10. Roxana Kreimer, “Nietzsche, autor de ‘Funes el memorioso’: Crítica al saber residual de la modernidad” (Nietzsche, author of “Funes the Memori- ous”: A critique of modernity’s residual knowledge), in Jorge Luis Borges: Intervenciones sobre pensamiento y literatura (Buenos Aires: Paidós, 2000).

11. Friedrich Nietzsche, “On the Utility and Liability of History for Life,” in Unfashionable Observations, trans. Richard T. Gray (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1995). In this essay Nietzsche refers to forgetting in a historical context, suggesting that man should not tie himself to the prejudices of History (a fundamental requirement for the creation of his famous “superman”).

12. William James, The Principles of Psychology, authorized ed., vol. 1 (New York: Henry Holt, 1890; repr., New York: Dover, 1950), pp. 680 – 681. The second half of the quotation is itself a quotation: Théodule Ribot, Les maladies de la mémoire (Paris: Librairie Germer Ballière, 1881), p. 46.

13. Democritus is known for conceiving atomic theory; legend has it that he gouged his eyes out in his garden so that contemplation of the external world would not disturb his meditations.

5 Comments

1. 1. johnknow 02:37 PM 11/4/12

   wow, i need his brain. it is amazing how human brain could be maximized. Jorge Luis Borges's brian is a time machine that could go back and explore things in depth.

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2. 2. gs_chandy 02:47 PM 1/18/13

   Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, in reflecting on "Borges and Memory", has undoubtedly given us much to ponder about and be pleasured by. I surely plan to read, carefully, all the wonderful "Encounters with the Human Brain" he has written about.
   
   The author's view notwithstanding, I would like to draw a clear distinction between 'mind' and 'brain'. I believe - though I have no definitive knowledge that such a claim is justified - that Borges himself surely would have drawn such a distinction, too. In my view, the 'mind' is 'something' associated, in some mysterious way, with the 'brain' - and there's not much more we know about it despite all the researches that have been and are being conducted.

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3. 3. gs_chandy 02:58 PM 1/18/13

   Further my last: precisely what is this 'association' between 'brain' and 'mind'? If we were to draw a Venn Diagram of 'brain' and 'mind', how would it look? Is it possible that 'mind' INCLUDES 'brain', or just that there is some overlap? Is my 'memory' of my mother something (anything at all) more than the electro-chemical impulses racing around the neurons of my brain?
   
   I don't believe anyone would (/could) make a case for 'brain' subsuming 'mind'.

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4. 4. gs_chandy 02:59 PM 1/18/13

   I wish a knew a little more!

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5. 5. jrachadell 05:01 PM 1/18/13

   Mr. Quiroga: I really enjoyed your well written piece. A friend offered many years ago a collage of texts and pictures of Borges. In it is the same quotation about the complexity of Funes memories. Beautiful!
   I'm sure that total recollection doesn't make you smarter. That's why we are still waiting for a real Artificial Intelligence.
   Absolute lack of memory would preclude any learning.
   We must strive for the middle ground.
   Thank you again for bringing forward such a rush of good memories
   jrachadell@yahoo.com

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