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In his newest article on his website ‘Autism in Context’, Flemish autism lecturer and writer Peter Vermeulen states clearly: there is no such thing as a neurotypical brain. The main idea of his text is that neurodiversity highlights the unique way every brain works, and there is no such thing as a “neurotypical” brain. Everyone has differences in cognitive abilities and psychological traits, which means everyone falls outside the norm in some way.
The concept of “neurotypical,” originally created as satire, is in Peter’s view not very useful in practice because what is considered “normal” depends on context and culture. In his article, he argues for recognizing and valuing neurodiversity as the standard, without creating strict divisions between neurodivergent and neurotypical, to promote inclusion and respect for diversity.
Neurodiversity, neurodivergent, neurotypical …
The concept of neurodiversity has become a defining framework in discussions about the human brain. Coined in 1998 by Australian sociologist Judy Singer, neurodiversity emphasizes the uniqueness of every brain, highlighting how neurological differences enrich society much like biodiversity benefits ecosystems. Within this model, terms like neurodivergent — describing those whose cognitive profiles differ from societal…
