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TheInternetClassicsArchive|OnMemoryandReminiscencebyAristotle

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OnMemoryandReminiscence
ByAristotle
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OnMemoryandReminiscence
ByAristotle
Written350B.C.E
TranslatedbyJ.I.Beare

Part1
Wehave,inthenextplace,totreatofMemoryandRemembering,consideringitsnature,
itscause,andthepartofthesoultowhichthisexperience,aswellasthatofRecollecting,
belongs.Forthepersonswhopossessaretentivememoryarenotidenticalwiththose
whoexcelinpowerofrecollectionindeed,asarule,slowpeoplehaveagoodmemory,
whereasthosewhoarequickwittedandcleverarebetteratrecollecting.
Wemustfirstformatrueconceptionoftheseobjectsofmemory,apointonwhich
mistakesareoftenmade.Nowtorememberthefutureisnotpossible,butthisisanobject
ofopinionorexpectation(andindeedtheremightbeactuallyascienceofexpectation,
likethatofdivination,inwhichsomebelieve)noristherememoryofthepresent,but
onlysenseperception.Forbythelatterweknownotthefuture,northepast,butthe
presentonly.Butmemoryrelatestothepast.Noonewouldsaythatheremembersthe
present,whenitispresent,e.g.agivenwhiteobjectatthemomentwhenheseesitnor
wouldonesaythatheremembersanobjectofscientificcontemplationatthemoment
whenheisactuallycontemplatingit,andhasitfullbeforehismindoftheformerhe
wouldsayonlythatheperceivesit,ofthelatteronlythatheknowsit.Butwhenonehas
scientificknowledge,orperception,apartfromtheactualizationsofthefaculty
concerned,hethus'remembers'(thattheanglesofatrianglearetogetherequaltotwo
rightangles)astotheformer,thathelearnedit,orthoughtitoutforhimself,astothe
latter,thatheheard,orsaw,it,orhadsomesuchsensibleexperienceofit.Forwhenever
oneexercisesthefacultyofremembering,hemustsaywithinhimself,'Iformerlyheard
(orotherwiseperceived)this,'or'Iformerlyhadthisthought'.
Memoryis,therefore,neitherPerceptionnorConception,butastateoraffectionofoneof
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these,conditionedbylapseoftime.Asalreadyobserved,thereisnosuchthingas
memoryofthepresentwhilepresent,forthepresentisobjectonlyofperception,andthe
future,ofexpectation,buttheobjectofmemoryisthepast.Allmemory,therefore,
impliesatimeelapsedconsequentlyonlythoseanimalswhichperceivetimeremember,
andtheorganwherebytheyperceivetimeisalsothatwherebytheyremember.
Thesubjectof'presentation'hasbeenalreadyconsideredinourworkOntheSoul.
Withoutapresentationintellectualactivityisimpossible.Forthereisinsuchactivityan
incidentalaffectionidenticalwithonealsoincidentalingeometricaldemonstrations.For
inthelattercase,thoughwedonotforthepurposeoftheproofmakeanyuseofthefact
thatthequantityinthetriangle(forexample,whichwehavedrawn)isdeterminate,we
neverthelessdrawitdeterminateinquantity.Solikewisewhenoneexertstheintellect
(e.g.onthesubjectoffirstprinciples),althoughtheobjectmaynotbequantitative,one
envisagesitasquantitative,thoughhethinksitinabstractionfromquantitywhile,onthe
otherhand,iftheobjectoftheintellectisessentiallyoftheclassofthingsthatare
quantitative,butindeterminate,oneenvisagesitasifithaddeterminatequantity,though
subsequently,inthinkingit,heabstractsfromitsdeterminateness.Whywecannot
exercisetheintellectonanyobjectabsolutelyapartfromthecontinuous,orapplyiteven
tonontemporalthingsunlessinconnexionwithtime,isanotherquestion.Now,onemust
cognizemagnitudeandmotionbymeansofthesamefacultybywhichonecognizestime
(i.e.bythatwhichisalsothefacultyofmemory),andthepresentation(involvedinsuch
cognition)isanaffectionofthesensuscommuniswhencethisfollows,viz.thatthe
cognitionoftheseobjects(magnitude,motiontime)iseffectedbythe(saidsensus
communis,i.e.the)primaryfacultyofperception.Accordingly,memory(notmerelyof
sensible,but)evenofintellectualobjectsinvolvesapresentation:hencewemayconclude
thatitbelongstothefacultyofintelligenceonlyincidentally,whiledirectlyand
essentiallyitbelongstotheprimaryfacultyofsenseperception.
