The Art of Medicine

until the final point is reached, which is the first in composition. With these things thus resolved, the art is said to be constituted. Since, however, arts are diverse, their ends must also be diverse, since they are distinguished primarily by this. For some arts discern things only with the mind; these set their end in the mere contemplation of the nature of things, as Galen teaches in his book On the Constitution of the Medical Art. In Greek they are called theoretikai theoretical. In this genus is contained physiology, whose end is established in the contemplation of natural things, without any bodily action. Others establish their end in acting, leaving nothing of work behind after the action, and are called praktikai practical, such as the art of dancing. Others produce the work of the art after the action, and are called poietikai productive. And these are twofold: for they either create a new work, like architecture; or they repair and restore what vice has damaged, like the art of medicine. Others, however, produce nothing but acquire [things], such as fowling, fishing, and hunting. Therefore, all genera of these arts are discovered by the resolution of the end; they are handed down, however, by the order of composition. Those which leave a work C behind after the action are not only discovered and handed down as has been said, but are also practiced in the reverse order to that in which they were discovered, as we have taught in our commentaries on Galen’s books To Glaucon.