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El mundo visto a los ochenta años
El mundo visto a los ochenta años
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1979
About the author
Santiago Ramón y Cajal
194 books119 followersSantiago Ramón y Cajal ForMemRS (Spanish: [sanˈtjaɣo raˈmon i kaˈxal]; 1 May 1852 – 18 October 1934) was a Spanish pathologist, histologist, neuroscientist and Nobel laureate. His original pioneering investigations of the microscopic structure of the brain have led him to be designated by many as the father of modern neuroscience. His medical artistry was legendary, and hundreds of his drawings illustrating the delicate arborizations of brain cells are still in use for educational and training purposes.
Ramón y Cajal's early work was accomplished at the Universities of Zaragoza and Valencia, where he focused on the pathology of inflammation, the microbiology of cholera, and the structure of Epithelial cells and tissues. It was not until he moved to the University of Barcelona in 1887 that he learned Golgi's silver nitrate preparation and turned his attention to the central nervous system. During this period he made extensive studies of neural material covering many species and most major regions of the brain.
Ramón y Cajal made several major contributions to neuroanatomy. He discovered the axonal growth cone, and experimentally demonstrated that the relationship between nerve cells was not continuous but contiguous. This provided definitive evidence for what would later be known as "neuron doctrine", now widely considered the foundation of modern neuroscience. In debating neural network theories (e.g. neuron theory, reticular theory), Ramón y Cajal was a fierce defender of the neuron theory.
He provided detailed descriptions of cell types associated with neural structures, and produced excellent depictions of structures and their connectivity.
He was an advocate of the existence of dendritic spines, although he did not recognize them as the site of contact from presynaptic cells. He was a proponent of polarization of nerve cell function and his student Rafael Lorente de Nó would continue this study of input/output systems into cable theory and some of the earliest circuit analysis of neural structures.
He discovered a new type of cell, to be named after him: the interstitial cell of Cajal (ICC). This cell is found interleaved among neurons embedded within the smooth muscles lining the gut, serving as the generator and pacemaker of the slow waves of contraction that move material along the gastrointestine, vitally mediating neurotransmission from motor nerves to smooth muscle cells.
In his 1894 Croonian Lecture, he suggested in an extended metaphor that cortical pyramidal cells may become more elaborate with time, as a tree grows and extends its branches. He also devoted a considerable amount of his time to studying hypnosis (which he used to help his wife with birth labor) and parapsychological phenomena, but a book he had written on these areas got lost during the Spanish Civil War.
Cajal received many prizes, distinctions and societal memberships along his scientific career including and honorary Doctorates in Medicine of the Universities of Cambridge and Würzburg and an honorary Doctorate in Philosophy of the Clark University. Nevertheless the most famous distinction he was awarded was the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1906 together with Italian Camillo Golgi "in recognition of their work on the structure of the nervous system". This was seen as quite controversial because Golgi, a stout reticularist, disagreed with Cajal in his view of the neuron doctrine.
The asteroid 117413 Ramonycajal is named in his honor. The Spanish public television filmed a biopic series to commemorate his life.
Ramón y Cajal's early work was accomplished at the Universities of Zaragoza and Valencia, where he focused on the pathology of inflammation, the microbiology of cholera, and the structure of Epithelial cells and tissues. It was not until he moved to the University of Barcelona in 1887 that he learned Golgi's silver nitrate preparation and turned his attention to the central nervous system. During this period he made extensive studies of neural material covering many species and most major regions of the brain.
Ramón y Cajal made several major contributions to neuroanatomy. He discovered the axonal growth cone, and experimentally demonstrated that the relationship between nerve cells was not continuous but contiguous. This provided definitive evidence for what would later be known as "neuron doctrine", now widely considered the foundation of modern neuroscience. In debating neural network theories (e.g. neuron theory, reticular theory), Ramón y Cajal was a fierce defender of the neuron theory.
He provided detailed descriptions of cell types associated with neural structures, and produced excellent depictions of structures and their connectivity.
He was an advocate of the existence of dendritic spines, although he did not recognize them as the site of contact from presynaptic cells. He was a proponent of polarization of nerve cell function and his student Rafael Lorente de Nó would continue this study of input/output systems into cable theory and some of the earliest circuit analysis of neural structures.
