Wine, blood, and fermentations: Descartes and the grapevine

Carmen Schmechel / 02.05.2022

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Descartes compared blood formation to the fermentation of grapes into wine, “quand on les laisse cuver sur la râpe”. What is this “râpe”, and what does it tell us about Descartes’ idea of the human body? Carmen Schmechel traces this Cartesian analogy in wineries and museums.