How New is New Medicine (Tıbb-ı Cedîd)? Debates on Novelty in Ottoman Medicine and the Nature of the New (1650-1750)

Abstract

The 17th century was a period characterized by profound transformations in various areas of the Ottoman Empire, and the medical literature and developments that emerged at that time offer an insight into the journey of Ottoman medicine until the end of the 19th century. In understanding this transitional çerçe period, the concept of the new and the phenomena it encompasses play a central role. In addition to its defining and descriptive functions, new as a term also corresponds to a mentality as being universal. However, this concept, which forms the basis of many discourses, has not been thoroughly examined and analyzed in modern research with regard to its particular and universal dimensions. This article stated the new to not be something completely new, especially in the universal sense of mentality and its relationship with the old paradigm, but to be seen as an attempt to expand the ancient paradigm. This study aims to question the nature of the new in the medical literature between 1650-1750, to analyze the associated mentality, and to establish a general framework applicable to specific issues through complementary articles. © 2023 The Author(s).