Szereszewski – Mnemonic Genius Cover Image

Szereszewski – mnemoniczny geniusz
Szereszewski – Mnemonic Genius

Author(s): Emilia Mielniczuk, Iwona Kowalska
Subject(s): Philosophy
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: Cognitive Science

Summary/Abstract: The article describes one of the most interesting cases of mnemonic genius, Salomon Szereszewski. He was endowed with photographic memory – visual memory, characterized with remarkable clarity and durability. In addition, Szereszewski also had vast synaesthetic capabilities, consisting in joining together various sensory impressions, which also strongly influences better memorizing. Being equipped with such perfect memory involves, however, many consequences hindering everyday functioning. Szereszewski had great difficulties in remembering abstract words which cannot be translated into images, and struggled with the problem of having too big amounts of unnecessary information. Szereszewski tried to invent various ways of getting rid of useless data, but attempts at forgetting anything often failed.

  • Issue Year: 2010
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 107-111
  • Page Count: 5
  • Language: Polish