He published Tractus de Homine et de Formatione Fœtus in 1675. He stated “The body is a machine (the lever is a machine) made by the hand of God.” Descartes argued that all of animal physiology could be explained by mechanics (levers systems force analysis).
From his Meditations On First Philosophy, he stated “Archimedes, that he might transport the entire globe from the place it occupied to another, demanded only a point that was firm and immovable (fulcrum supporting force of effort and force of resistance); so, also, I shall be entitled to entertain the highest expectations, if I am fortunate enough to discover only one thing that is certain and indubitable.”
1600’s Giovanni Alfonso Borelli
Born in 1608, he is considered to be the Father of Biomechanics for his contributions to the field. The American Society of Biomechanics annually awards the scientist contributing the greatest achievement within the field with it's highest award, the Borelli Award.
Borelli’s knowledge of mechanics relative to human movement was restricted to the principles of levers and, as such, it appears to generate his accurate account of spinal muscle action. He worked in collaboration with Marcello Malpighi. Malpighi was a professor of theoretical medicine at the University of Pisa. Malpighi recalled “What progress I made in philosophizing stems from Borelli. Borelli states this about Malpighi “I worked hard dissecting living animals at his home and observing their parts to satisfy his keen curiosity”.
