Forgetting: The New Science of Memory

‘Fascinating and useful’, Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of The Code Breaker and Leonardo da Vinci

‘Upbeat’, The Wall Street Journal

Racking your brain? Drawing a blank? Maybe it’s not such a bad thing…

Until recently, it was largely believed that forgetting served no purpose. Besides causing slight frustration, the odd slip of the mind was thought of as an inevitable but harmless defect in the brain’s functionality.

But new research in psychology, neurobiology, and computer science tells a different story. Forgetting is not a failure of our minds, nor is it a benign glitch – it is, in fact, good for us, and is a required function for our minds to work best. As annoying as a lapse can be, it’s precisely this that opens up our minds to making better decisions, experiencing joy, and flourishing artistically.

Through case studies, personal anecdotes, and scientific explanations, Professor Scott A. Small challenges the conventional wisdom that memory retention is always beneficial. He provides a comprehensive look at the benefits that forgetting can bring to our cognitive and creative abilities, emotional well-being, and even our wider societal health.

So the next time you forget where you left your keys, remember that a little forgetting does a lot of good.