Single Idea 23304

[catalogued under 12. Knowledge Sources / E. Direct Knowledge / 4. Memory]

Full Idea

The ancient medical Memorists said that ordinary thinking, inferring, reflecting, believing, assuming, examining, generalising and knowing can all be done simply on the basis of memory.

Gist of Idea

The ancient Memorists said virtually all types of thinking could be done simply by memory

Source

Richard Sorabji (Rationality [1996], 'Inference')

Book Reference

'Rationality in Greek Thought', ed/tr. Frede,M /Striker,G [OUP 1999], p.321


A Reaction

The think there is a plausible theory that all neurons do is remember, and are mainly distinguished by the duration of their memories. We might explain these modes of thinking in terms of various combinations of the fast and the slow.

Related Idea

Idea 6668 If the present does not exist, then consciousness must be memory of the immediate past [Marshall]