Where are our memories stored? It seems like a simple question, with an obvious and clearly definable answer. Almost immediately our mind is certain that our memories must be contained within our brains. But, “Does Memory Reside Outside the Brain?” A persuasive, evaluation written by Leonardo Vintini and published by The Epoch Times; offers a new theory that may sound strange, but falls more in line with ancient Taoist teachings, or Carl Jung’s “collective unconsciousness”. Evidence supports the theory that memories are not stored in the brain, that the brain acts more like an antenna and decoder, than a memory storage device. Vintini cites biologist, author, and investigator Dr. Rupert Sheldrake as stating “The recovery of memory is very difficult to explain in terms of conventional theories: if the memories have been destroyed because the memory tissue has been destroyed, they ought not to come back again; yet they often do,” referring to the fact that even when the brain is physical damaged, where it is believed a particular memory is stored, the person can recover the memory when the tissue heals. This would be inexplicable if memories are stored within the brain, but if the brain acts more like an antenna receiving memories, and perhaps consciousness itself, then a recovered memory would be easily explained by fixed antenna, or receiver. Dr. Sheldrake also explains an experiment in memories, and gives his analysis of how the data may have been misinterpreted; when certain areas of the brain are electrically stimulated the patient will recall memories with vivid detail. The conventional theory infers that the memories are recalled because the brain is stimulated where they are stored, but it could just as easily be explained by stimulating the part of the antenna that picks up the signal, or memory. The brain could be likened to a radio, with the memories being represented by the radio signals air waves’, stimulating one part of the brain is equivalent to tuning the radio to a certain station. The radio does not store the signal within its box of wires and circuits, all that complicated gadgetry is there to receive the signal pervading all around us. The radio is just an antenna to interpret the incoming data, or memories, and present them to the observing consciousness. “… If I stimulated the tuning circuit of your TV set and it jumped onto another channel, this wouldn’t prove the information was stored inside the tuning circuit,” writes Dr. Sheldrake.
While most scientists chase after proof that memories are stored within the brain, they often find evidence that supports the theory of externally stored memories. Researcher Karl Lashley created what some might consider a cruel experiment; however the findings were monumental to the idea that memories are not stored within the brain. Lashley demonstrated that half of a rats brain could be removed, yet the rat would still be able to perform every trick he was taught. While this is shocking in itself, his test went on to show that regardless of which side was removed, left or right, the rats were still able to perform all the tricks they had been taught. The idea that memories might be stored outside of the brain is quite shocking when first considered, however the continual march of science is providing more and more evidence, that what we thought about memories and where they are stored, might be completely wrong. And if it is true that the brain is not meant for storage, but is in fact an antenna, is it just limited to memories? Is consciousness the result of a chemical reaction in the brain? Or is the brain an antenna that allows our consciousness, and memories to interact with our bodies, and our physical senses.
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Alan Carnagey
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