1. In Greek and Roman thought http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0423.html

2.  We’ve talked about the philosophical aspects of four-element theory, now we shall explore one of its more practical uses, as a basis for ancient medicine.  According to Aristotle and many thinkers during and after his time, all substances were composed of the four elements of fire, earth, air, and water, including the human body. Logically, different parts of the body must therefore have different compositions.

3.  From our good friend Hippocrates, father of medicine.  Hippocrates advocated that the body contained a balance of four fluids—blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile, each tied to one of the four elements.  A mild imbalance in favor of one of these elements was thought to determine someone’s mood and/or long-term personality; more serious imbalances were the cause of various diseases.  The resultant four temperaments defined by the Greeks live on in our words “sanguine”, “phlegmatic”, “choleric”, and “melancholic”, originally coined by Galen.

4. (Brought to you by Calvin and Hobbes) Sanguine (Air) Phlegmatic (Water) Melancholic (Earth) Choleric (Fire)

6.  Everyone will take a card and split up into groups matching the stated temperament. Then each group will deliver a response to the following scenarios matching their given temperament.  How do you go about settling in to a new class?  It’s the end of the semester. How do you feel about the stress from all the assignments, projects, and exams?