Forgetting: The New Science of Memory

Racking your brain? Drawing a blank? Maybe it’s not such a bad thing...

Until recently, it was largely believed that forgetting served no purpose. Besides causing slight frustration, the odd slip of the mind was thought of as an inevitable but harmless defect in the brain’s functionality.

But new research in psychology, neurobiology, and computer science tells a different story. Forgetting is not a failure of our minds, nor is it a benign glitch – it is, in fact, good for us, and is a required function for our minds to work best. As annoying as a lapse can be, it’s precisely this that opens up our minds to making better decisions, experiencing joy, and flourishing artistically.

Through case studies, personal anecdotes, and scientific explanations, Professor Scott A. Small challenges the conventional wisdom that memory retention is always beneficial. He provides a comprehensive look at the benefits that forgetting can bring to our cognitive and creative abilities, emotional well-being, and even our wider societal health.

So the next time you forget where you left your keys, remember that a little forgetting does a lot of good.

Praise for Forgetting:

‘Brilliant' - Bill Clinton

‘Fascinating and useful’ - Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of The Code Breaker and Leonardo da Vinci

‘Upbeat’ - The Wall Street Journal

© 2025 Dr Scott A. Small (P) 2025 DK Audio

Professor Scott A. Small is the director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University. He has published more than 140 studies on memory function and malfunction, research that has been covered by The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Time. His insight into Alzheimer's disease recently led to the formation of Retromer Therapeutics, a new biotechnology company, which he co-founded.