This volume investigates the historical evolution of the mind-body problem by examining how physicians, theologians, and philosophers have conceptualized the relationship between the psyche and the soma from antiquity through the Enlightenment. Edited by Paul Potter and John P. Wright, the text compiles thirteen original chapters from subject-matter experts. The contributors analyze the shifting paradigms of human consciousness and physical embodiment, utilizing primary source texts from influential thinkers to trace the development of dualist and materialist frameworks.

Experts recognize this collection as a rigorous interdisciplinary resource for scholars interested in the history of ideas and the evolution of medical philosophy. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the high level of specialized knowledge required to fully engage with the arguments presented.