Hencenotonlyhumanbeingsandthebeingswhichpossessopinionorintelligence,but
alsocertainotheranimals,possessmemory.Ifmemorywereafunctionof(pure)intellect,
itwouldnothavebeenasitisanattributeofmanyoftheloweranimals,butprobably,in
thatcase,nomortalbeingswouldhavehadmemorysince,evenasthecasestands,itis
notanattributeofthemall,justbecauseallhavenotthefacultyofperceivingtime.
Wheneveroneactuallyremembershavingseenorheard,orlearned,something,he
includesinthisact(aswehavealreadyobserved)theconsciousnessof'formerly'andthe
distinctionof'former'and'latter'isadistinctionintime.
Accordinglyifasked,ofwhichamongthepartsofthesoulmemoryisafunction,we
reply:manifestlyofthatparttowhich'presentation'appertainsandallobjectscapableof
beingpresented(viz.aistheta)areimmediatelyandproperlyobjectsofmemory,while
those(viz.noeta)whichnecessarilyinvolve(butonlyinvolve)presentationareobjectsof
memoryincidentally.
Onemightaskhowitispossiblethatthoughtheaffection(thepresentation)aloneis
present,andthe(related)factabsent,thelatterthatwhichisnotpresentisremembered.
(Thequestionarises),becauseitisclearthatwemustconceivethatwhichisgenerated
throughsenseperceptioninthesentientsoul,andinthepartofthebodywhichisitsseat
viz.thataffectionthestatewhereofwecallmemorytobesomesuchthingasapicture.
Theprocessofmovement(sensorystimulation)involvedtheactofperceptionstampsin,
asitwere,asortofimpressionofthepercept,justaspersonsdowhomakeanimpression
withaseal.Thisexplainswhy,inthosewhoarestronglymovedowingtopassion,or
timeoflife,nomnemonicimpressionisformedjustasnoimpressionwouldbeformedif
themovementofthesealweretoimpingeonrunningwaterwhilethereareothersin
whom,owingtothereceivingsurfacebeingfrayed,ashappensto(thestuccoon)old
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(chamber)walls,orowingtothehardnessofthereceivingsurface,therequisite
impressionisnotimplantedatall.Hencebothveryyoungandveryoldpersonsare
defectiveinmemorytheyareinastateofflux,theformerbecauseoftheirgrowth,the
latter,owingtotheirdecay.Inlikemanner,also,boththosewhoaretooquickandthose
whoaretooslowhavebadmemories.Theformeraretoosoft,thelattertoohard(inthe
textureoftheirreceivingorgans),sothatinthecaseoftheformerthepresentedimage
(thoughimprinted)doesnotremaininthesoul,whileonthelatteritisnotimprintedat
all.
