Sunday, August 30, 2015

Sad Sacks

We've had another loss of a notable person... this time, neurologist Dr Oliver Sacks succumbed to cancer after a long, productive life.

Dr Sacks was one of the great popularizers of science- writing entertaining, accessible books, some of which were made into popular movies. My personal favorite book by him is Seeing Voices, a book about the development of sign languages and the rise of deaf culture. Dr Sacks had a knack for covering neurological topics in an approachable fashion, and his compassion was evident on every page.

We lost one of the good ones- anyone who is able to teach scientific concepts to lay persons is doing important work, and Dr Sacks was prolific. In a culture which seems to be sliding towards idiocracy, people like Dr Sacks are more important than ever- we are sadly diminished by his passing.


3 comments:

  1. I'm listening to Nyman's "Man who mistook his wife" operetta, in remembrance.

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  2. There are few scientists who can engage the interest of the general public in complex scientific issues. His 'ordinariness' made him one of the few. A great loss not only to science but to those who have lost a spokesperson.

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  3. Well he was a fine man who can be proud of his time on earth.
    ~

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