How might one use four-element theory and humor theory in the SCA?
1. Just to understand: Four-element theory was a dominant explanation of the world and humor theory was its application to medicine throughout most of the Middle Ages (Riddle 1985; Sirasi 1990; Rawcliffe 1995). Consequently, most educated people in Medieval Europe and the Arab world would know at least something about it and expect their physicians to treat them under its principles. Thus, thinking about how your world view would be different if you saw all things as made of air fire water and earth, not atoms, and did not know that matter and energy were different, is useful. I’ve given some thought to household cleanliness if you don?t know of the existence of germs (bacteria, fungi and viruses); I would like a better understanding of how things seem different if fire is an element, not just the energy released when things oxidize, etc. 2. Try eating by Medieval health principles. The Medieval Physician would advise each patient with a diet based on balancing their humors. With a det
