5.1

I believe that learning depends on memory in some ways.  We cannot prove that we have learned unless we can remember.  However, I do not think it would be possible or reasonable to expect that we would remember everything we learn.  So that begs the question of what is the point of learning if we are not going to remember.  Like we have discussed in previous weeks, we are changed by what we encounter.  The things we experience change how we will experience new things in the future.  Therefore, I do not think that forgotten learning was a waste or useless, it is simply less evident.

I also do not think that much of our learning is truly forgotten.  Many things I learned during my undergraduate studies I could not recall on an exam today, but with a subtle reminder, that memory could be triggered.  Not being able to recall something cold does not necessarily mean that it is forgotten.  It may just mean that it is deep in the long term memory storage and is going to take some connection making to bring it back up.  I think of someone digging deep underground.  There may be many things the deeper he or she goes, but it will also take more rope to reach it.  You could tie many pieces of rope together and reach what one rope could not reach alone.

I believe that we vividly remember things that affected or changed us the most.  Perhaps that is why we remember things we wish to forget.  Moments of deep pain, fear, anger may have changed us so much that it is impossible to forget.  We cannot ignore our past experiences and that is evident in our memories.  Memories associated with a significant amount of connections may also remain more vivid.  For example, a grandparent could be remembered throughout life.  So, when that grandparent passes away suddenly, that moment already has established connections.  I think connections are the key to memories.