# Photopathic...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photopathic/733450>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [October 4, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photopathic/733450 "2015-10-04T00:44:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tafowler87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f07891/32.png) [@tafowler87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tafowler87)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2015, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photopathic/733450/1 "2015-10-04T00:44:58Z")

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Would dreams be considered some form of photographic memory… The images generally recalled in dreams are those of physical entities generally encountered (only slightly altered to accommodate subconscious thoughts, desire, and fear)?

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**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photopathic/733450/2 "2015-10-05T16:30:28Z")

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Many memories are visual. Dreams involve visual imagery that may or may not draw upon actual memories, sort of like making a collage from random magazines. You can make lots of pretty pictures if you find the right bits to fit in the right places. There’s also created imagery in dreams.

For instance, seeing someone you instantly recognize as being someone you know, even though they don’t look right. Like he’s your Dad in the dream, but looks like Tom Selleck instead of Tom Arnold.

No one is saying memories can’t be visual. The claim involves full, complete, detailed visual recall.

[Link to column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2350/is-there-such-a-thing-as-photographic-memory), for those of us without photographic memory.

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**Author:** ![sbunny8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@sbunny8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sbunny8)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photopathic/733450/3 "2015-10-08T17:07:30Z")

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People who have been blind since birth have dreams. Babies in the womb have dreams. Those dreams are not based on visual memories.

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**Author:** ![tafowler87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f07891/32.png) [@tafowler87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tafowler87)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photopathic/733450/4 "2015-10-09T02:22:17Z")

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> [@Irishman](#):
>
> Many memories are visual. Dreams involve visual imagery that may or may not draw upon actual memories, sort of like making a collage from random magazines. You can make lots of pretty pictures if you find the right bits to fit in the right places. There’s also created imagery in dreams.
> 
> For instance, seeing someone you instantly recognize as being someone you know, even though they don’t look right. Like he’s your Dad in the dream, but looks like Tom Selleck instead of Tom Arnold.
> 
> No one is saying memories can’t be visual. The claim involves full, complete, detailed visual recall.
> 
> [Link to column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2350/is-there-such-a-thing-as-photographic-memory), for those of us without photographic memory.

This is what I was trying to insinuate. I however forgot the the added “my” before dreams in the second statement. I like the way you explain this. Never would have thought of it like that. Cool…