Reading 3 - The Cognitive Integration of E-Memory

The paper discusses E-Memory's comparison with O-Memory, how they complement each other and what concerns can arise with the use of E-Memory

Memory

Researchers in psychology and neuroscience consider memory to be not one entity but a system of multiple subsystems. It can be defined by the following hierarchy:

Memory

____________|____________

|                                              |

Short Term                              Long Term

                                                    ___________|___________

                                                        |                                          |    

                                                      Explicit                               Implicit

       ___________|___________

       |                                          |

             Semantic/Factual            Episodic/Autobiographical

O vs E Memory

It is important to differentiate between E and O memory. Multiple researchers insist organic memory is a system of natural memory without using any technological aids. Others disagree, arguing that organic memory does not exist in isolation but is generally aided by different tools. Electronic memory, on the other hand, includes systems or digital devices that are used to perform similar functions but through complete or partial replacement or augmentation of organic memory.

Novelty of E-Memory Technologies

The author has identified four dimensions that offer novel properties with respect to previous regimes of memory technology. These factors are:

1. Totality - It can record our everyday activities completely and correctly ensuring total recall. This might not be a good idea in my opinion though, as the organic mind does not remember every single detail of every event to spare us the trouble to go through everything again to recall something. Also, the human mind's selective retainment of memory ensures it's sanity by protecting one from painful recall of traumatic events.
2. Practical Cognitive Incorporability - It can be rapidly customized, therefore, it is suitable for integration with cognitive deployment / organic memory. 
3. Autonomy - It is completely autonomous and can function much in the same way as organic memory without any help. Artificial intelligence will be an example. Google can pretty accurately profile people's behavior just by storing their searches online.
4. Entanglement - It stores data from multiple perspectives. For instance, Facebook stores data of millions of people in its data centers which can then be used by people for different purposes (finding friends, promoting businesses, etc.)

Key Takeaways:

• In learning systems, it is important to link new factual information with some sort of experience already present in episodic memory. That makes it easy for the human mind to retain new information.