# What is memory? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 19, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064 "2011-06-19T20:38:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pdunderhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@pdunderhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pdunderhill)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/1 "2011-06-19T20:38:39Z")
We are all a bag of chemicals, so how do we sustain, invent and discern memory? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/2 "2011-06-19T20:49:26Z")
We fire the same set of neurons that were fired when the event was experienced. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/3 "2011-06-19T20:54:10Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > We are all a bag of chemicals, so how do we sustain, invent and discern memory? “Memory is a stored pattern of connections formed by the brain’s neurons”. -National Geographic, November 2007 issue “Remember this” One of the best theories around is that we have a layered hierarchical memory structure: > **[Emerging Properties](http://emergingproperties.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html)** > > Explorations of Artificial Intelligence applied to Gaming and Robotics. > [@](#): > > Hierarchical Temporal Memory (HTM) as defined by Jeff Hawkins of Numenta in his on Intelligence book (published in 2004). HTMs, sometimes called memory prediction framework > [@](#): > > HTMs are modeled after a common cortical structure present in the human neocortex. In a nutshell, the human brain stores sensory input in a layered hierarchial memory structure. Each computational unit of this memory framework processes spatial patterns (patterns over space) and temporal patterns (patterns over time). Current sensory patterns are matched against patterns in memory and the closest matching pattern category is sent up the memory hierarchy. As categories of patterns continue traveling up the hierarchy an invariant view of the sensory data is formulated. Spatial and temporal patterns are stored in memory with more detailed/specific patterns existing in the lower levels of the hierarchy and generic/invariant models living in the higher levels. > > This invariant model of the world is then used to form predictions based on prior and current sensory input patterns. Current sensory inputs are constantly checked against predictions forming the initial basis for a behavioral action (motor or otherwise). Predictions also allow the brain (HTM) to supplement current sensory input to form a complete picture from sensory data that may be missing information (i.e. “fill in the blanks”). ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/4 "2011-06-20T02:36:01Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > We are all a bag of chemicals, Really? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/5 "2011-06-20T02:40:42Z")
Well, all matter is chemicals, right? You might believe in some soul business, whatever that amounts to, but it hardly seems necessary to invoke such theology to account for the phenomenon of memory… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/6 "2011-06-20T02:58:53Z")
I _used_ to know… ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/7 "2011-06-20T07:51:55Z")
You can’t understand memory without understanding consciousness . . . and nobody really does. ---
**Author:** ![sheepishsmile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@sheepishsmile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sheepishsmile)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/8 "2011-06-20T09:11:57Z")
i am studying B.E in Computer and we are told a memory is a storage locations in the computer that holds certain address… similarly, in case of us, memory is storage locations on brain… but in case of computer we can delete it while we cannot in case of brains. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/9 "2011-06-20T12:42:29Z")
> [@sheepishsmile](#): > > but in case of computer we can delete it while we cannot in case of brains. [Says](http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/21593/) [who?](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110617081543.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/10 "2011-06-20T14:25:24Z")
I remember my first conscious memory, and having the idea that I could recall it later. It was in a house that we moved from when I was 19 months old. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/11 "2011-06-20T14:59:53Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I remember my first conscious memory, and having the idea that I could recall it later. It was in a house that we moved from when I was 19 months old. I remember an event that happened before we moved, when I was 12 months old. It’s surprisingly detailed, especially since it’s not a major event, but a rather mundane pleasant occurrence. I have no idea why my brain happened to remember it, rather than other things. I have asked my mother and aunt about this memory, and they both corroborated its accuracy. But I wonder why I remember this, and not more “important” memories. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/12 "2011-06-20T15:02:32Z")
If you don’t remember it it’s not a memory, right? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/13 "2011-06-20T15:26:45Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > We fire the same set of neurons that were fired when the event was experienced. Or something like that. While we can go into more technical detail about cAMP-dependent protein kinase and dendrite production, but the statement above sums our understanding of the process about as wells can be expressed non-technically, and the technical explanations are basically more complicated ways of stating what we don’t know. > [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > [Says](http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/21593/) [who?](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110617081543.htm) “Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage, but it’s on a par with a night of heavy drinking. Nothing you’ll miss.” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/14 "2011-06-20T15:51:48Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > We are all a bag of chemicals, so how do we sustain, invent and discern memory? . . . Dammit, I knew that once . . . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/15 "2011-06-20T15:53:02Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > If you don’t remember it it’s not a memory, right? A close semantic question. What matters is that if you don’t remember it, you can’t testify. Drink up, my dear. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/16 "2011-06-20T17:34:41Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > A close semantic question. What matters is that if you don’t remember it, you can’t testify. Drink up, my dear. I was just wondering what it means to remember your first conscious memory. It doesn’t seem like all that much of a trick. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/17 "2011-06-20T17:43:19Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > I was just wondering what it means to remember your first conscious memory. It doesn’t seem like all that much of a trick. It is quite a trick indeed, to be certain that conscious memory **was** your first, out of the few others you may have from roughly the same period (or are they?). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/18 "2011-06-20T19:41:02Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > I was just wondering what it means to remember your first conscious memory. It doesn’t seem like all that much of a trick. It wasn’t so much that conscious memory as the awareness that I could remember it; i.e. play it in my mind sometime in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/19 "2011-06-20T19:45:58Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > It is quite a trick indeed, to be certain that conscious memory **was** your first, out of the few others you may have from roughly the same period (or are they?). How would you know it was your first, if a previous one had been erased, or were unrecoverable? The earliest memory someone remembers is always their first. If you don’t remember it, it is not a memory. ---
**Author:** ![stevenreed034](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@stevenreed034](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stevenreed034)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2011, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064/20 "2011-06-22T06:58:56Z")
Internal storage areas in the computer. The term memory identifies data storage that comes in the form of chips, and the word storage is used for memory that exists on tapes or disks. Moreover, the term memory is usually used as a shorthand for physical memory, which refers to the actual chips capable of holding data. Some computers also use virtual memory, which expands physical memory onto a hard disk. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-memory/586064.md?page=2)