Have We Met?

It seems insensitive. The Alzheimer's article refers to memory loss as death before death. Augustine equates memory with remembrances, ideas, skills, emotions, and every sentient thing that makes us human, yet that cannot be all there is, can it? Unfortunately, I think it can. Can you still be you without memories, ideas, skills, emotions, and all of those other things provided to you by this abstract concept known as memory? Now, the questions seems straightforward, and almost simple.

Our identity centers almost entirely on our perceptions of what is going on around us and our reactions to these things based on past experiences and reactions. Hence, without our memories, we have no identity; there is nothing left that defines us as a person (with the possible exception of the disease/memory loss). To make a rather unorthodox comparison. It is like a house versus a home. If a family lives in a house, gives it character, and makes memories there, then it has become a home. However, on the opposite end, if a family leaves a house, the lights are on (or off) but no one is home, that house has no character - no identity.

Augustine might disagree with me on this one. He argues that, as we live and experience, we begin to tap into this innate or universal memory. If this is true, it is something that Alzheimer's patients would still maintain, as they are living in their memories much of the time. However, for someone who has lost his or her memory entirely, Augustine would be at a loss to protect them. First and foremost, without any recollection of their most basic experiences, they would be unable to know/come into contact with the Lord. Augustine considers the memory, with its ability to hold skills and memories, as the aspect of humanity that most separates it from "beasts." Considering this notion, he would consider anyone without their memory to be incapable of making any more of a connection with God than (as he says) horses.

Personally, I could no longer consider myself me any longer if I were to lose my memory. Everything that defines our non-visible selves is based on the memory. If we do not remember how to act when faced with a certain situation, we have lost part of our identity. If that same situation is played over a hundred-fold, then we have lost ourselves. It is an extremely sad prospect, but, for once, I think Augustine would agree with me.