Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman
Ep99 "Why do brains sometimes make things up?"
Apr 7, 2025
Discover the intriguing reasons why our brains sometimes create convincing false memories. Dive into fascinating cases, like a blind woman who believes she can see, and explore the Mandela Effect, where groups remember events differently. Uncover the psychological tricks behind memory distortions and how they impact our identity. From brain injuries to the fluid nature of recollections, you'll see how storytelling intersects with truth and fiction. It's a mind-bending journey into the reliability of what we think we remember!
40:40
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Quick takeaways
- Confabulation illustrates how our brains create convincing but false narratives to fill memory gaps, emphasizing memory's malleability and unreliability.
- The fluidity of memory impacts our identity and understanding of truth, challenging our belief in the accuracy of cherished recollections.
Deep dives
Understanding Confabulation
Confabulation occurs when the brain unknowingly fabricates details to fill memory gaps, often creating convincing narratives that the individual believes to be true. This phenomenon is exemplified by a man named Alexander, who, despite suffering from severe memory impairment, shares an elaborate account of his day that never actually happened. Unlike lying, which involves intentional deception, confabulation is driven by the brain's need to maintain coherence in the face of lost or missing memories. This highlights a fundamental aspect of memory: it is not a perfect recording but rather a creative process that rearranges past experiences based on fragments of information.
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