Can memories last a lifetime?

Yes, memories can indeed last a lifetime, though their longevity and accuracy can vary. This concept is explored in various ways by different experts:

1. Philosophical Perspective: Chris Williamson and Dean Rickles discuss how our memory system and the human mind are designed to retain experiences over a span of approximately 120 years. A key argument in this perspective is the continuity of self, where we remember significant moments from different life stages, even as earlier memories might fade with time 1.

2. Psychological Insights: Daniel Kahneman differentiates between the "experiencing self" (the one that lives in the moment) and the "remembering self" (which keeps score of our life events). He explains that the memories we retain are often influenced by the peak and end experiences rather than the duration of events 2.

3. Neuroscientific View: Henning Beck notes that our brain's dynamic way of collecting and replaying events allows for flexibility in memory consolidation, which can sometimes lead to distortions but also enables creativity and innovation 3.

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     1

     The Nature of Self

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     2

     Memory vs. Experience

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     3

     Memory and Creativity

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In summary, while the core ability to retain memories for a lifetime exists, the nature of those memories—how they are recalled, the details remembered, and their emotional impact—may change over time.