精神と物質を一元的にとらえた彼は，論理的理性による認識を超えて対象との合一による真理の直観を求める神秘家でもあり，そのビジョンや夢の体験は科学的探求にも深くかかわっている。…

※「archeus」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について | 情報

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