He discovered a new type of cell, to be named after him: the interstitial cell of Cajal (ICC). This cell is found interleaved among neurons embedded within the smooth muscles lining the gut, serving as the generator and pacemaker of the slow waves of contraction that move material along the gastrointestine, vitally mediating neurotransmission from motor nerves to smooth muscle cells.
In his 1894 Croonian Lecture, he suggested in an extended metaphor that cortical pyramidal cells may become more elaborate with time, as a tree grows and extends its branches. He also devoted a considerable amount of his time to studying hypnosis (which he used to help his wife with birth labor) and parapsychological phenomena, but a book he had written on these areas got lost during the Spanish Civil War.
Cajal received many prizes, distinctions and societal memberships along his scientific career including and honorary Doctorates in Medicine of the Universities of Cambridge and Würzburg and an honorary Doctorate in Philosophy of the Clark University. Nevertheless the most famous distinction he was awarded was the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1906 together with Italian Camillo Golgi "in recognition of their work on the structure of the nervous system". This was seen as quite controversial because Golgi, a stout reticularist, disagreed with Cajal in his view of the neuron doctrine.
The asteroid 117413 Ramonycajal is named in his honor. The Spanish public television filmed a biopic series to commemorate his life.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 21, 2017
A facsimile printout of the book (3rd edition) published in 1939.
Wonderful description of the world by an octogenarian mind. How to deal with physical problems and how to use your tired brain. Very personal, honest and smart. Ramón y Cajal was probably one of most interesting Spanish minds and not only in Science. His description of Classical philosophy, his knowledge of human and natural history is remarkable. His comments on the neologisms killing the Spanish lenguaje are fantastic!!! All of these neologisms are today well accepted words in current Spanish ("menú, truco, financiar, control, posibilitar..." and many other similar ones...). Really surprising!
There are many many quotes to remember in this book. Some of them reproduced from classical authors and others on his own. I am pretty convinced I will be re-reading this wonderful facsimile book sooner or later.. The later the better as can be deduced from the author advice...
I will follow all his recommendations on the best classical books to read in the last section of the book! Many of them already were (the others will be) in my GR to-read list...
Wonderful description of the world by an octogenarian mind. How to deal with physical problems and how to use your tired brain. Very personal, honest and smart. Ramón y Cajal was probably one of most interesting Spanish minds and not only in Science. His description of Classical philosophy, his knowledge of human and natural history is remarkable. His comments on the neologisms killing the Spanish lenguaje are fantastic!!! All of these neologisms are today well accepted words in current Spanish ("menú, truco, financiar, control, posibilitar..." and many other similar ones...). Really surprising!
There are many many quotes to remember in this book. Some of them reproduced from classical authors and others on his own. I am pretty convinced I will be re-reading this wonderful facsimile book sooner or later.. The later the better as can be deduced from the author advice...
I will follow all his recommendations on the best classical books to read in the last section of the book! Many of them already were (the others will be) in my GR to-read list...
January 14, 2018
Al margen de las reflexiones acerca de su vida como anciano y consejos para otros —en sus palabras— "decrépitos", es fascinante leer todas las cosas que desagradaban a Ramón y Cajal a sus 82 años, en 1934: las nuevas costumbres de la juventud, la moda, el "sinsombrerismo", los neologismos, los automóviles y los aviones, las costumbres y el arte ("manchas caóticas indescifrables, inferiores a los dibujos del hombre cuaternario", refiriéndose a Kundesky), entre otros. Es algo que probablemente nos ocurrirá a todos de forma inevitable conforme envejezcamos, pero en nuestro caso será con ni siquiera la décima parte de la erudición y elocuencia del Premio Nobel.
March 10, 2022
En general me gustó, pero también hay mucho de:
August 23, 2025
Un libro de los deliciosos de saborear, aunque solo sea por la prosa de Cajal. Repleto de conocimiento, de ideas muy contrarias a las mías, y de palabras que hacen que el cerebro funcione.
