Your mind as a time machine

[kimberlyd]

Very informative but hoke. Thought you guys might like it. This guy talks about using the mind as a time machine using the theories of relativity and physics. Makes a lot of sense in a way because our minds are in a lot of ways a time capsule... storing information about the world around us from the day we are born to the day we die.

 

 

[Darby]

What guy?

 

 

[vegito12]

The mind is interesting as it remembers things even things we did years back it is there in the back of the mind, just needs memory or a trigger than the memory can show up again. I, think that it can be interesting how this happens and also, the memories can be there for along time and also it is interesting as how that happens. The mind thinks a lot and also, it is something that can travel alot between ideas in the mind and what is right and what will work and sometimes what could work or maynot even work at all.

 

 

[Ceolaric]

storing information about the world around us from the day we are born to the day we die.

I doubt that that would actually be possible since you only start to retain memories from around 5 years of age. And I doubt that you would still remember much from that point in time.

 

 

[Nicolas]

The mind is interesting as it remembers things even things we did years back it is there in the back of the mind, just needs memory or a trigger than the memory can show up again. I, think that it can be interesting how this happens and also, the memories can be there for along time and also it is interesting as how that happens. The mind thinks a lot and also, it is something that can travel alot between ideas in the mind and what is right and what will work and sometimes what could work or maynot even work at all.

I have to say this, I just LOVE the poster behind you on your avatar. Who is that man? He looks a lot like Steve Carell from here. :thumbsup:

 

 

[salandme]

The mind is interesting as it remembers things even things we did years back it is there in the back of the mind, just needs memory or a trigger than the memory can show up again. I, think that it can be interesting how this happens and also, the memories can be there for along time and also it is interesting as how that happens. The mind thinks a lot and also, it is something that can travel alot between ideas in the mind and what is right and what will work and sometimes what could work or maynot even work at all.

Yep! The mind is the best TT of all. Now, this is a fact that would be difficult to dispute. I just wonder, how many times a day we do it? I think, you hit on a good concept about what triggers us to go recall certain memories? An event, a sound, a vision, a smell, a word/conversation? The list is endless.

 

I doubt that that would actually be possible since you only start to retain memories from around 5 years of age. And I doubt that you would still remember much from that point in time.

No, maybe the age of 5 is some kind of norm/average, but my memories go back to the age of two, for sure, maybe further back. I know this because I can talk about events and it is confirmed. Wondering how far back other peoples memories go back in time?

 

 

[mr_paradox]

The problem with our minds is they do not work very well, our memory is extremely poor and contrary to popular belief we have a tendency to change our memories to some degree as time passes. That is why when three old friends might talk about an event they all shared in the past the versions are slightly different. As time passes they start to agree with a common version of what happened in the past.

 

 

[gracer]

The mind is one big mystery for me because it has the ability to store boundless information and memories. If time travel can occur with the mind , maybe it can be through a great sense of imagination or hypnosis. I know pyschologists have used that to go back to certain events in a patient's life. But time travel in terms of going way back to a time where the person hasn't existed yet is still a big question for me.

 

 

[Ceolaric]

No, maybe the age of 5 is some kind of norm/average, but my memories go back to the age of two,

I was saying five as an average yes. But how accurate can memories be from when you were two years old?

I don't believe that it would be possible to know some of the details that might be needed to time-travel with your mind. (Time, location, etc...)

 

(I'm just assuming these factors are necessary to be able to travel through time with your mind.)

 

 

[seivtcho]

I don't think, that storing memories in the brain is time traveling. It is just like watching old movies from the 80's and claiming, that you are in the 80's again. If you make a movie of your wedding, then watching it, is not a time travel - you are at the present, no matter what the screen is showing at the moment. The same is with the memories in the brain. It is somehow recorded information, which remained intact while the time goes. In the best case it will be a time travel of the information, not of you.

 

 

[Mayuri]

I unfortunately don't think that would be true as our brains sometimes incorrectly store information. There are also gaps in our memory as well meaning it would be impossible to accurately time travel with our brains.

 

 

[petesede]

Yep! The mind is the best TT of all. Now, this is a fact that would be difficult to dispute. I just wonder, how many times a day we do it? I think, you hit on a good concept about what triggers us to go recall certain memories? An event, a sound, a vision, a smell, a word/conversation? The list is endless.No, maybe the age of 5 is some kind of norm/average, but my memories go back to the age of two, for sure, maybe further back. I know this because I can talk about events and it is confirmed. Wondering how far back other peoples memories go back in time?

