We talk about memory as a record of the past, but here’s a surprising twist: we aren’t supposed to remember everything. In fact, we’re designed to forget.
Over the course of 25 years, pioneering neuroscientist Charan Ranganath has studied the flawed, incomplete and purposefully inaccurate nature of memory to find that our brains haven’t evolved to keep a comprehensive record of events, but to extract the information needed to guide our futures.
Using fascinating case studies and testimonies, Charan unveils the principles behind what and why we forget and shines new light on the silent, pervasive influence of memory on how we learn, heal and make decisions.
Based on his book Why We Remember, Charan will examine the role that attention, intention, imagination and emotion play in the storing of memories, an offer a guide to remembering what we hold most dear.