Butthen,ifthistrulydescribeswhathappensinthegenesisofmemory,(thequestion
statedabovearises:)whenoneremembers,isitthisimpressedaffectionthathe
remembers,orisittheobjectivethingfromwhichthiswasderived?Iftheformer,it
wouldfollowthatweremembernothingwhichisabsentifthelatter,howisitpossible
that,thoughperceivingdirectlyonlytheimpression,werememberthatabsentthing
whichwedonotperceive?Grantedthatthereisinussomethinglikeanimpressionor
picture,whyshouldtheperceptionofthemereimpressionbememoryofsomethingelse,
insteadofbeingrelatedtothisimpressionalone?Forwhenoneactuallyremembers,this
impressioniswhathecontemplates,andthisiswhatheperceives.Howthendoeshe
rememberwhatisnotpresent?Onemightaswellsupposeitpossiblealsotoseeorhear
thatwhichisnotpresent.Inreply,wesuggestthatthisverythingisquiteconceivable,
nay,actuallyoccursinexperience.Apicturepaintedonapanelisatonceapictureanda
likeness:thatis,whileoneandthesame,itisbothofthese,althoughthe'being'ofbothis
notthesame,andonemaycontemplateiteitherasapicture,orasalikeness.Justinthe
samewaywehavetoconceivethatthemnemonicpresentationwithinusissomething
whichbyitselfismerelyanobjectofcontemplation,while,inrelationtosomethingelse,
itisalsoapresentationofthatotherthing.Insofarasitisregardedinitself,itisonlyan
objectofcontemplation,orapresentationbutwhenconsideredasrelativetosomething
else,e.g.asitslikeness,itisalsoamnemonictoken.Hence,whenevertheresidual
sensoryprocessimpliedbyitisactualizedinconsciousness,ifthesoulperceivesthisin
sofarasitissomethingabsolute,itappearstooccurasamerethoughtorpresentation
butifthesoulperceivesitquarelatedtosomethingelse,then,justaswhenone
contemplatesthepaintinginthepictureasbeingalikeness,andwithouthaving(atthe
moment)seentheactualKoriskos,contemplatesitasalikenessofKoriskos,andinthat
casetheexperienceinvolvedinthiscontemplationofit(asrelative)isdifferentfrom
whatonehaswhenhecontemplatesitsimplyasapaintedfigure(sointhecaseof
memorywehavetheanalogousdifferencefor),oftheobjectsinthesoul,theone(the
unrelatedobject)presentsitselfsimplyasathought,buttheother(therelatedobject)just
because,asinthepainting,itisalikeness,presentsitselfasamnemonictoken.
Wecannowunderstandwhyitisthatsometimes,whenwehavesuchprocesses,basedon
someformeractofperception,occurringinthesoul,wedonotknowwhetherthisreally
impliesourhavinghadperceptionscorrespondingtothem,andwedoubtwhetherthe
caseisorisnotoneofmemory.Butoccasionallyithappensthat(whilethusdoubting)
wegetasuddenideaandrecollectthatweheardorsawsomethingformerly.This
(occurrenceofthe'suddenidea')happenswhenever,fromcontemplatingamentalobject
asabsolute,onechangeshispointofview,andregardsitasrelativetosomethingelse.
Theopposite(sc.tothecaseofthosewhoatfirstdonotrecognizetheirphantasmsas
mnemonic)alsooccurs,ashappenedinthecasesofAntipheronofOreusandothers
sufferingfrommentalderangementfortheywereaccustomedtospeakoftheirmere
phantasmsasfactsoftheirpastexperience,andasifrememberingthem.Thistakesplace
wheneveronecontemplateswhatisnotalikenessasifitwerealikeness.
Mnemonicexercisesaimatpreservingone'smemoryofsomethingbyrepeatedly
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remindinghimofitwhichimpliesnothingelse(onthelearner'spart)thanthefrequent
contemplationofsomething(viz.the'mnemonic',whateveritmaybe)asalikeness,and
notasoutofrelation.
Asregardsthequestion,therefore,whatmemoryorrememberingis,ithasnowbeen
shownthatitisthestateofapresentation,relatedasalikenesstothatofwhichitisa
presentationandastothequestionofwhichofthefacultieswithinusmemoryisa
function,(ithasbeenshown)thatitisafunctionoftheprimaryfacultyofsense
perception,i.e.ofthatfacultywherebyweperceivetime.
Part2
NextcomesthesubjectofRecollection,indealingwithwhichwemustassumeas
fundamentalthetruthselicitedaboveinourintroductorydiscussions.Forrecollectionis
notthe'recovery'or'acquisition'ofmemorysinceattheinstantwhenoneatfirstlearns
(afactofscience)orexperiences(aparticularfactofsense),hedoesnotthereby'recover'
amemory,inasmuchasnonehaspreceded,nordoesheacquireoneabinitio.Itisonlyat
theinstantwhentheaforesaidstateoraffection(oftheaisthesisorupolepsis)isimplanted
inthesoulthatmemoryexists,andthereforememoryisnotitselfimplantedconcurrently
withthecontinuousimplantationofthe(original)sensoryexperience.
