The mnemonic functions of episodic memory
Open accessAbstract
Episodic memory is the form of memory involved in remembering personally experienced past events. Here, I address two questions about episodic memory’s function: what does episodic memory do for us, and why do we have it? Recent work addressing these questions has emphasized episodic memory’s role in imaginative simulation, criticizing the mnemonic view on which episodic memory is “for” remembering. In this paper, I offer a defense of the mnemonic view by highlighting an underexplored mnemonic function of episodic memory – namely, its role in the encoding, storage and retrieval of the type of information more standardly associated with semantic memory. I argue that in healthy individuals, episodic memory plays a central role in the encoding, storage and retrieval of prototypically semantic information, analogous to the role played by mind palaces in the method of loci, and may have been selected on for this reason. This suggests new directions for studying episodic memory, particularly in nonhuman animals.
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In human cognition, episodic memories play an important role in both recall of the past and planning for the future.
“In human cognition, episodic memories play an important role in both recall of the past as well as planning for the future.”
From Episodic Memory in AI Agents Poses Risks that Should be Studied and Mitigated (2025) · cites this paper as [7]
Section 1 identifies episodic memory with remembering personally experienced past events. It also describes future planning as a benefit proposed by simulationist views; the Conclusion says Boyle’s account is compatible with a role in simulating future events. The paper therefore supports the past-recall claim, but does not itself establish an unqualified important role in future planning. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)
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- Authors
- Boyle, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Bonn (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Boyle, Alexandria
- ORCID
- Boyle, Alexandria
- Venue
- Philosophical Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2021-09-16
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 327-349
- ISSN
- 0951-5089 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-394X
- OpenAlex
- W3200677545
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3
- FWCI
- 0.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Philosophical Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- London School of Economics and Political Science Research Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (acceptedVersion)
- London School of Economics and Political Science Research Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) (submittedVersion)
- Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion)
- Apollo
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- episodic memory, memory function, semantic memory, method of loci, memory encoding and retrieval
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