hacking your memory
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HACKING YOUR MEMORYLearn faster. Be smarter.
ABOUT ME
Microsoft Developer – C#, F# Former Development Manager, US Airways,
DaVita Healthcare Former Enterprise Architect, US Airways Consultant on SOA, EA practices, process
engineering, team development
Related blog: http://TheSkillfulBrain.com
AGENDA Story telling: The Experiment The Case for Memorization Four Key Concepts Foundational Memory Hack: Engaging Your Memory Foundational Memory Hack: Subverting Location Foundational Memory Hack: Beating the Numbers Wrap-up and Review Resources
DISCLAIMERS AND APOLOGIES
THE EXPERIMENT
Initial result: Seven plus or minus two
THE EXPERIMENT REVISED 5 minutes. 43 presidents. 100% retention at two weeks. 80% retention at four weeks.
1. George Washington
2. John Adams
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. James Madison
5. James Monroe
6. John Quincy Adams
7. Andrew Jackson
8. Martin Van Buren
9. William Henry Harrison
10. John Tyler
11. James K. Polk
12. Zachary Taylor
13. Millard Fillmore
14. Franklin Pierce
15. James Buchanan
16. Abraham Lincoln
17. Andrew Johnson
18. Ulysses S. Grant
19. Rutherford B. Hayes
20. James A. Garfield
21. Chester A. Arthur
22. Grover Cleveland
23. Benjamin Harrison
24. Grover Cleveland (again)
25. William McKinley
26. Theodore Roosevelt
27. William Howard Taft
28. Woodrow Wilson
29. Warren G. Harding
30. Calvin Coolidge
31. Herbert Hoover
32. Franklin D. Roosevelt
33. Harry S. Truman
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower
35. John F. Kennedy
36. Lyndon B. Johnson
37. Richard Nixon
38. Gerald Ford
39. Jimmy Carter
40. Ronald Reagan
41. George H. W. Bush
42. Bill Clinton
43. George W Bush
44. Barack Obama
THE EXPERIMENT REVISED
1. African Lion2. African Wild Dog
(cape hunting dog)
3. Aldabra Tortoise4. Andean Bear5. Arabian Oryx6. Asian Elephant7. Bald Eagle8. Bornean
Orangutan9. Capybara10. Cheetah11. Chilean Flamingo12. Coyote13. Crowned Pigeon14. Desert Tortoise
15. Fennec Fox16. Galapagos
Tortoise17. Golden Conure18. Golden Lion
Tamarin19. Grevy Zebra20. Hamadryas
Baboon21. Mandrill22. Meerkat or
Suricate23. Mexican Gray Wolf24. Mhorr Gazelle25. Mountain Lion26. Ocelot27. Palawan Peacock
Pheasant28. Prairie Dog29. Radiated Tortoise30. Reticulated Giraffe31. Rhinoceros
Hornbill32. Ring-tailed Lemur33. Rothschild's
Mynah34. Spotted Necked
Otter35. Squirrel Monkey36. Sumatran Tiger37. Thick-billed Parrot38. Warthog39. White Faced Saki40. White Rhinoceros
THE EXPERIMENT
Initial result: Seven plus or minus two Final result: 100+
THE ECONOMICS OF MEMORY
Premise: Memorization is very expensive. Premise: We are very busy. Premise: We have Google and Bing. Conclusion: Memorization isn’t cost effective.
Store information here
Do thinking here
THE LIMITED ACCESS PROBLEM
See Pragmatic Thinking And Learning, Andy Hunt
THE MENTAL TOOLBOX
Thinking Tools Memory Tools Imagination Tools
Emotional Tools
Logic Repetition Brainstorming Cognitive Therapy
Arithmetic Mind Maps Talk Therapy
Algebra Meditation Meditation
Calculus Collaborative Writing
Stress Management
Statistics Stream of Consciousness
Family Counseling
Critical Thinking Free Association Self-Help Books
Etc… Etc… Etc…
WHAT IS “EASY”?
Imagine you have ten dollars in cash. You wish to buy as many cookies as possible. Cookies sell for $3.14 per box. How many boxes can you buy?
A passenger train is 20 miles per hour faster than a freight train. It takes the passenger train half as much time to travel 160 miles as the freight train. How fast are the trains?
