Metaphor or Reality: Episodic Memory as Mental Time TravelMetaphor or Reality: Episodic Memory as Mental Time Travel

PsycCRITIQUES ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6161 (3535) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Greene
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Mental Time Travel

An Evolutionary Perspective on Mental Time Travel

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Suddendorf
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Deliberate Practice ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Mental Time Travel ◽  
Evolutionary Perspective ◽  
Scenario Building ◽  
Memory Traces ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Nonhuman Animals ◽  
Archeological Evidence

This article examines the nature and evolution of mental time travel. Evidence for capacities in other animals is reviewed and evaluated in terms of which components of the human faculty appear to be shared and which are unique. While some nonhuman animals store episodic memory traces and can display a range of future-directed capacities, they do not appear to share the open-ended ability to construct mental scenarios, to embed them into larger narratives, nor to reflect and communicate on what they entail. Nested scenario building and the urge to exchange mental experiences seem to set human minds apart in this context as in many others. The article ends with a discussion of the archeological evidence for mental time travel, focusing on deliberate practice as an example of its tremendous fitness consequences.

An adaptive function of mental time travel: Motivating farsighted decisions

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland G. Benoit ◽  
Ruud M. W. J. Berkers ◽  
Philipp C. Paulus
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Memory System ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Mental Time Travel ◽  
Adaptive Function ◽  
Central Function ◽  
Phenomenological Experience

AbstractThe episodic memory system allows us to experience the emotions of past, counterfactual, and prospective events. We outline how this phenomenological experience can convey motivational incentives for farsighted decisions. In this way, we challenge important arguments for Mahr & Csibra's (M&C's) conclusion that future-oriented mental time travel is unlikely to be a central function of episodic memory.

scholarly journals I remember. Differences between the Neanderthal and modern human mind

10.4312/dp.25 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 402
Author(s):  
Simona Petru
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
Modern Human ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Mental Time Travel ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Modern Humans ◽  
Personal Time ◽  
Perception Of Time ◽  
Grave Goods

Modern humans remember things they experience as personal events. An important reason for this personal perception of time is episodic memory, which enables mental time travel. This type of memory could not have been fully evolved in Neanderthals and they might not have imagined their personal past and future. Thus, their archaeological record does not contain durable objects which would be preserved from one generation to another. Their burials also do not include convincing grave goods that indicate a belief that personal time continues after death.

Measuring mental time travel: Is the hippocampus really critical for episodic memory and episodic foresight?

Cortex ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 117 ◽  
pp. 371-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beyon Miloyan ◽  
Kimberley A. McFarlane ◽  
Thomas Suddendorf
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Mental Time Travel ◽  
Episodic Foresight

The meaning of “time” in episodic memory and mental time travel

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Friedman
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Mental Time Travel ◽  
Temporal Memory ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
Anticipation Time

AbstractThe role of time in episodic memory and mental time travel is considered in light of findings on humans' temporal memory and anticipation. Time is not integral or uniform in memory for the past or anticipation of the future. The commonalities of episodic memory and anticipation require further study.

Mental time travel sickness and a Bayesian remedy

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jay Hegdé
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Bayesian Estimation ◽  
Estimation Theory ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Past Experience ◽  
Mental Time Travel ◽  
The Past ◽  
Future Events ◽  
Combining Information

AbstractMental time travel is a principled, but a narrow and computationally limiting, implementation of foresight. Future events can be predicted with sufficient specificity without having to have episodic memory of specific past events. Bayesian estimation theory provides a framework by which one can make predictions about specific future events by combining information about various generic patterns in the past experience.

What is it to remember?

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes B. Mahr ◽  
Gergely Csibra
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Time Travel ◽  
Mental Time Travel ◽  
And Function

AbstractIn response to the commentaries, we clarify and defend our characterization of both the nature and function of episodic memory. Regarding the nature of episodic memory, we extend the distinction between event and episodic memory and discuss the relational role of episodic memory. We also address arguments against our characterization of autonoesis and argue that, while self-referential, it needs to be distinguished from an agentive notion of self. Regarding the function of episodic memory, we review arguments about the relation between future mental time travel and memory veridicality; clarify the relation between autonoesis, veridicality, and confidence; and finally discuss the role of episodic memory in diachronic commitments.

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