In lumbis Adami et Evae: Questioning the Generation of Humankind in the Early 18th Century

In 1711, a dissertation was defended at the University of Leiden on the attribution of the name 'Eve' according to Genesis 3:20. The author - the Dutch Reformed theologian Franciscus Fabricius - made extensive reference to the theory of 'pre-existence', i.e. the idea that all embryos already existed in the first individual of each species, since they had been encapsulated within each other since creation. This short essay testifies not only to the spread of such a theory, but also to the mutual influence of medicine and theology on this issue. The aim of this paper is to explore how sources on pre-existence were used by both theologians and physicians in the debate on generation in the early 18th century.