Dr Rebeccca O'Neal

My research broadly looks at the work of metaphor and analogy in early modern medicine. I’m especially interested in how early modern figures, such as Thomas Willis, are deployed as founding figures for contemporary scientific practices, particularly in neuroanatomical studies.

My thesis closely examines the work of Willis - a founding figure for the modern brain sciences - by exploring the relationship between his use of language and his practices around the brain. It considers how selective readings of Willis’s works are used to inform present centred concerns in the modern brain sciences. In its focus on metaphor, the thesis also addresses the broader discussion around the relationship between literature and science.