Learn how Oliver Sacks used observation and empathy in his work as a doctor and writer in these videos from Oliver Sacks: His Own Life. His popular books of patient case studies helped bring a new understanding of how our brains work to many people. Over time, he gained more recognition in the scientific community, especially as a person who could communicate neurology research to the public. The empathy Oliver Sacks used to observe and understand his patients helped change perceptions of how people viewed others who saw the world differently, like people with autism.