Yeah, my first memory was when I was 2.5. I was looking out a second story window at our swimming pool during a flood. It was surreal because there was like 5 feet of water over the swimming pool, but you could still see that the swimming pool was under it. Nobody in my family remembers that vision, so it wasn´t something that was described to me and I mistakenly thought it was my own memory. Of course the flood was famous, so it was easy to set the date and my age.

I also don´t think memories are time travel because you cannot change or affect things in your memories. They just play out exactly the way you happen to remember them.. and if you do make mistakes in your memories, it won´t affect the present anyway.

 

 

[salandme]

I was saying five as an average yes. But how accurate can memories be from when you were two years old?I don't believe that it would be possible to know some of the details that might be needed to time-travel with your mind. (Time, location, etc...)

(I'm just assuming these factors are necessary to be able to travel through time with your mind.)

Right. I figured you were talking about averages, but I think we have, yet, to see research get to the bottom of this question of when memories begin. I think, my two year old memory is fairly rock solid. I am sitting in a folding chair eating popcorn in a school auditorium, my grandmother is beside me, my sister is sitting on my mothers lap. I try to give my sister popcorn, my mothers says, no. My sister does not have enough teeth to eat popcorn. My aunt (yes, she is only 3 years, plus couple months older then me, my grandmother had my mother at age 14, with 8 children, mother the oldest). It is May day, and my aunt is on stage in a clown costume in a performance. So, I have date, approximate time (before lunch), smell of the popcorn, and location. My aunts age was 6 years 3 months, mine was 2 years 11 months. Not sure, if this is my first memory, just one of my favorite.

 

The problem with our minds is they do not work very well, our memory is extremely poor and contrary to popular belief we have a tendency to change our memories to some degree as time passes. That is why when three old friends might talk about an event they all shared in the past the versions are slightly different. As time passes they start to agree with a common version of what happened in the past.

True, but the reality is whether the facts are similar or not, the fact is the memory is real for the individual. It is this way, even when a group experiences an event simultaneous. It will always vary on perception. Again, my perception is my reality.

Now, when it comes to the ability of our mind working well, I would not presume to cut short the power of our mind, nor the ability of our memories.

 

Yeah, my first memory was when I was 2.5. I was looking out a second story window at our swimming pool during a flood. It was surreal because there was like 5 feet of water over the swimming pool, but you could still see that the swimming pool was under it. Nobody in my family remembers that vision, so it wasn´t something that was described to me and I mistakenly thought it was my own memory. Of course the flood was famous, so it was easy to set the date and my age.I also don´t think memories are time travel because you cannot change or affect things in your memories. They just play out exactly the way you happen to remember them.. and if you do make mistakes in your memories, it won´t affect the present anyway.

Yeah, figured that had to be others with memories that go way back.

I see your point (and others) about the memories in our mind not actually being time travel, but fairly certain this is the closest we will ever get, at least, in my lifetime.

 

 

[kimberlyd]

I doubt that that would actually be possible since you only start to retain memories from around 5 years of age. And I doubt that you would still remember much from that point in time.

Wrong, you store memories from the moment of birth. That is how you learn speech, facial recognition, vocal recognition, scent recognition, etc... You are only able (for most) to RECALL memories from age 5. I remember stuff from when I was 2. And I have reoccurring nightmares from when I was in a crib.

 

 

[Nicolas]

Wrong, you store memories from the moment of birth. That is how you learn speech, facial recognition, vocal recognition, scent recognition, etc... You are only able (for most) to RECALL memories from age 5. I remember stuff from when I was 2. And I have reoccurring nightmares from when I was in a crib.

I only disagree with the nightmares part. I have a recurring nightmare of a plane crash and another one of a nuke being dropped. I never experienced these things before. Dreams are just dreams, not memories.

 

 

[salandme]

I only disagree with the nightmares part. I have a recurring nightmare of a plane crash and another one of a nuke being dropped. I never experienced these things before. Dreams are just dreams, not memories.

I agree, dreams are just dreams, not memories. At the same time dreams can stem from memories. So memories can have an effect on dreams. You may have not directly experienced your above mentioned experiences, but you have heard of them or maybe seen them as an observer either first hand or in a movie, etc.

Even though, I agree dreams are just dreams, does not make dreams less relevant for some people.

 

 

[kimberlyd]

Mine were from a memory that I confirmed from my mother.

 

 

[Ceolaric]

but I think we have, yet, to see research get to the bottom of this question of when memories begin.

Actually there have been studies that have proven that you start to retain information as a fetus.

I've had the chance to meet Doctor Yves Tillet ( a french neurologist) and he explained that before birth the child has a great sensibility of his surroundings.

