openpolitics.com

How to Forget: To The Best of our Knowledge

Sometimes it’s better to forget than to remember. Maybe it’s an embarrassing photo on Facebook. Or perhaps a collective memory that’s been used by certain ethnic groups to stir up hatred of their enemies. We explore the science, history and philosophy of memory. Plus, filmmaker Whit Stillman on his film adaptation of a forgotten Jane Austen novel.

WAR, PEACE AND HISTORICAL MEMORY

.. You’ve heard the saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Journalist David Rieff thinks that’s rubbish, and he says if you want peace, it’s sometimes better to forget historical crimes than try to get justice.

THE WOMAN WHO NEVER FORGETS

Suppose you could remember every day of your life. Would that be a blessing or a curse? For Jill Price it’s been a burden. She has a very rare form of memory that gives her nearly total recall.

THE SCIENCE OF REMEMBERING

Memory is a hot topic in neuroscience, and it turns out the context of our memories is as important as the event itself. Dartmouth neuroscientist Jeremy Manning has found that people can intentionally forget past experiences by changing how they think about the context of their memories.

SIMON CRITCHLEY ON MEMORY PALACES

Before the Internet, a good memory wasn’t just useful; it was prized as a sign of intelligence. And there were memory geniuses who developed mental tricks for storing information. Philosopher and novelist Simon Critchley delves into the fascinating history of the memory palace, which once promised almost God-like wisdom.