Further:attheveryindividualandconcludinginstantwhenfirst(thesensoryexperience
orscientificknowledge)hasbeencompletelyimplanted,thereisthenalreadyestablished
inthepersonaffectedthe(sensory)affection,orthescientificknowledge(ifoneoughtto
applytheterm'scientificknowledge'tothe(mnemonic)stateoraffectionandindeedone
maywellremember,inthe'incidental'sense,someofthethings(i.e.takatholou)which
areproperlyobjectsofscientificknowledge)buttoremember,strictlyandproperly
speaking,isanactivitywhichwillnotbeimmanentuntiltheoriginalexperiencehas
undergonelapseoftime.Foroneremembersnowwhatonesaworotherwiseexperienced
formerlythemomentoftheoriginalexperienceandthemomentofthememoryofitare
neveridentical.
Again,(evenwhentimehaselapsed,andonecanbesaidreallytohaveacquiredmemory,
thisisnotnecessarilyrecollection,forfirstly)itisobviouslypossible,withoutanypresent
actofrecollection,torememberasacontinuedconsequenceoftheoriginalperceptionor
otherexperiencewhereaswhen(afteranintervalofobliviscence)onerecoverssome
scientificknowledgewhichhehadbefore,orsomeperception,orsomeotherexperience,
thestateofwhichweabovedeclaredtobememory,itisthen,andthenonly,thatthis
recoverymayamounttoarecollectionofanyofthethingsaforesaid.But,(thoughas
observedabove,rememberingdoesnotnecessarilyimplyrecollecting),recollecting
alwaysimpliesremembering,andactualizedmemoryfollows(uponthesuccessfulactof
recollecting).
Butsecondly,eventheassertionthatrecollectionisthereinstatementinconsciousnessof
somethingwhichwastherebeforebuthaddisappearedrequiresqualification.This
assertionmaybetrue,butitmayalsobefalseforthesamepersonmaytwicelearn(from
someteacher),ortwicediscover(i.e.excogitate),thesamefact.Accordingly,theactof
recollectingought(initsdefinition)tobedistinguishedfromtheseactsi.e.recollecting
mustimplyinthosewhorecollectthepresenceofsomespringoverandabovethatfrom
whichtheyoriginallylearn.
Actsofrecollection,astheyoccurinexperience,areduetothefactthatonemovement
hasbynatureanotherthatsucceedsitinregularorder.
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Ifthisorderbenecessary,wheneverasubjectexperiencestheformeroftwomovements
thusconnected,itwill(invariably)experiencethelatterif,however,theorderbenot
necessary,butcustomary,onlyinthemajorityofcaseswillthesubjectexperiencethe
latterofthetwomovements.Butitisafactthattherearesomemovements,byasingle
experienceofwhichpersonstaketheimpressofcustommoredeeplythantheydoby
experiencingothersmanytimeshenceuponseeingsomethingsbutonceweremember
thembetterthanotherswhichwemayhavebeenfrequently.
Whenevertherefore,wearerecollecting,weareexperiencingcertainoftheantecedent
movementsuntilfinallyweexperiencetheoneafterwhichcustomarilycomesthatwhich
weseek.Thisexplainswhywehuntuptheseries(ofkineseis)havingstartedinthought
eitherfromapresentintuitionorsomeother,andfromsomethingeithersimilar,or
contrary,towhatweseek,orelsefromthatwhichiscontiguouswithit.Suchisthe
empiricalgroundoftheprocessofrecollectionforthemnemonicmovementsinvolvedin
thesestartingpointsareinsomecasesidentical,inothers,again,simultaneous,withthose
oftheideaweseek,whileinotherstheycompriseaportionofthem,sothattheremnant
whichoneexperiencedafterthatportion(andwhichstillrequirestobeexcitedin
memory)iscomparativelysmall.
