Physiognomy Physiognomy Physiognomy (from the Greek φύσις "physis" meaning "nature" and "gnomon" meaning "judge" or "interpreter") is a practice of assessing a person's character or personality from their outer appearance—especially the face. It is often linked to racial and sexual stereotyping. The term can also refer to the general appearance of a person, object, or terrain without reference to its implied characteristics—as in the physiognomy of an individual plant (see plant life-form) or of a plant community (see vegetation). Credence of such study has varied. The practice was well accepted by the ancient Greek philosophers, but fell into disrepute in the
Traditional Chinese medicines derived from the human body being are no more used medically, it seems rude to list them as drugs." Note the medical terms "dystocia" "A slow or difficult labor or delivery" and "stranguria" (i.e., "strangury" "A painful, frequent need to urinate, when the bladder is largely empty or with little urine production"). Reflecting the well-known Confucianist inhibition against mutilating one's body (Cooper & Sivin 1973: 212), Li Shizhen's preface to chapter 52 ethically condemns the use of some human drugs. The human is a different species from all the other organisms used as sources of drugs. In later times, Taoist alchemists [方伎之士] considered that many