A PARTIAL LIST OF AUTHORS WHO WROTE ABOUT MEMORY TECHNIQUES Simonides (556 – 468 BC) Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) Cicero (106 – 43 BC) Quintillian (35 – 100) Hugh of St. Victor (1096 – 1141) Alan of Lille (1120 – 1202?) Boncompagno da Signa (1170 – 1240?) Albertus Magnus (1193? – 1280) Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) Thomas Bradwardine (1290 – 1349) Francesc Eiximenis (1330? – 1409?) John of Metz (13th Century) Peter of Ravenna (1448 – 1508)
THOMAS AQUINAS – 1225-1274
A HISTORY OF ACCESSING INFORMATION
A HISTORY OF ACCESSING INFORMATION
EDUCATION IN THE MIDDLE AGES
Trivium Grammar – the mechanics of language Logic – analysis and thinking Rhetoric – communication
Invention Arrangement Style Memory Delivery
Quadrivium Geometry Arithmetic Astronomy Music
THE CASE FOR MEMORY: SUMMARY There is evidence that having more facts in your
brain leads to better thinking. There is evidence that Google is not a substitute for knowing stuff.
Training in how to use memory was a foundational part of a classical education for hundreds of years.
The techniques work, but require considerable effort. Imagine doing math without any kind of training.
That’s what you’re currently doing with your memory. Specific memory techniques exist to help you
remember faces, numbers, conversations, large sections of text (word for word), large sections of text (Cliff Notes version), lists, sequences, and relations.
KEY CONCEPT: MEMORY RULES
How the brain decides if something is worth remembering:1. Will it keep you from getting eaten by a
tiger?2. Is it new? Is it novel?3. Is it relevant for understanding social
norms?a) Is it gossip?b) Does it illustrate where social boundaries are?
4. Is it emotionally charged?5. Will it get you food, safety, or prestige?6. ….7. Lots and lots of repetition
KEY CONCEPT: THE NETWORK
The problem is not storing the memory; the problem is accessing the memory.
KEY CONCEPT: THE NETWORK
KEY CONCEPT: THE NETWORK
How do I make a memory durable?
How do I make a memory accessible?
KEY CONCEPT: MEMORY TYPES
We suck at remembering Anything abstract Numbers Anything we aren’t emotionally engaged with Anything we perceive as routine
We excel at remembering Location Emotions Sights Smells
KEY CONCEPT: MAKING IMAGES
“These ought to be full of ridiculous movement, remarkable gesture, savage and cruel expression, bewilderment, sadness, and severity. The reason for this is that things which are great, unbelievable, previously unseen, new, rare, unheard of, deplorable, exceptional, indecent, unique, or very beautiful convey a great amount to our mind, memory, and recollection. For extreme things excite the human senses and the human mind with greater force than do average things.”-The Second and Last Book of Images of Jacobus Publicus (1485 or 1490)
MEMORY TECHNIQUES
Memory
Natural Memory
Artificial Memory
Ad Verbum (word for
word)
Ad Res (concept or summary)
USING ARTIFICIAL MEMORY
Build your mental toolbox with memory techniques for specific situations. Do the necessary preparation work.
When you find something worth remembering: Select the appropriate technique for the thing to
be remembered Follow the rules of the technique
Profit!!!
FOUNDATIONAL MEMORY HACKENGAGING YOUR MEMORY
1. Care.2. Get emotional.3. Make memory explicitly.
FOUNDATIONAL MEMORY HACKSUBVERT LOCATION
Many names for (basically) the same thing Method of Loci Memory Palace Memory Journey Memory Theatre
Demo
MEMORIZATION DEFINED
The explicit, emotional, creative act of storing information in your brain using a disciplined, structured approach.
Memory does NOT “just happen”.Repetition, while often necessary, should be minimized.
