THE PHENOMENON OF MEMORY AND PERSONAL IDENTITY: PECULIARITIES OF THE RELATIONSHIP

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to comprehend the relationship between the phenomenon of memory and personal identity, to study the complex interaction between these two fundamental aspects of human experience, where memory is one of the decisive criteria in the formation and preservation of one’s own identity. The main methodological criterion of the study is the use of an analytical approach that allows us to highlight the main points that demonstrate the crucial role of memory in the process of human comprehension of their history, culture, and, ultimately, themselves. Scientific novelty. The article points out the relationship between memory and personal identity, which allows us to deepen our understanding of the complex interaction between these two fundamental aspects of human cognition, to provide a holistic view that goes beyond the scope of individual disciplines, as well as to open a new perspective on this relationship from the perspective of cultural and individual differences, since, to a large extent, one’s own memory and identity are shaped by cultural narratives, which, becoming the property of personal experience, are relayed to the world, being supplemented and filled with new meanings and content. Conclusions. When comprehending the phenomenon of memory as such, it should be noted that it is a multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses various cognitive processes, such as encoding, storage and retrieval, and primarily concerns the ability of a person to recall and store past experience and knowledge, while freely finding the information in demand when needed. It is also possible to talk about memory only in the human dimension, where the need to remember is one of the conditions for the survival of humanity as a species, and thus is vital; on the other hand, one can note the close relationship between memory and personal identity, thus considering the complex ways in which our memories shape who we are. All of this indicates a large amount of work that is rather vague, since, one way or another, memory is connected to a person and his or her consciousness, and thus the field of activity, with the receipt of new information and the formation of new knowledge, is only increasing.