Cardiocentric hypothesis

The cardiocentric hypothesis was the historical belief that the heart controls sensation, thought, and body movement. Cardiocentrism was first derived from the ancient Egyptian belief that the heart was the house of thought and soul. This idea was later accepted by Greek philosophers such as Aristotle, Diocles, and Praxagoras of Cos. With the development of modern science and anatomy, the cardiocentric hypothesis was eventually proven incorrect, though its emphasis in Antiquity may have helped contribute to the discovery of the cardiovascular system and influenced the anatomical views of Europe and the Islamic World in the [Middle Ages]. An opposing theory called "cephalocentrism", which proposed that the brain played the dominant role in controlling the body, was first introduced by Pythagoras in 550 BC, who argued that the soul resides in the brain and is immortal. His statements were supported by Plato, Hippocrates, and Galen of Pergamon. Plato believed that the body is a "prison" of the mind and soul and that in death the mind and soul become separated from the body, meaning that neither one of them could die. In ancient Egypt, people believed that the heart is the seat of the soul and the origin of the channels to all other parts of the body, including arteries, veins, nerves, and tendons. The heart was also depicted as determining the fate of ancient Egyptians after they died. It was believed that Anubis, the god of mummification, would weigh the deceased person's heart against a feather. If the heart was too heavy, it would be considered guilty and consumed by the Ammit, a mythological creature. If it was lighter than the feather, the spirit of the deceased would be allowed to go to heaven. Therefore, the heart was kept in the mummy while other organs were generally removed. However, the ancient Greeks, Aristotle promoted the cardiocentric hypothesis based on his experience with animal dissection. He found that certain primitive animals could move and feel without the brain, and so deduced that the brain was not responsible for movement or feeling.