After considering discussions around digital memory in texts such as Blade Runner and Gumdrop, I wonder how the wealth of digital recording devices in modern times gives us the opportunity to store our memories in digital format allowing us to recall them at any time. Having libraries of videos and images from our past allows us to relive that moment, very much like our brain can. However, in Alzhiemers patients for example, the recall of memories may be difficult, digital video stimulus can help that person feel the emotion of the event in question. Even though we dont record every single event in our lives, key moments are now regulary stored and shared, allowing us to revisit the experience.
By dowloading our digitial memories onto hard drives, are we using the machine as extra storage for our brains?
Also, as a large proportion of modern society relies so much on digital devices to record information we would have previous used our brains for (such as telephone numbers, calendar dates etc), is our memory capacity sufferening as a consequence of this reliance?
There was a recent book review in the Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/11/nicholas-carr-the-glass-cage-review-automation-makes-us-stupid) that touched on this.
Assuming that our memory can be ‘trained’, and a quick search on Google Scholar supports this hypothesis, then I agree with you that our memory capacity is suffering. But, is this a bad thing if we are able to enhance an ability through technology? Or, thinking it through to the logical conclusion, will the lack of ‘memory exercise’ lead to increased rates of dementia in later life, or will the ability to relive our memories through recordings preserve our mental processes?
Thanks for the comment, some key questions here, but ones which are very difficult to answer at this stage. There is a lot of speculation around ‘preserving’ mental processes through technology and ‘brain training’.