Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

“All my faults observed, set in a notebook learned and conned by Rote.” Glory-training in ill repute with some educators is the fact that many so-called systems deal with Rote memory only. This, of course, is a very narrow and limited view of the subject. It has already been pointed out that in this book […]

And now we come to another working principle, which we have already considered, the principle of repetition. This is especially important if you wish to retain the new names you gain from day to day. After getting the name, it is necessary for you to deepen the impression if you wish to recall it instantly […]

Prominent among the factors which answer the question, “How to remember names” is the law of Association. It enables you to remember the name by relating it to something associated with it. Stimulate a sort of ” bring-together memory.” When you meet a man, give attention to his name, note his appearance, any striking physical […]

All are agreed that names are harder to remember than faces. Now, why is this? The answer will help us to strengthen our power over names. First of all, because the aural memory is weaker than the visual, as we have seen for ourselves in the tests which we have made. Second, because you hear […]

“If you do not make new friends as you advance through life, you will soon find yourself alone.” The most subtle compliment you can possibly pay any one you have recently met, is to call him by name, when you meet again. It may be a weakness in human nature that the average individual likes […]

For the man of imagination, this is the best law to rely upon for recall and recognition. The power of suggestion is a close ally to Association. More subtle than reason, more powerful than argument, it works wonders with the human mind. Have you ever noticed how an old melody, or an old song, will […]

It is a pitiful thing that the average mind cannot grasp subject matter and retain it more than a half-hour. How often, at the critical moment, we hear people say, ” I know it as well as I know my own name, but I can’t think of it.” In a technical sense, they are right. […]

“Man is a composite of his Yesterdays.” “One-half of all the new matter presented to the average mind is forgotten after the first half-hour; two-thirds within nine hours; three-quarters within six days, and four-fifths of all the new matter presented to the average mind is utterly forgotten after one month.” This may seem to you […]

It is surprising how general is this weakness. Practical tests made with large classes of both men and women have demonstrated over and over again that poor memories are the rule and not the exception. Are you satisfied with your memory Is it as good as it ought to be? The need of a good […]

The last and most important point which I wish to offer as an aid to concentration is purposeful practice. All else is useless if this be left out. This is the real testing-ground. What shall we practise on? From the viewpoint of enjoyable education, it is much better to concentrate on something positive rather than […]