Part Three: Chapter Twenty, The Visions of Hildegard Summary and Analysis

Like several of the chapters in this section, this one makes little sense. Every story up until this point has been about one of Dr. Sacks's acquaintances or personal patients. Hildegard of Bingen lived in the 1100's and could not have possibly been a patient of Sacks. So what purpose does the inclusion of her story serve? Hildegard of Bingen was an extraordinarily intelligent nun and mystic. She had numerous visions which she recorded and discussed in numerous books.

Sacks does not discuss Hildegard in terms of mental disease or defect. He only mentions the basics about her. The chapter is devoid of medical consideration of Hildegard's "disease" and indeed Sacks does not conclude that she suffered from any disorder. He does provide ample examples of her...