Faulty memory.

If you are accustomed to using MS-excel or other spreadsheet software, it may not be difficult to understand difference between directly entered value (fixed value) and value calculated from functional (or referential) input. If you enter a figure ‘24’ in cell B03, value of the figure ‘24’ will be displayed in the B03 cell. This ‘24’ is the directly entered value (fixed value). But if you enter ‘=A24’ in the cell B03, the same value as A24 cell will be displayed in the B03 cell. If figure ‘6’ is entered in the cell A24, the value ‘6’ will be displayed also in the B03 cell. If you change the figure of '6' in cell A24 into '9,' the value in the B03 cell also changes into '9' at the same time.

A merit of prevalence of spreadsheet software is, in my opinion, it has made mathematical concept of function clearly close to everyone.

Then, to which are all the photographs and moving images recorded by people around the world classified, fixed values or functional values? What about our memories? If referenced source had been manipulated, would our photos, DVD and memories have changed at the same time? Of course, I have never doubt that the photographs are fixed embodiments in this physical Universe. However, …

The other day, I pulled out an old DVD-R from my collection and watched a recorded program again. The program was recorded three years ago. I watched it a few times in the past since I recorded the program. This time, I found that a slight difference exist in a background scene between the scene displayed this time and the one recalled from my memory that was memorized 3 years ago. A kanji in advertising sign that I had remembered 3 years ago has changed into a similar Kanji that is slightly different from original one. The program was an old TV drama and the reason why I had remembered such a trivial matter was due to the fact that the meaning of the Kanji advertising sign had been the same as one of the names of the characters in the drama. When I watched three years ago, I speculated on the reason of its coincidence. But this time the coincidence isn't admitted.

Finally, I concluded that my faulty memory was the reason of the difference. If I admitted that my memory was correct, that would means bit-by-bit manipulation of moving images technology was used. It may be possible in principle. But in my case, I can’t suppose such a treatment had been done.

This story on my falty memory ends here. But I can’t help but generalize this experience. In the ‘Back to the future’ movie, a snapshot that changed with the space-time manipulation was an important subsidary object. And in the famous movie below, a photograph on an old newspaper was an important key.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM-WrqE4_Jc

Have all the photographs and moving images recorded by people around the world really not changed at all so far? If manipulation of space-time is possible, does the analogy of functional input to spreadsheet apply to our photos, DVD and memories?