Thus,then,itisthatpersonsseektorecollect,andthus,too,itisthattheyrecollecteven
withouttheeffortofseekingtodoso,viz.whenthemovementimpliedinrecollectionhas
supervenedonsomeotherwhichisitscondition.For,asarule,itiswhenantecedent
movementsoftheclassesheredescribedhavefirstbeenexcited,thattheparticular
movementimpliedinrecollectionfollows.Weneednotexamineaseriesofwhichthe
beginningandendliefarapart,inordertoseehow(byrecollection)werememberonein
whichtheylienearoneanotherwillserveequallywell.Foritisclearthatthemethodis
ineachcasethesame,thatis,onehuntsuptheobjectiveseries,withoutanyprevious
searchorpreviousrecollection.For(thereis,besidesthenaturalorder,viz.theorderof
thepralmata,oreventsoftheprimaryexperience,alsoacustomaryorder,and)bythe
effectofcustomthemnemonicmovementstendtosucceedoneanotherinacertainorder.
Accordingly,therefore,whenonewishestorecollect,thisiswhathewilldo:hewilltry
toobtainabeginningofmovementwhosesequelshallbethemovementwhichhedesires
toreawaken.Thisexplainswhyattemptsatrecollectionsucceedsoonestandbestwhen
theystartfromabeginning(ofsomeobjectiveseries).For,inorderofsuccession,the
mnemonicmovementsaretooneanotherastheobjectivefacts(fromwhichtheyare
derived).Accordingly,thingsarrangedinafixedorder,likethesuccessive
demonstrationsingeometry,areeasytoremember(orrecollect)whilebadlyarranged
subjectsarerememberedwithdifficulty.
Recollectingdiffersalsointhisrespectfromrelearning,thatonewhorecollectswillbe
able,somehow,tomove,solelybyhisowneffort,tothetermnextafterthestartingpoint.
Whenonecannotdothisofhimself,butonlybyexternalassistance,henolonger
remembers(i.e.hehastotallyforgotten,andthereforeofcoursecannotrecollect).Itoften
happensthat,thoughapersoncannotrecollectatthemoment,yetbyseekinghecando
so,anddiscoverswhatheseeks.Thishesucceedsindoingbysettingupmany
movements,untilfinallyheexcitesoneofakindwhichwillhaveforitssequelthefacthe
wishestorecollect.Forremembering(whichisthecondiciosinequanonofrecollecting)
istheexistence,potentially,inthemindofamovementcapableofstimulatingittothe
desiredmovement,andthis,ashasbeensaid,insuchawaythatthepersonshouldbe
moved(promptedtorecollection)fromwithinhimself,i.e.inconsequenceofmovements
whollycontainedwithinhimself.
Butonemustgetholdofastartingpoint.Thisexplainswhyitisthatpersonsare
supposedtorecollectsometimesbystartingfrommnemonicloci.Thecauseisthatthey
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passswiftlyinthoughtfromonepointtoanother,e.g.frommilktowhite,fromwhiteto
mist,andthencetomoist,fromwhichoneremembersAutumn(the'seasonofmists'),if
thisbetheseasonheistryingtorecollect.
Itseemstrueingeneralthatthemiddlepointalsoamongallthingsisagoodmnemonic
startingpointfromwhichtoreachanyofthem.Forifonedoesnotrecollectbefore,he
willdosowhenhehascometothis,or,ifnot,nothingcanhelphimas,e.g.ifonewere
tohaveinmindthenumericalseriesdenotedbythesymbolsA,B,G,D,E,Z,I,H,O.
