Open AccessIn the Jaws of Time: First Reflections of Episodic Memory in Human Beings
Author(s) -
Simona Petru
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
ars and humanitas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.184
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 2350-4218
pISSN - 1854-9632
DOI - 10.4312/ars.13.1.19-32
Subject(s) - episodic memory , natural (archaeology) , personal identity , perception , human memory , psychology , identity (music) , character (mathematics) , history , aesthetics , cognitive science , cognitive psychology , art , self , archaeology , social psychology , cognition , neuroscience , geometry , mathematics
Memories of the personal past seem to be something natural for us, because they determine our identity and, at least partly, our character as well. Well-developed episodic memory, which enables us to mentally travel into our personal past and imagine our personal future, makes such perception of the past possible. Animals probably do not have this form of memory, or it is much less evolved in them than it is in humans. Archaeological finds suggest that in human evolution episodic memory evolved to the present extent relatively late, probably not until Modern man emerged. Such a conclusion can be made because archaic human species did not leave behind any material proofs, such as lasting jewellery and unambiguous ritual burials that would reflect the modern perception of time and desire to preserve personal memories.