What Makes Us Who We Are?

Today on Far Future Horizons we present the fourth episode of the third season of Morgan Freeman’s Through the Wormhole which explores the mystery of self and individual identity.

What is it that gives each one of us a unique identity? As we move through life our outer appearances transform almost entirely. Our opinions and ideas change. Are we all born with a permanent sense of self or can our identities be altered?

As we move through life, our outer appearances transform almost entirely. Our opinions and ideas change. And yet we carry our overall identities our whole lives. Are we all born with a core sense of self or can our identities be altered by our experiences? Scientists are probing into our brains to find out.

The moment we are born, we all become involved in a philosophical research project as we try to figure out who we are. It's a process that happens in stages as we interact with the world and adapt to new situations. But the most profound realizations come to light when we unlock the astonishing power of the memory.

Some neuroscientists are scanning our brains to figure out how and where we store our memories. They believe we are all the sum of memories, and those memories help us chart our futures. But others are finding that our memories are not fixed and can be altered without us even knowing it.

Who would we be without memories? What if we could tinker with them and erase the painful ones that hold us back? Some scientists are finding ways to zap memories from our brains, while others are figuring out how to dull the emotional weight they carry.

If our memories are actually vulnerable, perhaps our identities live somewhere else — our dreams. As frightening as it may sound, one neuroscientist is trying to peer into our innermost thoughts and see what we are dreaming.

This episode of Through the Wormhole hosted by Morgan Freeman is available direct from Amazon.com.

Through the Wormhole - What Makes Us Who We Are?

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