November 8

I found the three types of memory quite interesting.  The artificial memory particular interested me in that I was the least clear on what would count as artificial memory, and was also wondering how they managed to train their memory to be better.  Was the training in any way similar to the memory games and other such activities?

Through reading this chapter I also gained a much better understanding of the concept of filing ideas in one's brain using a system like a house.  We talked about this idea several times in class, but it was just a little more fully explained in the book as to how it works, for example the book mentioned putting something like red rubber rain boots in the house to remind one of to talk about rising seas under the broader topic of global warming; which makes sense as an association.  On the other hand in class it was merely mentioned that items in a room were associated with topics and I remember wondering how one would keep the items straight with the topics; if imagining an existing room it may have upwards of hundreds of items in it already, I was simply not realizing that one would specifically fill the room with items to remind them of their topic rather than using an existing room as it was and attempting to associate random items with topic points.

Memory has also come a long way through time, from depending on only natural memory to depending more on external memory than internal memory.  Even a really long time ago there may have been forms of external memory, but never to the extent as now; it's like comparing cave paintings to a four story library, then multiplying that library by hundreds (at least but probably more like thousands) and then multiplying that by probably millions to account for the internet; and that is without counting doubles of works.