Paracelsus: The Man and his Reputation, his Ideas and their Transformation

Despite his fame Paracelsus remains an illusive character. As this volume points out it is somewhat of a paradox that the interest with Paracelsus and his ideas has remained so widespread when one considers that it is far from clear what exactly he contributed to medicine and natural philosophy. But perhaps it is exactly this enigma which through the ages has made Paracelsus so attractive to such a variety of people who all want to claim him as an advocate for their particular ideas. The first section of the book deals with the historiography surrounding Paracelsus and Paraclesianism and points to the need of reclaiming the man and his ideas in their proper historical context. A further two sections are Paracelsianism and its medical and natural philosophical significance respectively.