In the researches on cardiovascular physiology conducted by William Harvey it is possible to distinguish between two theories answering to different questions. The first, which we call the theory of the circular motion of the blood, tries to give a solution to the problem of the quantity of blood that moves within the system. The second attempts to give an account of the causes that makes the blood move, and we call it the theory of the causes of blood movement. In this article, we present a structuralist reconstruction of the first theory, and show that it possesses all the components that are considered essential for any theory, according to the structuralist view of science.
Structuralist view; Blood circulation; William Harvey; Basic theory-element; Theory-net
