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Neurosciences of Experience: Commemorating 10 Years Since the Passing of Oliver Sacks.

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Τίτλος: Neurosciences of Experience: Commemorating 10 Years Since the Passing of Oliver Sacks.
Συγγραφείς: Sepulveda G; Centro de Estudios en Neurociencia Humana y Neuropsicología, Programa de Doctorado en Psicología, Diego Portales University, Vergara 210, 8370067, Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile. gabriel.sepulveda@mail.udp.cl.
Πηγή: The Journal of medical humanities [J Med Humanit] 2026 Sep; Vol. 47 (3), pp. 527-540. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Jun 09.
Τύπος έκδοσης: Journal Article; Historical Article
Γλώσσα: English
Στοιχεία περιοδικού: Publisher: Springer Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 8917478 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-3645 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10413545 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Med Humanit Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: New York, NY : Springer
Original Publication: New York, N.Y. : Human Sciences Press, [c1989-
Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): Neurosciences*/history , Humanities*/history , Famous Persons*, History, 20th Century ; Humans ; History, 21st Century
Περίληψη: In 2025, a decade will have passed since the death of Oliver Sacks, yet his legacy continues to resonate through publications and events dedicated to his memory. This article examines Sacks' enduring influence on neurosciences, highlighting his contributions to narrative medicine and his role as a key figure in the "third culture," which bridges science, the humanities, and the arts. While often criticized during his career for sensationalizing science and allegedly exploiting his patients by portraying them as a "freak show," Sacks ultimately gained recognition for humanizing medical practice. Furthermore, his work brought the complexities of neurological disorders into public awareness while emphasizing the subjective experiences of patients. Though some of his methods were unconventional within twentieth-century neurology, Sacks is best understood as part of a tradition within the neurosciences that prioritizes the subjective dimension of experience. This article situates Oliver Sacks' contributions within the broader frameworks of clinical humanities, offering a critical analysis of the context of his work. It also explores key challenges confronting the neurosciences of subjective experience, particularly the need to enhance the scientific rigor of verbal data analysis through qualitative and neurophenomenological methodologies. Given that the understanding of neurological and neuropsychological disorders cannot be fully captured through biological and behavioral variables alone, qualitative approaches that examine the subjective experiences of illness are indispensable. These methodologies not only promote a humane and inclusive perspective but also provide a rigorous framework for illuminating the subjective dimension.
(© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)
Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
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Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Clinical humanities; Clinical tales; Oliver Sacks; Qualitative methods; Third culture
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20250608 Date Completed: 20260819 Latest Revision: 20260819
Update Code: 20260820
DOI: 10.1007/s10912-025-09956-3
PMID: 40484883
Βάση Δεδομένων: MEDLINE
Περιγραφή
ISSN:1573-3645
DOI:10.1007/s10912-025-09956-3