Matthew Watts

Semantic memory is often conceptualized as a storage space for an extensive assortment of explicit knowledge structures, formed as the result of a chronic, unconscious mechanism of abstraction and generalization. Against that, I argue that it is not the product of a dedicated system in which content is abstracted from experiences and stored, rather it’s best understood as split between what can be called mnemonic efforts and mnemonic habits. Mnemonic efforts are the effortful expression of semantic knowledge and often take the form of the determination of similarities among multiple episodic memory traces activated in parallel. Mnemonic habits on the other hand form as a result of fluency of constructive memory processes that can be broadly understood as embodied, or enacted.

Across the American wasteland, we encounter entities constructed from steel and circuits, but who engage in complex thought, possess intricate emotions, and forge meaningful relationships with their environment and fellow inhabitants. Robobrains present particularly unsettling cases, as their mechanical frames house the recycled brains of humans from a bygone era, compelling players to consider whether remnants of human cognition confer full personhood onto these cyborg hybrids. Similarly, Mister Gutsy units and Protectrons demonstrate sophisticated moral reasoning within military or civil protocols, yet their behaviors can be radically reprogrammed at the whim of wasteland survivors wielding rudimentary hacking tools. This chapter argues that the rich tapestry of synthetic beings in Fallout—ranging from empathic Synths striving for freedom, through the disquietingly human Robobrains, to the whimsical and morally nuanced Securitrons—illuminates deep philosophical discussions about memory, reason, psychological continuity, and the importance of physical embodiment. By examining these varied artificial beings and their interactions with the post-apocalyptic environment, we gain insights into enduring philosophical questions about what it truly means to be recognized as a person.

This paper explores the creation and transformative potential of the "Ms. Frizzle Approach" in philosophy education. Inspired by Montessori pedagogy, and my time spent during undergrad in a philosophy for children program, this approach developed from my own teaching experiences and emphasizes inviting students to “take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.” By fostering trust and encouraging students to lean into their own interests and abilities, the approach reframes assignments as opportunities for exploration, and expression, rather than rigid assessments.