Esomnemism is an ism that says we do not store memories in the brain. Instead we use the brain to "look" into the past.

The experience of using esomnemism would be identical to the experience of using stored memories. The only way we can determine if esomnemism is in fact true is by understanding the physiology of the brain, specifically the parts involved in memory.

If esomnemism is true, it obviously isn't perfect. We cannot see the past clearly - we forget things. This may be because 1) our "vision" into the past is not 20/20, it is flawed; 2) we can only "see" things that we actually did observe at the time; 3) because of multipathism, there are many possible pasts.

Esomnemism, though perhaps true in itself, is also very useful in arguing multimnemism.

Evidence for esomnemism

1. The shear volume of memories that we have access to is amazing. It seems like a lot of information for a "mere" 100 billion neurons. If those memories are not actually stored in the brain, it frees up a lot of room.

2. Recent studies have shown that the parts of the brain responsible for recalling memories are the same parts that are responsible for the observation. For example, recalling a visual scene utilizes the visual cortex.

3. Not evidence per se, but there are theories that neurons may interface with the quantum world. See quamepsychism. The quantum world may give us access to the past.

Evidence against

1. There is no correlation that I know of between amnesia and blindness. This fact weakens a possible link between memory and the senses.