This the most general question that my research concerns. More particularly, my research focuses on two crucial aspects of the mind: memory and imagination. Here are some interrelated questions which interest me:
I take an interdisciplinary approach to these questions where I combine philosophy, psychology, computer science, and neuroscience to find answers.
Episodic Memory
As part of my current research project, I aim to develop an account of constructive memory processes, and to add these to the cognitive architecture of AI agents to see whether this could solve some of its current problems, such as catastrophic forgetting, and encourage other behaviour such as intelligent exploration. I am also interested in the storage question: how are memories actually stored in the brain? Here, I draw on evidence from neuroscience and computer science to develop a new view of memory storage.
Aphantasia
Some of my research concerns aphantasia, a condition commonly descirbed as the inability to generate mental imagery. I suggest that this is due to impairments in the episodic memory system. If you want to read an accessible article on my theory, check out this on Psychology Today. For the published peer-reviewed version, have a look here. I am currently exploring questions around how aphantasia is defined and 'diagnosed', as well as the relation between aphantasia and creativity.
Mental Imagery
I am also interested how mental imagery is generated. To what extent are perceptual processes involved? To what extent are episodic memory processes involved? I try to map this out to understand the relationship between mental imagery and episodic memory.
- Does the same cognitive architecture support both memory and imagination?
- How is memory stored and retrieved?
- Which kinds of beings (biological or artificial) have the capacity to remember and imagine?
- What causes impairments in mental imagery, such as aphantasia?
- What are the neural mechanisms underwriting memory and imagination?
I take an interdisciplinary approach to these questions where I combine philosophy, psychology, computer science, and neuroscience to find answers.
Episodic Memory
As part of my current research project, I aim to develop an account of constructive memory processes, and to add these to the cognitive architecture of AI agents to see whether this could solve some of its current problems, such as catastrophic forgetting, and encourage other behaviour such as intelligent exploration. I am also interested in the storage question: how are memories actually stored in the brain? Here, I draw on evidence from neuroscience and computer science to develop a new view of memory storage.
Aphantasia
Some of my research concerns aphantasia, a condition commonly descirbed as the inability to generate mental imagery. I suggest that this is due to impairments in the episodic memory system. If you want to read an accessible article on my theory, check out this on Psychology Today. For the published peer-reviewed version, have a look here. I am currently exploring questions around how aphantasia is defined and 'diagnosed', as well as the relation between aphantasia and creativity.
Mental Imagery
I am also interested how mental imagery is generated. To what extent are perceptual processes involved? To what extent are episodic memory processes involved? I try to map this out to understand the relationship between mental imagery and episodic memory.
Publications
Drafts available on request. Some of my research is also published as accessible blog posts on the Junkyard of the Mind – I have one on aphantasia, and one on affective forecasting.
|
Selected Talks
|
