Memory Distortion: How Minds, Brains, and Societies Reconstruct the Past

Rating:
Summary: Good Interdisciplinary Look at Memory Breakdown
Review: Memory is a central issue for so much of human life - whether it be questions of identity, autobiography, or belief. In this volume, edited by the expert on memory and belief Daniel Schacter of Harvard, we have an innovative interdisciplinary examination into the question of memory, why it fails, and what happens when it does.

The volume is divided into the following sections by discpline: 1) Cognitive Perspectives, 2) Psychiatric and Psychopathological Perspectives, 3) Neurophyschological Perspectives, 4) Neurobiological Perspectives, 5) Sociocultural Perspectives, 6)Concluding Reflections.

The articles, each by a different contributor, are not the easiest to jump into, especially for those without a scientific background. In fact, the overall emphasis is very much on science with the social sciences rather underrepresented (in my opinion). This is the reason why I give it 4 stars instead of 5. However, those with a scientific inclination, yet also philosophical or social science inclinations towards questions of identity, autobiography, belief and fantasy will find this book of great interest. I would advise you to also look at the much more recent volume (2000) by Schacter entitled 'Memory, the Brain and Belief', which may in fact be more up to date.