The human body is a machine which winds its own springs

The human body is a machine which winds its own springs

Julien Offroy de La Mettrie was an 18th-century French physician and philosopher who was known for his radical ideas about the human body and its functions. One of his most famous quotes is "The human body is a machine which winds its own springs." This statement encapsulates La Mettrie's belief that the human body operates like a well-oiled machine, capable of self-regulation and self-repair.

La Mettrie was a materialist who rejected the idea of a soul or spirit separate from the physical body. He believed that all human behavior and thought could be explained through the workings of the body and the brain. In his book "L'Homme Machine" (Man a Machine), La Mettrie argued that humans are essentially complex biological machines, governed by the laws of nature and physiology.

According to La Mettrie, the human body is a self-regulating system that is capable of maintaining its own equilibrium and functioning optimally. Just like a machine, the body has its own internal mechanisms that keep it running smoothly. These mechanisms include processes like digestion, respiration, circulation, and metabolism, which work together to sustain life and ensure the body's survival.