Is it possible to remember something that never actually happened?

In his latest book, “The Magic Of Reality: How We Know What’s Really True,” Richard Dawkins suggests that it is. Could False Memory Syndrome be at the root of most paranormal encounters?

False Memory Syndrome

False Memory Syndrome occurs when an individual has “memories that are factually incorrect but are strongly believed.” An important excerpt from Wikipedia clarifies the condition:

Note that the syndrome is not characterized by false memories as such. We all have memories that are inaccurate. Rather, the syndrome may be diagnosed when the memory is so deeply ingrained that it orients the individual’s entire personality and lifestyle, in turn disrupting all sorts of other adaptive behavior…False Memory Syndrome is especially destructive because the person assiduously avoids confrontation with any evidence that might challenge the memory.

This is not a new theory. In fact, it’s been around since at least the early 1990s.

However, this current hypothesis comes in response to the recent increase in UFO sightings around the world, as well as the growing number of strange phone calls received by police.

Dawkins and others feel that conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and even sleep paralysis (occurring during hypnagogia, perhaps accompanied by hallucinations) are the most likely culprits.

There are, of course, many who oppose this theory. Anyone who has ever witnessed a UFO, ghost, or other extraordinary entity will likely disregard it.

Have you ever witnessed something strange? How well do you trust yourself that it actually happened?

Image courtesy GE Healthcare.