# How memory works



## Navarre (Dec 14, 2005)

My wife e-mailed this to me today. Obviously she's trying to tell me something. lol

Still, I thought it was interesting.

http://articles.health.msn.com/id/100111308/site/100000000


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## Floating Egg (Dec 14, 2005)

I am skeptical of some of the claims, particularly the one having to do with hypnotism.


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## Navarre (Dec 14, 2005)

Floating Egg said:
			
		

> I am skeptical of some of the claims, particularly the one having to do with hypnotism.



In what way are you skeptical?


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## MartialIntent (Dec 15, 2005)

I still recall the taste of chocolate pudding my mom gave [obviously way back even before I had teeth let alone could talk!] Memory comes in many forms - for me the most evocative memories are the olfactory ones - the smell of leather in a new car, ionized air after an electric storm, the perfume my wife wore when we first met - all these cast up a myriad forgotten memories.

Supposedly we have the capacity to remember absolutely everything. The problem is in the recall. Having said that, some are probably best forgotten! Now... what was I saying?


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## Shirt Ripper (Dec 15, 2005)

I seem to remember reading something on this somewhere, but I can't quite put my finger on it...


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## bobster_ice (Dec 15, 2005)

I cant remember what i did last night, it sux!!


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## Henderson (Dec 15, 2005)

MartialIntent said:
			
		

> Supposedly we have the capacity to remember absolutely everything. The problem is in the recall.


 
I have been told this, too. Apparently the human brain DOES have everything we've ever seen, heard, smelled, read, tasted, touched, etc. in our entire lives stored somewhere in our brains.

Now....where did I put my keys?????


Frank


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## Navarre (Dec 16, 2005)

Do ppl with "photographic memory" have the ability to recall absolutely every sensory impression, just visual information, or do they just have a far better memory than most?


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## Henderson (Dec 16, 2005)

I'm pretty sure photographic memory only involves visual stimuli.  Kinda like if you had a "photographic" memory, and I told you a story, you may get details wrong in re-telling it.  But if you read the story, you could recite it verbatim.  Strange, but cool stuff.

Frank


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## Navarre (Dec 16, 2005)

It is indeed cool. I don't know anyone with photographic memory but it would be interesting to see what they can do.

I was watching an episode of Angel the other day. He has a photographic memory.  He had once had a book that contained a very important passage needed to save the world (as usual) but the book was stolen. 

He was trying to write it all down even though he had only seen it once several days ago. It was in an ancient script (again, as usual). His translation came out to be something about a "bucket head" because even on small mistake would change the entire script's meaning. It was funny. ... okay, maybe you had to be there.

In Marvel Comics there is a villian named Taskmaster. His power is "photographic reflexes". He can watch someone perform a physical feat just once and, if he himself is capable of it, can then duplicate the feat.

I wish I had that power. I'd be spending more time watching the Olympics and reviewing fighting tapes!


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## Henderson (Dec 16, 2005)

Navarre said:
			
		

> He can watch someone perform a physical feat just once and, if he himself is capable of it, can then duplicate the feat.


 
One of my teachers is that way when it comes to kata and other forms.  Well...it actually takes about three times, then he can perform it virtually flawlessly.


Frank


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## Navarre (Dec 16, 2005)

Taskmaster wears a mask. No one's seen his face. He makes a living by training other warriors to be mercenaries.

Maybe your teacher _is_ Taskmaster.


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