
About this episode
Why Do We Forget?
Traditionally, forgetting has been regarded as a passive decay over time of the information recorded and stored in the brain. But while some memories may simply fade away like ink on paper exposed to sunlight, recent research suggests that forgetting is often more intentional, with erasure orchestrated by elaborate cellular and molecular mechanisms. And forgetfulness is not necessarily a sign of a faulty memory. “In fact,” Wimber says, “it’s been shown over and over in computational models and also in animal work that an intelligent memory system needs forgetting.”
Far from signifying failure, forgetting may be the brain’s frontline strategy in processing incoming information. Forgetting is essential, some researchers now argue, because the biological goal of the brain’s memory apparatus is not preserving information, but rather helping the brain make sound decisions. Understanding how the brain forgets may offer clues to enhancing mental performance in healthy brains while also providing insights into the mechanisms underlying a variety of mental disorders.
Support the Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1590358/support
Closing of ReThink
Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!
Start for FREE
Get every episode summarized
Each time ReThink Podcast publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from ReThink Podcast

If Your Manifestation Question Still Feels Fake, You Skipped This Step
ReThink Podcast

The Real 369 Method (Step by Step) — Questions, Not Statements
ReThink Podcast

The Tesla Quote Is Fake. The Real Secret Is Asking, Not Telling.
ReThink Podcast

The Missing Half of Shadow Work
ReThink Podcast