‘Rather than Succour, My Memories Bring Eloquent Stabs of Pain’ On the Ambiguous Role of Memory in Grief

Debus D, Richardson L (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Journal of Consciousness Studies Imprint Academic

Book Volume: 29

Pages Range: 36-62

Journal Issue: 9-10

DOI: 10.53765/20512201.29.9.036

Abstract

Memory can play two quite different roles in grief. Memories involving a deceased loved one can make them feel either enjoyably present, or especially and painfully absent. In this paper, we consider what makes it possible for memory to play these two different roles, both in grief and more generally. We answer this question by appeal to the phenomenological nature of vivid remembering, and the context in which such memories occur. We argue that different contexts can make salient different aspects of memory’s phenomenological nature, thus making what is remembered sometimes feel pleasantly ‘present’ again, and sometimes painfully absent.

Involved external institutions

Universität Konstanz DE Germany (DE) University of York GB United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Debus, D., & Richardson, L. (2022). ‘Rather than Succour, My Memories Bring Eloquent Stabs of Pain’ On the Ambiguous Role of Memory in Grief. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 29(9-10), 36-62. https://doi.org/10.53765/20512201.29.9.036

MLA:

Debus, Dorothea, and Louise Richardson. "‘Rather than Succour, My Memories Bring Eloquent Stabs of Pain’ On the Ambiguous Role of Memory in Grief." Journal of Consciousness Studies 29.9-10 (2022): 36-62.

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