For,ifhedoesnotrememberwhathewantsatE,thenatEheremembersObecause
fromEmovementineitherdirectionispossible,toDortoZ.But,ifitisnotforoneof
thesethatheissearching,hewillremember(whatheissearchingfor)whenhehascome
toGifheissearchingforHorI.Butif(itis)not(forHorIthatheissearching,butfor
oneofthetermsthatremain),hewillrememberbygoingtoA,andsoinallcases(in
whichonestartsfromamiddlepoint).Thecauseofone'ssometimesrecollectingand
sometimesnot,thoughstartingfromthesamepoint,is,thatfromthesamestartingpoint
amovementcanbemadeinseveraldirections,as,forinstance,fromGtoIortoD.If,
then,themindhasnot(whenstartingfromE)movedinanoldpath(i.e.oneinwhichit
movedfirsthavingtheobjectiveexperience,andthat,therefore,inwhichun'ethized'
phusiswouldhaveitagainmove),ittendstomovetothemorecustomaryfor(themind
having,bychanceorotherwise,missedmovinginthe'old'way)Customnowassumes
theroleofNature.Hencetherapiditywithwhichwerecollectwhatwefrequentlythink
about.Forasregularsequenceofeventsisinaccordancewithnature,so,too,regular
sequenceisobservedintheactualizationofkinesis(inconsciousness),andhere
frequencytendstoproduce(theregularityof)nature.Andsinceintherealmofnature
occurrencestakeplacewhichareevencontrarytonature,orfortuitous,thesamehappens
afortioriinthesphereswayedbycustom,sinceinthisspherenaturallawisnotsimilarly
established.Henceitisthat(fromthesamestartingpoint)themindreceivesanimpulse
tomovesometimesintherequireddirection,andatothertimesotherwise,(doingthe
latter)particularlywhensomethingelsesomehowdeflectsthemindfromtheright
directionandattractsittoitself.Thislastconsiderationexplainstoohowithappensthat,
whenwewanttorememberaname,werememberonesomewhatlikeit,indeed,but
blunderinreferenceto(i.e.inpronouncing)theoneweintended.
Thus,then,recollectiontakesplace.
Butthepointofcapitalimportanceisthat(forthepurposeofrecollection)oneshould
cognize,determinatelyorindeterminately,thetimerelation(ofthatwhichhewishesto
recollect).Thereis,letitbetakenasafact,somethingbywhichonedistinguishesa
greaterandasmallertimeanditisreasonabletothinkthatonedoesthisinaway
analogoustothatinwhichonediscerns(spacial)magnitudes.Foritisnotbythemind's
reachingouttowardsthem,assomesayavisualrayfromtheeyedoes(inseeing),that
onethinksoflargethingsatadistanceinspace(foreveniftheyarenotthere,onemay
similarlythinkthem)butonedoessobyaproportionatementalmovement.Forthereare
inthemindthelikefiguresandmovements(i.e.'like'tothoseofobjectsandevents).
Therefore,whenonethinksthegreaterobjects,inwhatwillhisthinkingthosedifferfrom
histhinkingthesmaller?(Innothing,)becausealltheinternalthoughsmallerareasit
wereproportionaltotheexternal.Now,aswemayassumewithinapersonsomething
proportionaltotheforms(ofdistantmagnitudes),so,too,wemaydoubtlessassumealso
somethingelseproportionaltotheirdistances.As,therefore,ifonehas(psychically)the
movementinAB,Be,heconstructsinthought(i.e.knowsobjectively)GD,sinceAGand
Gdbearequalratiosrespectively(toABandBE),(sohewhorecollectsalsoproceeds).
WhythendoesheconstructGDratherthanZh?IsitnotbecauseasAGistoAB,soisO
toI?Thesemovementstherefore(sc.inAB,BE,andinO:I)hehassimultaneously.Butif
hewishestoconstructtothoughtZH,hehasinmindBEinlikemannerasbefore(when
constructingGD),butnow,insteadof(themovementsoftheratio)O:I,hehasinmind
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(thoseoftheratioK:LforK:L::ZA:BA.(Seediagram.)
When,therefore,the'movement'correspondingtotheobjectandthatcorrespondingtoits
timeconcur,thenoneactuallyremembers.Ifonesupposes(himselftomoveinthese
differentbutconcurrentways)withoutreallydoingso,hesupposeshimselftoremember.
Foronemaybemistaken,andthinkthatherememberswhenhereallydoesnot.Butitis
notpossible,conversely,thatwhenoneactuallyremembersheshouldnotsuppose
himselftoremember,butshouldrememberunconsciously.Forremembering,aswehave
conceivedit,essentiallyimpliesconsciousnessofitself.If,however,themovement
correspondingtotheobjectivefacttakesplacewithoutthatcorrespondingtothetime,or,
ifthelattertakesplacewithouttheformer,onedoesnotremember.
