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oai:figshare.com:article/32805539 2026-10-01T16:15:16Z portal_1172 item_type_8 month_year_10_2026

The future of memory? Towards an enhanced simulation theory of memory Paul Patrick Deery (23656366) PUREID: 679039210 Mnemonics method of loci simulation theory of remembering imagination Remembering is something we routinely do, but how best to explain it? I demonstrate that by focusing on memory working at an expert level, by studying the techniques of memory athletes who use particular mnemonic strategies to memorise extraordinary amounts of information, our knowledge of episodic memory is greatly enhanced. This approach of studying memory at its best, has been lacking in the literature. The two prominent theories that battle with each other to fill the explanatory gap of episodic memory are: the causal theory of memory and the simulation theory of memory. Each theory faces difficulties: the causal theory does not offer the most comprehensive view of episodic memory, especially in the light of recent scientific findings, while the simulation theory, although comprehensive, has to deal with worries about the accuracy of memories that could be constructed. I examine the accuracy problem and show how the simulation theory of remembering does offer a comprehensive account of episodic memory that can construct accurate memories. I discovered that the method of loci, a mnemonic technique favoured by memory athletes, utilises a natural ability that everyone has for remembering visual and spatial information. The employment of the method of loci requires using imagination in a controlled and targeted manner. Imagination can be utilised in a way that satisfies the accuracy demands of successful remembering. This offers a compelling reason to adopt the simulation theory of remembering’s central tenet – that remembering is imagining the past. 2026-10-01T16:15:16Z Text Thesis 10.17034/32805539.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/The_future_of_memory_Towards_an_enhanced_simulation_theory_of_memory/32805539 All Rights Reserved