Sunday, December 19, 2004

Memories and Infallibility

Have you ever forgotten anything? (I’ll pause while everyone answers ‘yes.’ For those that didn’t, maybe you should go hang out with the Pope who is also infallible. Oh, but remember even caved on evolution)

How did you know you forgot it? I would guess that you remembered that you forgot (i.e., something reminded you) or someone reminded you. If that didn’t happen, how would you know you’ve forgotten? My answer is that you wouldn’t.

You’ll never know how many things you’ve truly forgotten.

But before you think you might be forgetting everything, you can make some estimates and have some parameters. How often do you realize you’ve forgotten something? How often do people remind you of things? These will be good estimates of your memory abilities. As well, how much information do you carry around that isn’t relevant enough to your life to not have an adverse effect if there is a failing? Probably only self-knowledge. Not that that is important (insert eye-roll here).

Well, let me know your thoughts, if you remember to post a comment. ;)

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