Inside the Psychologist's Studio with Brenda Milner

[@anniemilner1591]

I am honoured to say that this lady is my Aunt. She married my Dad's brother, Peter Milner, who was an equally amazing person, who unfortunately passed away in 2018, just before he turned 99. The interview was fabulous. Her passion for her subject and her ability to articulate how she developed from the daughter of musicians in Manchester to one of the leading neuroscientists is very inspiring. I only met her once when I was a teenager. I was lucky enough to travel to Canada on holiday to see my Uncle and we had lunch with her in her apartment. I didn't appreciate at the time how lucky I was. Amazing lady :)

[@manoftheworld1000]

Hans-Georg Gadamer, German philosopher, was once invited to attend a meeting of hundred-years-olds. When informed about the date of the meeting he said he couldn't come because his 100th birthday was one day later. The host, however, insisted on him partaking of the meeting. Eventually he agreed and said, _"This might be the last time that in a group of people I'm the youngest!"_ - Gadamer died at 102.

[@manoftheworld1000]

What an absolutely adorable person she is! And, unlike most interviewees, she doesn't forget to direct her answers also to the audience. I hope she'll pass the "100-line" in a similarly good condition as in this interview!

[@eros-alatus]

She's 105 now! Yahoo! 💯😁

[@manoftheworld1000]

@@eros-alatus I knew it! When at 96 interviewed by Eric Kandel (a youngster compared to her/lol😉) she replied, _"I'm so curious about the brain!"_ So she's regularly feeding her brain with exciting information. If you do that your brain cannot decay which means your body is well stimulated by your brain, so it cannot decay either. From my some 15 years of applied neuroscience I can tell you, the human brain harbours the 'driver software' to all internal organs ...😉

[@markhammer643]

As an undergrad at McGill, I had a summer job preparing teaching materials for the next crop of incoming psychology students. Interviewing department chair, the late George Ferguson, I was surprised to learn that psychology at McGill had been a specialization within philosophy until the turn of the century, and was situated in a building at the very top of Peel St., a building which is still there. Intrigued by this fact, I stumbled onto what became one of my favorite jornals in the library, The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology, and Scientific Methods, published between 1904 and the early 1920s. In it, you could find William James alongside J.B. Watson, and linguistic and pragmatic philosophers. A fascinating read, if you have the time and opportunity to flip through it. Our intro class had a visit from Don Hebb, one of my heros, who detailed the emergence of his own career in psychology, in much the same way Dr.Milner does here. Many years later, when I was recruiting volunteers for my doctorate in cognitive aging, a woman who could have easily been mistaken for a doddering "shopping-cart" vagabond strolled up to my booth and asked what it was all about. When I explained, she noted that she used to be a psychologist but had retired. I was skeptical but asked where she had gone to school and she replied she had attended Columbia and Univ. Chicago. Curious, I asked who her profs were, and that perhaps I might be familiar with some of their work. She said it was rather long ago and struggled to remember names, "Watson, Woodworth, Angell...". I was gobsmacked. If you have the pleasure of chatting with someone who has been "in the biz" for a long time - and I realize not many will be as old as Brenda Milner - do make an effort to ask them about their career. You may learn a thing or two that will surprise you. It's no shame to feel connected to the history of such a wonderful discipline.

[@eros-alatus]

I wonder if she, being 93, could predict that she would live at least 12 years longer. She's 105 now 😯 All the best Dr. Milner ❤

[@steveelim]

An inspiration for all of us. She is quicker in thought as well as motion in her 90s than many people who are decades younger and not in an annoying way - she makes the connection with whom she is verbally communicating as a human being first - the empathetic and sympathetic kinds of connection that make her. the excellent doctor that she is.

[@supersgamers59]

What a beautiful lady. and so smart too

[@timothym2011]

She is probably one of my great aunts I am a milner 🙂

[@timothym2011]

@TheClassicalSymphony makes sense actually thank you