 

 

[salandme]

Actually there have been studies that have proven that you start to retain information as a fetus.I've had the chance to meet Doctor Yves Tillet ( a french neurologist) and he explained that before birth the child has a great sensibility of his surroundings.

What I should have said is we have lot more to learn about eg research on memories that we could benefit from especially in regards to memory loss (Alzheimer's).

I have not doubt to the creditability and have complete agreement that we begin to retain memory, as a fetus. I think you are fortunate to have met a doctor that provided more insight into this research. Perhaps you can provide some sort of link to his research or maybe he was relaying research conducted by others? I have tried to locate research that deals with long-term memory, thus far, only found short-term memory. Today, thanks to you, I have started a new search and found links to research from the Society for Research in Child Development. I am specifically looking for some research by researchers from the Netherlands because of their research mentioned in Scientific American, a Division of Nature America, Inc.

 

Now, back to the subject on time travel and memories, I was pondering the idea about the ability to travel back in time based on memories from childhood. I think, when we are very young before our language develops, we base our memories more in glimpses of images recalled. Still maybe this could be enough information to travel back in time? @Ceolaric because time travel is just an idea at this point, who knows maybe in the future we could go back in a time based in our life based on a image in our memory?

 

 

[Ceolaric]

I have not doubt to the creditability and have complete agreement that we begin to retain memory, as a fetus. I think you are fortunate to have met a doctor that provided more insight into this research.

He works more in animal neurology but did few studies and had other scientists studies of the human brain when I met him.

I don't have any links at the moment but I will look into it if I can find anything.

 

 

[Ceolaric]

I was pondering the idea about the ability to travel back in time based on memories from childhood.

It would be very interesting to see if it's possible. Wouldn't it be better to base the memories on a more developed mind in which a person is more aware of the world and place he is? I might sound a bit repetitive and start to get on some peoples nerves with this but wouldn't childhood memories lack that sort of information?

 

 

[salandme]

It would be very interesting to see if it's possible. Wouldn't it be better to base the memories on a more developed mind in which a person is more aware of the world and place he is? I might sound a bit repetitive and start to get on some peoples nerves with this but wouldn't childhood memories lack that sort of information?

Well, I can be a bit repetitive at times, too. So, this does does not bother me, especially if I am seriously interested in a subject.

First, I agree childhood memories would lack some (or much) information. But here is what interests me, what about the chance to regain memories, provided you are not changing events. So, in response to your question about the benefit of going to a destination within our life that we do not recall so vividly, it provides an incentive and interest for me to go back to this point in time.

 

 

[Gpa]

Actually there have been studies that have proven that you start to retain information as a fetus.I've had the chance to meet Doctor Yves Tillet ( a french neurologist) and he explained that before birth the child has a great sensibility of his surroundings.

Neurons are being formed/created (neurogenesis) during the development of a fetus. When you are born, you have, pretty much*, all of the neurons you will have for the rest of your life. A fetus is cognitively unaware but, will have reflexive motor neurons and "react" to stimulus. That may be what Dr. Tillet was explaining to you.

*New studies seem to have shown neurogenesis, in rats, and possibly humans can take place in certain areas of the brain.

 

I have tried to locate research that deals with long-term memory, thus far, only found short-term memory.

I offered this before on another thread.

http://human-memory.net/

 

 

[Ceolaric]

When you are born, you have, pretty much*, all of the neurons you will have for the rest of your life

That isn't true the brain keeps developing until the age of 25 and over 50 000 neurons are produced a day. Most will form neural networks so they can function properly but a majority of them will die off especially in the case of mental illnesses (Alzheimer

for example)

 

 

[salandme]

Neurons are being formed/created (neurogenesis) during the development of a fetus. When you are born, you have, pretty much*, all of the neurons you will have for the rest of your life. A fetus is cognitively unaware but, will have reflexive motor neurons and "react" to stimulus. That may be what Dr. Tillet was explaining to you.*New studies seem to have shown neurogenesis, in rats, and possibly humans can take place in certain areas of the brain.

I offered this before on another thread.

 

http://human-memory.net/

Thanks for the link. Appreciate how it is layman's terms, so it was a quick read. What I found of importance and think it will play into future research on memory is the fact that our memories are not stored in a "filing cabinet" I remember years ago reading on memory and it was taught that we needed to know how to compartmentalize our memories in order to successfully and easily retrieve them. Of course, to do this was paying attention to attributes of certain events or information including the "sights, sounds, words, emotions". Now research is saying one memory or one piece of information is actually stored in different parts of our brain according to the "sights, sounds, words, emotions". This make more sense that we have a "distributed memory".