The Forgetting Machine
By Rodrigo Quian Quiroga
Memory, Perception and the “Jennifer Aniston Neuron.” BenBella Books, 2017.
Summary of The Forgetting Machine book by Rodrigo Quian Quiroga
An exploration of how human memory is far less comprehensive than it seems, what that means for our identity, and how neuroscience is pioneering the discovery of the processes through which the smallest units of the brain represent complex concepts.
Chapters in The Forgetting Machine book summary
What do you get from this book? An intriguing account of the neuroscience behind the mysterious mechanics of memory
The brain is built from billions of tiny cells called neurons, and it’s their interactions that give us our memories
The brain only receives a fraction of the information processed by our eyes, focusing on finding meaning in our perceptions
The case of eyesight demonstrates best how our brain processes information according to what we already remember and know
Much of what we think we remember about our experiences is actually created by our imaginations
Even the ancient Greeks wanted to improve their memories, inventing mnemonic devices that utilize the brain’s tendency to form associations
There are dangers to remembering everything, and it is ill-advised to teach through memorization exclusively
Sensory perceptions are distilled into implicit and explicit memories, and now neuroscience has discovered the physical basis for that process
Philosophical questions about memory and identity raise the problem of whether artificial intelligence could be truly conscious
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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The Forgetting Machine — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read The Forgetting Machine book
- Amateur psychologists
- philosophy students
- those with an interest in neuroscience
- those concerned about AI
- the forgetful
About the author of The Forgetting Machine
Rodrigo Quian Quiroga
Rodrigo Quian Quiroga is a researcher and lecturer in neuroscience at the University of Leicester. He is a graduate of the University of Buenos Aires and has received the Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award for his involvement in memory research. His other books include Neuroscience Fiction (2020) and Borges and Memory (2012).
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Lisa Genova
The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting. Harmony Books, 2021.
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