HOW TO REMEMBER
1. Develop a Memory Toolbox2. Explicitly decide to remember3. Use the right memory technique for the
data to be memorized
THE MENTAL TOOLBOXThinking Tools Memory Tools Imagination
ToolsEmotional Tools
Logic Method of Loci Brainstorming Cognitive Therapy
Algebra Peg System Mind Maps Talk Therapy
Calculus Major System Meditation Meditation
Statistics Link System Collaborative Writing
Stress Management
Critical Thinking PAO System Stream of Consciousness
Family Counseling
Critical Analysis Dominic System Etc… Self-Help Books
Etc… Chunking Etc…
Memory Theatre
Etc…
WHAT IF? What if you memorized a list of design patterns, their
uses, strengths, and weaknesses? What if you could easily recall all the WCF hosting
options, including their tradeoffs and which environments support which options?
What if you could quote the agile manifesto word for word? Or the 12 core principles of agile development?
Learning another language? What if the time to learn new vocabulary words was cut by a factor of 5? Or 10?
Learning another computer language? What if memorizing a list of ALL of the keywords took only an hour?
What if you could actually learn and visualize most of the .NET (or WinRT) namespaces?
ANYTHING?Data Technique
All my credit card numbers, and the 1-800 numbers to call if they are stolen
Memory Coin
Work to-do listsHoney-do listsShopping lists
Memory Journey
Any large framework, such as the .Net framework
Memory Palace. Use floors, colors, or similar to represent hierarchy.
Where I left my car keys Explicit Memory; Care
Hamlet – all of itThe Bible – all of itHarry Potter – all of it
Memory Palace or Memory Theatre
A new language; new vocabulary words
Memory Journey + Letter Wheel
Large blocks of numbers PAO System or Major System
SUGGESTED READING
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer Pragmatic Thinking and Learning by Andy
Hunt Mindhacker by Ron and Mary Hale-Evans The Book of Memory by Mary Carruthers Max Your Memory by Pascale Michelon Any book by Mary Carruthers. In fact, just
send her money for being cool.
Blog: http://theskillfulbrain.com Rate: http://
speakerrate.com/talks/23961-hacking-your-memory
UNUSED SLIDES
PRO TIPS
Live longer by defeating the “days speeding past” problem.
Meditation – twice a day, every day. Eastern meditation for mood and focus. Western meditation for memory.
DEEP READING
Survey – looking at chapters, headings, and pictures
Skim – Identify structure and important topics
Read Write in the margins. Mark it up. Doodle. Flag phrases, sections, or information to
memorize Memorize what you think is worth it Meditate
Review major points without referencing the source
Imagine teaching the material to someone else
THE MENTAL TOOLBOX
Thinking Tools Memory Tools Imagination Tools
Logic Brainstorming
Arithmetic Mind Maps
Algebra Meditation
Calculus Collaborative Writing
Statistics Stream of Consciousness
Critical Thinking Free Association
Etc… Etc…
THE MENTAL TOOLBOX
Thinking Tools Memory Tools Imagination Tools
Logic Method of Loci Brainstorming
Algebra Peg System Mind Maps
Calculus Major System Meditation
Statistics Link System Collaborative Writing
Critical Thinking PAO System Stream of Consciousness
Critical Analysis Dominic System Etc…
Etc… Chunking
Memory Theatre
Etc…
FOUNDATIONAL MEMORY HACKBEATING THE NUMBERS 01: Captain America 02: Captain Marvel 03: Deadpool 04: Hawkeye 05: Hulk 06: Iron Man 07: Spider-Man 08: Spider-Woman 09: Thor 10: Wasp 11: Wolverine 12: Doctor Doom 13: Green Goblin 14: Red Skull 15: Batman 16: Superman 17: Wonder Woman
18: Walt Disney 19: Natalie Portman 20: Billy Crystal 21: Christopher
Hitchens 22: Ellen Degeneris 23: Regina Spektor 24: Hugh Laurie 25: Omar Epps 26: Scott Guthrie 27: Lucille Ball 28: Pink 29: Mark Twain 30: Stephen Hawking 31: Albert Einstein 32: Carl Sagan 33: Darren Brown 34: Jennifer Anniston
35: Bill Gates 36: Natalie Imbruglia 37: Sam Harris 38: Ricky Gervais 39: Sandra Bullock 40: Adolf Hitler 41: Lenin 42: Stalin 43: George Washington 44: John Adams 45: Thomas Jefferson 46: Abraham Lincoln 47: Teddy Roosevelt 48: FDR 49: Harry Truman 50: Hymen Rickover Etc…
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