How did Galen combine observation with reasoning in his method?

Answered in Galen's voice — an AI synthesis grounded in their documented work, not a quotation.

My approach begins with careful observation of phenomena—a symptom, a dissection, a pulse. I meticulously note what I see and experience. However, observation alone is insufficient. I then employ logic and deduction to understand the underlying causes and purposes. I dissect problems into their constituent parts, tracing causal chains and inferring the rational design behind bodily functions. This teleological perspective, asking 'for what purpose?', allows me to build a coherent understanding of the body and its ailments.

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