memory

Locke's Theory:
- A person at time t is the same as at an earlier time t if they can remember experiences of that individual.
Reid's Critique:
- Memory criterion is circular; it assumes personal identity.
- One can only remember events that happened to them.
Schechtman's Two Questions:
- Reidentification Question: Is an individual the same at different times?
- Characterization Question: Which mental states/attitudes and actions define a person?

Although Locke's thesis may be incorrect, memories are integral to identity.
Considerations:
- If we lost our memories, would we still be the same person?
Quote:
- "I am the sum of my plans and policies..."
Neuroscience Implications:
- Potential to alter memory systems:
  - Deliberately deleting memories.
  - Inserting false memories.
  - Enhancing memory capacities.

Challenges in Implanting Memories:
- Technical Obstacles:
  - Understanding how memories are stored and retrieved.
  - Mimicking these processes artificially.
- Holism of Mental Content:
  - Mental content is interconnected with other meaningful concepts.
Example:
- If Patty is implanted with a false memory of a Disneyland trip with a non-existent brother, she must also recall the existence of the brother for cohesive memory retrieval and endorsement.

Loftus' Experiments:
- People recall faster speeds when primed with "smashed" vs. "hit".
- Misleading information leads to inaccuracies in personal recollections.
- Entire fabricated memories were created in 1/3 of subjects.
Witness Reliability Issues:
- The DC sniper case showed how media influence can skew public memory.

Case of Flanagan:
- False memory of a childhood friend ('Billy') gave confidence to make new friends.
- This memory was artificially constructed, having only known a Billy once.
Value of False Memories:
- Some false memories can aid self-knowledge, helping understand abilities.
- Example: Erasing the memory of a failed stand-up performance could hinder personal growth.

Mill's Harm Principle:
- Right to act as one chooses, provided it doesn't harm others.
Memory Erasure Context:
- Permissible if it harms only the consenting individual.
Impact on Personal Narrative:
- Erasure might affect one's identity and relationships, leading to feelings of disconnection.
Recognition:
- Important for social animals; loss of memories can lead to an identity crisis (e.g., children being forgotten).

Mitigation Tactics:
- Preventing a traumatic event.
- Preventing PTSD post-event through memory consolidation management.
Propranolol Usage:
- Beta-blocking to manage stress hormones and symptoms of PTSD after the fact.

Emotions in Decision Making:
- SMH posits emotional arousal can enhance rather than detract from decision-making.
Iowa Gambling Task:
- Subjects preferred better long-term decks before understanding outcomes, indicated by anticipatory skin conductance responses (SCRs).
Neural Impacts:
- Patients with damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex lacked anticipatory SCRs, leading to poor choices.

Childhood Damage Consequences:
- Early congenital damage can present psychopathic traits later.
Emotional Influence on Morality:
- Manipulating somatic responses can impact moral evaluations significantly.
Connections to PTSD:
- Propranolol's effects on amyloid receptors could disrupt moral judgements alongside managing PTSD.

Moral Dilemma:
- Contrasting intuitive responses to saving many lives versus harm to an individual.
Evolutionary Perspective:
- Personal engagement affects moral responses differently based on evolutionary history.
Propranolol Research:
- Still inconclusive about its effectiveness in preventing PTSD.

Potential Military Application:
- Administering Propranolol to soldiers before combat may reduce PTSD risks.
Ethical Concerns:
- May diminish moral compass via elimination of somatic signals indicating wrongness.
Summary:
- Memory modification is complicated by the holism of memory and emotional implications, necessitating careful ethical considerations in application.