Reflections of Western Thinking on Nineteenth Century Ottoman Thought: A Critique of the ‘Hard-Problem’ by Spyridon Mavrogenis, a Nineteenth Century Physiologist

Abstract

In his attempt to educate the Ottoman Empire’s public about the achievements of Western Thought in the nineteenth century, Spyridon Mavrogenis wrote an 85 page treatise about “Life and Soul” which is the subject of this review. To understand Mavrogenis’ philosophy one must have in mind that, at the time he wrote this treatise, he was one of the most influential professors of Medicine in the Istanbul medical school where he taught the course in internal medicine. In his treatise he clearly presents the then state-of-the-art in Physiology, makes a clear distinction between Physiology and Psychology as to their methodologies and correctly describes the then current State of the “Brain – Mind problem”. At the same time he takes a calculated position as not to disturb the powers of his time, the Sublime Porte (i.e., the Sultan) and the Eastern Orthodox Church! He clearly denounces materialism when it comes to the position materialists take on religion, specifically decries those who think of thoughts as “stuff produced by glands” and he admonishes his readers not to trust that the human mind (irrespective of whether idealistic or materialistic in its essence) can go deep enough into the mysteries of the physical universe to answer questions about its ultimate essence.