Themovementansweringtothetimeisoftwokinds.Sometimesinrememberingafact
onehasnodeterminatetimenotionofit,nosuchnotionasthate.g.hedidsomethingor
otheronthedaybeforeyesterdaywhileinothercaseshehasadeterminatenotionofthe
time.Still,eventhoughonedoesnotrememberwithactualdeterminationofthetime,he
genuinelyremembers,nonetheless.Personsarewonttosaythattheyremember
(something),butyetdonotknowwhen(itoccurred,ashappens)whenevertheydonot
knowdeterminatelytheexactlengthoftimeimpliedinthe'when'.
Ithasbeenalreadystatedthatthosewhohaveagoodmemoryarenotidenticalwiththose
whoarequickatrecollecting.Buttheactofrecollectingdiffersfromthatof
remembering,notonlychronologically,butalsointhis,thatmanyalsooftheother
animals(aswellasman)havememory,but,ofallthatweareacquaintedwith,none,we
venturetosay,exceptman,sharesinthefacultyofrecollection.Thecauseofthisisthat
recollectionis,asitwereamodeofinference.Forhewhoendeavourstorecollectinfers
thatheformerlysaw,orheard,orhadsomesuchexperience,andtheprocess(bywhich
hesucceedsinrecollecting)is,asitwere,asortofinvestigation.Buttoinvestigateinthis
waybelongsnaturallytothoseanimalsalonewhicharealsoendowedwiththefacultyof
deliberation(whichproveswhatwassaidabove),fordeliberationisaformofinference.
Thattheaffectioniscorporeal,i.e.thatrecollectionisasearchingforan'image'ina
corporealsubstrate,isprovedbythefactthatinsomepersons,when,despitethemost
strenuousapplicationofthought,theyhavebeenunabletorecollect,it(viz.theanamnesis
=theeffortatrecollection)excitesafeelingofdiscomfort,which,eventhoughthey
abandontheeffortatrecollection,persistsinthemnonethelessandespeciallyinpersons
ofmelancholictemperament.Forthesearemostpowerfullymovedbypresentations.The
reasonwhytheeffortofrecollectionisnotunderthecontroloftheirwillisthat,asthose
whothrowastonecannotstopitattheirwillwhenthrown,sohewhotriestorecollect
and'hunts'(afteranidea)setsupaprocessinamaterialpart,(that)inwhichresidesthe
affection.Thosewhohavemoisturearoundthatpartwhichisthecentreofsense
perceptionsuffermostdiscomfortofthiskind.Forwhenoncethemoisturehasbeenset
inmotionitisnoteasilybroughttorest,untiltheideawhichwassoughtforhasagain
presenteditself,andthusthemovementhasfoundastraightcourse.Forasimilarreason
burstsofangerorfitsofterror,whenoncetheyhaveexcitedsuchmotions,arenotat
onceallayed,eventhoughtheangryorterrifiedpersons(byeffortsofwill)setupcounter
motions,butthepassionscontinuetomovethemon,inthesamedirectionasatfirst,in
oppositiontosuchcountermotions.Theaffectionresemblesalsothatinthecaseof
words,tunes,orsayings,wheneveroneofthemhasbecomeinveterateonthelips.People
givethemupandresolvetoavoidthemyetagaintheyfindthemselveshummingthe
forbiddenair,orusingtheprohibitedword.Thosewhoseupperpartsareabnormally
large,as.isthecasewithdwarfs,haveabnormallyweakmemory,ascomparedwiththeir
opposites,becauseofthegreatweightwhichtheyhaverestingupontheorganof
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perception,andbecausetheirmnemonicmovementsare,fromtheveryfirst,notableto
keeptruetoacourse,butaredispersed,andbecause,intheeffortatrecollection,these
movementsdonoteasilyfindadirectonwardpath.Infantsandveryoldpersonshavebad
memories,owingtotheamountofmovementgoingonwithinthemforthelatterarein
processofrapiddecay,theformerinprocessofvigorousgrowthandwemayaddthat
children,untilconsiderablyadvancedinyears,aredwarflikeintheirbodilystructure.
Suchthenisourtheoryasregardsmemoryandrememberingtheirnature,andthe
particularorganofthesoulbywhichanimalsrememberalsoasregardsrecollection,its
formaldefinition,andthemannerandcausesofitsperformance.
THEEND

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