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on memory and reminiscence-第2部分

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related object) just because; as in the painting; it is a likeness;



presents itself as a mnemonic token。



  We can now understand why it is that sometimes; when we have such



processes; based on some former act of perception; occurring in the



soul; we do not know whether this really implies our having had



perceptions corresponding to them; and we doubt whether the case is or



is not one of memory。 But occasionally it happens that (while thus



doubting) we get a sudden idea and recollect that we heard or saw



something formerly。 This (occurrence of the 'sudden idea') happens



whenever; from contemplating a mental object as absolute; one



changes his point of view; and regards it as relative to something



else。



  The opposite (sc。 to the case of those who at first do not recognize



their phantasms as mnemonic) also occurs; as happened in the cases



of Antipheron of Oreus and others suffering from mental derangement;



for they were accustomed to speak of their mere phantasms as facts



of their past experience; and as if remembering them。 This takes place



whenever one contemplates what is not a likeness as if it were a



likeness。



  Mnemonic exercises aim at preserving one's memory of something by



repeatedly reminding him of it; which implies nothing else (on the



learner's part) than the frequent contemplation of something (viz。 the



'mnemonic'; whatever it may be) as a likeness; and not as out of



relation。



  As regards the question; therefore; what memory or remembering is;



it has now been shown that it is the state of a presentation;



related as a likeness to that of which it is a presentation; and as to



the question of which of the faculties within us memory is a function;



(it has been shown) that it is a function of the primary faculty of



sense…perception; i。e。 of that faculty whereby we perceive time。







                                 2







  Next comes the subject of Recollection; in dealing with which we



must assume as fundamental the truths elicited above in our



introductory discussions。 For recollection is not the 'recovery' or



'acquisition' of memory; since at the instant when one at first learns



(a fact of science) or experiences (a particular fact of sense); he



does not thereby 'recover' a memory; inasmuch as none has preceded;



nor does he acquire one ab initio。 It is only at the instant when



the aforesaid state or affection (of the aisthesis or upolepsis) is



implanted in the soul that memory exists; and therefore memory is



not itself implanted concurrently with the continuous implantation



of the (original) sensory experience。



  Further: at the very individual and concluding instant when first



(the sensory experience or scientific knowledge) has been completely



implanted; there is then already established in the person affected



the (sensory) affection; or the scientific knowledge (if one ought



to apply the term 'scientific knowledge' to the (mnemonic) state or



affection; and indeed one may well remember; in the 'incidental'



sense; some of the things (i。e。 ta katholou) which are properly



objects of scientific knowledge); but to remember; strictly and



properly speaking; is an activity which will not be immanent until the



original experience has undergone lapse of time。 For one remembers now



what one saw or otherwise experienced formerly; the moment of the



original experience and the moment of the memory of it are never



identical。



  Again; (even when time has elapsed; and one can be said really to



have acquired memory; this is not necessarily recollection; for



firstly) it is obviously possible; without any present act of



recollection; to remember as a continued consequence of the original



perception or other experience; whereas when (after an interval of



obliviscence) one recovers some scientific knowledge which he had



before; or some perception; or some other experience; the state of



which we above declared to be memory; it is then; and then only;



that this recovery may amount to a recollection of any of the things



aforesaid。 But; (though as observed above; remembering does not



necessarily imply recollecting); recollecting always implies



remembering; and actualized memory follows (upon the successful act of



recollecting)。



  But secondly; even the assertion that recollection is the



reinstatement in consciousness of something which was there before but



had disappeared requires qualification。 This assertion may be true;



but it may also be false; for the same person may twice learn (from



some teacher); or twice discover (i。e。 excogitate); the same fact。



Accordingly; the act of recollecting ought (in its definition) to be



distinguished from these acts; i。e。 recollecting must imply in those



who recollect the presence of some spring over and above that from



which they originally learn。



  Acts of recollection; as they occur in experience; are due to the



fact that one movement has by nature another that succeeds it in



regular order。



  If this order be necessary; whenever a subject experiences the



former of two movements thus connected; it will (invariably)



experience the latter; if; however; the order be not necessary; but



customary; only in the majority of cases will the subject experience



the latter of the two movements。 But it is a fact that there are



some movements; by a single experience of which persons take the



impress of custom more deeply than they do by experiencing others many



times; hence upon seeing some things but once we remember them



better than others which we may have been frequently。



  Whenever therefore; we are recollecting; we are experiencing certain



of the antecedent movements until finally we experience the one



after which customarily comes that which we seek。 This explains why we



hunt up the series (of kineseis) having started in thought either from



a present intuition or some other; and from something either



similar; or contrary; to what we seek; or else from that which is



contiguous with it。 Such is the empirical ground of the process of



recollection; for the mnemonic movements involved in these



starting…points are in some cases identical; in others; again;



simultaneous; with those of the idea we seek; while in others they



comprise a portion of them; so that the remnant which one



experienced after that portion (and which still requires to be excited



in memory) is comparatively small。



  Thus; then; it is that persons seek to recollect; and thus; too;



it is that they recollect even without the effort of seeking to do so;



viz。 when the movement implied in recollection has supervened on



some other which is its condition。 For; as a rule; it is when



antecedent movements of the classes here described have first been



excited; that the particular movement implied in recollection follows。



We need not examine a series of which the beginning and end lie far



apart; in order to see how (by recollection) we remember; one in which



they lie near one another will serve equally well。 For it is clear



that the method is in each case the same; that is; one hunts up the



objective series; without any previous search or previous



recollection。 For (there is; besides the natural order; viz。 the order



of the pralmata; or events of the primary experience; also a customary



order; and) by the effect of custom the mnemonic movements tend to



succeed one another in a certain order。 Accordingly; therefore; when



one wishes to recollect; this is what he will do: he will try to



obtain a beginning of movement whose sequel shall be the movement



which he desires to reawaken。 This explains why attempts at



recollection succeed soonest and best when they start from a beginning



(of some objective series)。 For; in order of succession; the



mnemonic movements are to one another as the objective facts (from



which they are derived)。 Accordingly; things arranged in a fixed



order; like the successive demonstrations in geometry; are easy to



remember (or recollect) while badly arranged subjects are remembered



with difficulty。



  Recollecting differs also in this respect from relearning; that



one who recollects will be able; somehow; to move; solely by his own



effort; to the term next after the starting…point。 When one cannot



do this of himself; but only by external assistance; he no longer



remembers (i。e。 he has totally forgotten; and therefore of course



cannot recollect)。 It often happens that; though a person cannot



recollect at the moment; yet by seeking he can do so; and discovers



what he seeks。 This he succeeds in doing by setting up many movements;



until finally he excites one of a kind which will have for its



sequel the fact he wishes to recollect。 For remembering (which is



the condicio sine qua non of recollecting) is the existence;



potentially; in the mind of a movement capable of stimulating it to



the desired movement; and this; as has been said; in such a way that



the person should be moved (prompted to recollection) from within



himself; i。e。 in consequence of movements wholly contained within



himself。



  But one must get hold of a starting…point。 This explains why it is



that persons are supposed to recollect sometimes by starting from



mnemonic loci。 The cause is that they pass swiftly in thought from one



point to another; e。g。 from milk to white; from white to mist; and



thence to moist; from which one remembers Autumn (the 'season of



mists'); if this be the season he is trying to recollect。



  It seems true in general that the middle point also among all things



is a good mnemonic starting…point from which to reach any of them。 For



if one does not recollect before; he will do so when he has come to



this; or; if not; nothing 
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