December 13, 2020
El título alude a una enseñanza orientadora sobre cómo gobernar mejor nuestras vidas; no obstante, no es del todo así. Versa sobre la descripción científica del deterioro del cuerpo humano, sus implicaciones funcionales y las relaciones sociales que sostiene el anciano. El autor establece una distinción entre el que pierde la vista y, el oído, ejercitando teóricamente una elección preferencial hipotética por el primero, puesto que considera al segundo, excluido socialmente. También presenta el impacto que percibe el individuo en la etapa de la vejez referente a los cambios culturales y, que en su gran mayoría resultan un tanto incómodos como: la moda en el vestir, la alteración de las costumbres, el empleo excesivo de neologismos y la deformación del idioma por la introducción abusivas de vocablos del inglés y francés, dando paso al desuso de palabras propias del castellano, y la transformación melancólica de los pueblos y urbes.
El premio nobel de medicina presenta una crítica contra el arte moderno que hacía ebullición a comienzos del siglo XX, y defiende la representación natural de las cosas, el resto de las corrientes emergentes las considera como un escondite de personas sin talento. Recomienda un conjunto de libros desde literatura, ciencia, filosofía que debería leer o releer un octogenario.
En general es una lectura aburrida. Las explicaciones científicas del envejecimiento y de otros temas son algo prolijas para un lector no científico.
La obra nos muestra con sinceridad la personalidad de Santiago Ramón y Cajal: un científico, un hombre inquieto, preocupado por su país, conservador, ansioso por el saber.
El premio nobel de medicina presenta una crítica contra el arte moderno que hacía ebullición a comienzos del siglo XX, y defiende la representación natural de las cosas, el resto de las corrientes emergentes las considera como un escondite de personas sin talento. Recomienda un conjunto de libros desde literatura, ciencia, filosofía que debería leer o releer un octogenario.
En general es una lectura aburrida. Las explicaciones científicas del envejecimiento y de otros temas son algo prolijas para un lector no científico.
La obra nos muestra con sinceridad la personalidad de Santiago Ramón y Cajal: un científico, un hombre inquieto, preocupado por su país, conservador, ansioso por el saber.
March 27, 2022
Este libro de Santiago Ramón y Cajal no me ha gustado tanto porque no era lo que me esperaba. Esperaba encontrar una reflexión sobre su vida desde la perspectiva de la vejez, sin embargo abarca ciertos temas médicos y políticos, de una forma muy técnica. Es más bien un trabajo de ensayo. No obstante, queda igualmente plasmado su brillante pensamiento y análisis de la sociedad y situación de la época.
March 2, 2020
Me temo que a los 80 años SRC era un poco cascarrabias, como tenemos que ser todos llegando a esa edad
July 29, 2023
Resulta impresionante lo articulado que resulta el autor a pesar de ser un octogenario. Lo único que me ha frenado de darle la quinta estrella han sido algunas disertaciones de caracter científico que no han envejecido bien y políticas, estas últimas no las hubiera echado en falta de no existir. Por lo demás, un ensayo interesante, escrito en un estilo literario envidiable e inspirador.
November 4, 2025
Con la excepción de los apartados más técnicos del libro,
he disfrutado mucho de la erudición de Don Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
Ya lo hice en mi primera aproximación a sus textos
(Los tónicos de la voluntad, recomendación de uno de mis profesores)
y continuaré seguramente mis exploraciones con sus Charlas de café. 4,5/5.
he disfrutado mucho de la erudición de Don Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
Ya lo hice en mi primera aproximación a sus textos
(Los tónicos de la voluntad, recomendación de uno de mis profesores)
y continuaré seguramente mis exploraciones con sus Charlas de café. 4,5/5.
February 26, 2023
Un libro que transmite la opinión del autor del autor dobre el mundo que le rodea. Bien escrito, muestra la extensa cultura y claridad de ideas de un genio que rechaza tajantemente todo cambio y evolución. Solo espero, si llego a los ochenta, no sentir ese rechazo frontal hacia cualquier cambio.
March 1, 2024
Muy bn para conocer al personaje, pero si no te gusta él es un poco sin más. Al final tiene recomendaciones de clásicos a tener muy en cuenta
January 25, 2025
Is a good book about age and a vision of life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2025
Ensayo sobre la senectud a través de los ojos y vivencias de Ramón y Cajal. Magnifica prosa.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews