Meaning
Retrieval of information from the past involves the reconstruction of events by the human brain. Every recollection is influenced by current feelings and the natural fading of memory over time. It is the least reliable form of evidence in any formal dispute regarding the founding of a company.
Internal Subjectivity
Personal perspectives color the way a person remembers a conversation or a decision. Although a recollection feels like a direct window to the past, it is actually a new creation every time it is summoned. This makes it a poor tool for determining the exact terms of an agreement.
Modification Risk
External pressure or a desire to be right can unconsciously alter the details of what a person remembers. A recollection is not a static file but a living narrative that changes to fit the current needs of the individual. This is why written records are preferred in every administrative process.
Comparison Utility
Accounts from different people are compared to find the common ground where they agree. While an individual recollection is flawed, a group of similar memories can point toward a general truth. The record of these memories provides a starting point for investigation but never the final answer.
The thought is the ghost of the fact.
