Chapter 11

 In the beginning of chapter 11 the author tells the story of Simonides and relates it to Kairos. The gods Castor and Pollux are used as an example of Kairos because they sent a message for Simonides to come outside at the opportune moment which saved the mans life from the building falling in. However the main purpose of the chapter is to demonstrate how memory is related to the concept of Kairos. The chapter relates how Kairos and memory are alike in many ways, both require an attunment with the audience, they can make or break an argument, and the are the solid foundation for oral arguments.

Another concept discussed is the difference between and artificial memory and a natural memory. Even today this is a very applicable concept of learning and memory. A natural memory is what we use every day to recall certain situations or things people have said. An artificial memory is how we train our brain to remember things, for example associating a memory with a song would be an artificial memory. In a way artificial memory is the equivalent of studying. The most famous practitioners of artificial memory were the sophists and one in particular by the name of Hippias. He was known for his amazing ability to recollect extensive information and names. One type of memory is cultural memory which is a communal memory such as family stories or poems created to pass down memories through generations. Another type of memory is organizational memory in which we use a sequence to remember information, such as counting or the alphabet and associating that sequence with a memory such as fingers or food with the same first letter. Lastly we use literacy to remember things by recording them in books, electronicly, and paraphrasing so that we can return to the idea and recall it from our memory.