Epilepsy

Epilepsy (often referred to as a seizure disorder) is a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures. The condition is named from the Greek epilepsia ("a taking hold of or seizing"). It is commonly controlled with medication, although surgical methods are used as well.

Controversy

There has been some relatively mild controversy over the standards for diagnosis for partial-complex seizures and how these standards are applied in practice, both among some surrealists and in particular as regards Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science.

Related Topics:
Surrealists - Mary Baker Eddy - Christian Science

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In April 2003, the BBC TV science programme Horizon featured discussion of research by American neurologist Gregory Holmes indicating that Ellen G. White, spiritual founder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, may have suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy as a result of brain damage due to an accident suffered at age nine – the epilepsy supposedly being responsible for her powerful religious experiences.

Related Topics:
April 2003 - BBC - Gregory Holmes - Ellen G. White - Seventh-day Adventist Church

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There has also been serious speculation that science fiction author Philip K. Dick suffered from similar seizures; he claimed to have experienced visions on several occasions, that, among other things, reportedly helped him save his infant son from an undiagnosed life-threatening medical condition.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~