[PHILOS-L] Reminder: Francesco Fanti Rovetta - Ruminative remembering and the flexibility of scenario construction (BGTMC Zoom talk, April 14, 12:15 CEST/18:15 Taiwan time)
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Juan F. Álvarez
Apr 10, 2026, 1:22:07 PM (yesterday) Apr 10
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Dear colleagues,
On behalf of the Bochum-Grenoble-Taipei Memory Colloquium, I am pleased to announce the talk “Ruminative remembering and the flexibility of scenario construction” by Francesco Fanti Rovetta (Ruhr University Bochum) on Tuesday, April 14th (12:15 CEST/18:15 Taiwan time).
Please join the Zoom meeting using the details below. Registration is not necessary.
On behalf of the Bochum-Grenoble-Taipei Memory Colloquium, I am pleased to announce the talk “Ruminative remembering and the flexibility of scenario construction” by Francesco Fanti Rovetta (Ruhr University Bochum) on Tuesday, April 14th (12:15 CEST/18:15 Taiwan time).
Please join the Zoom meeting using the details below. Registration is not necessary.
• Meeting ID: 988 5906 3721
• Password: 302355
Abstract: Ruminative remembering refers to episodic memory retrieval during a ruminative episode. Ruminative memories are negatively biased, self-referential, overgeneral, and represent the same (or a limited number of) episode(s) over and over (Hertel et al. 2021). Thus, a proper characterization of ruminative remembering requires us to consider not any single instance but the diachronic unfolding of retrieval processes. From a scenario construction perspective (Cheng 2026), the episodic memory system flexibly integrates a relatively stable memory trace with semantic information in the construction of a scenario. The activation of semantic information upon retrieval depends in part on the retrieval context (cue, mood, processing mode, goals). The variability of the retrieval context contributes to the constructive flexibility of scenario construction, such that diverse scenarios can be constructed from the same trace at different times. As a conceptual tool to characterize diachronic patterns of flexible/rigid scenario construction, I introduce the notion of scenario space. The scenario space is a similarity space of potential scenarios constructible via semantic completion on the basis of a given memory trace. Rumination, as a cognitive habit (Watkins & Nolen-Hoeksema 2014), provides a fixed retrieval context involving self-referential, repetitive, abstract thoughts and negative affect, explaining the rigidity of scenario construction in ruminative remembering.
This virtual colloquium series focuses on topics in the philosophy of memory and related areas, and also reaches out to philosophically interested researchers in the cognitive sciences. The colloquium is organized by the Centre for Philosophy of Memory at Université Grenoble Alpes (Kourken Michaelian and Denis Perrin), the Ruhr University Bochum (Markus Werning and Juan F. Álvarez), and the Institute of Philosophy of Mind and Cognition at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (Ying-Tung Lin and Chris McCarroll).
Here is the schedule for this semester:
14.04.2026 – Francesco Fanti Rovetta (Ruhr University Bochum)
28.04.2026 – Jessie Munton (University of Cambridge)
05.05.2026 – Kaspars Eihmanis (University of Latvia)
19.05.2026 – Carlotta Pavese (University of Oxford)
• Password: 302355
Abstract: Ruminative remembering refers to episodic memory retrieval during a ruminative episode. Ruminative memories are negatively biased, self-referential, overgeneral, and represent the same (or a limited number of) episode(s) over and over (Hertel et al. 2021). Thus, a proper characterization of ruminative remembering requires us to consider not any single instance but the diachronic unfolding of retrieval processes. From a scenario construction perspective (Cheng 2026), the episodic memory system flexibly integrates a relatively stable memory trace with semantic information in the construction of a scenario. The activation of semantic information upon retrieval depends in part on the retrieval context (cue, mood, processing mode, goals). The variability of the retrieval context contributes to the constructive flexibility of scenario construction, such that diverse scenarios can be constructed from the same trace at different times. As a conceptual tool to characterize diachronic patterns of flexible/rigid scenario construction, I introduce the notion of scenario space. The scenario space is a similarity space of potential scenarios constructible via semantic completion on the basis of a given memory trace. Rumination, as a cognitive habit (Watkins & Nolen-Hoeksema 2014), provides a fixed retrieval context involving self-referential, repetitive, abstract thoughts and negative affect, explaining the rigidity of scenario construction in ruminative remembering.
This virtual colloquium series focuses on topics in the philosophy of memory and related areas, and also reaches out to philosophically interested researchers in the cognitive sciences. The colloquium is organized by the Centre for Philosophy of Memory at Université Grenoble Alpes (Kourken Michaelian and Denis Perrin), the Ruhr University Bochum (Markus Werning and Juan F. Álvarez), and the Institute of Philosophy of Mind and Cognition at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (Ying-Tung Lin and Chris McCarroll).
Here is the schedule for this semester:
14.04.2026 – Francesco Fanti Rovetta (Ruhr University Bochum)
28.04.2026 – Jessie Munton (University of Cambridge)
05.05.2026 – Kaspars Eihmanis (University of Latvia)
19.05.2026 – Carlotta Pavese (University of Oxford)
16.06.2026 – Tony Cheng (Waseda Institute of Advanced Study)
23.06.2026 – Juan Diego Bogotá (University of Jyväskylä)
07.07.2026 – Santiago Amaya (Rice University)
23.06.2026 – Juan Diego Bogotá (University of Jyväskylä)
07.07.2026 – Santiago Amaya (Rice University)
For further details, see the colloquium webpages: https://phil-mem.org/seminars/bochum-grenoble-taipei.php and https://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/phil-lang/MemoryColloquium.html#BGTMC_2025_2026
We look forward to seeing you.
On behalf of the organizers,
Juan
We look forward to seeing you.
On behalf of the organizers,
Juan
Juan F. Álvarez
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