Cognitive Entities and Memory

[Fatikis he/him]

I've been discussing Cognitive entities with some friends. There seems to be a very common thread.
When a cognitive entity crosses from the Cognitive realm into the physical realm they lose nearly all memory.

The first example we have is Spren.
Spren have no physical body. On crossing into the physical realm they lose nearly all sentience and ability to retain memories until bonded to a Radiant.

On Nalthis we have the Returned.
On death the soul returns to the cognitive realm where they are offered to come back as Returned. The Returned are then stapled back into their physical body with a divine breath. With this process they lose nearly all memory. Some Returned sporadically trigger some memories of their former life.

Shades on Threnody
Shades on Threnody appear to be cognitive entities shoved into the physical realm. It is unclear if any of the original being's consciousness survives. A small amount of themselves may exist however the majority of self is lost.

On Scadrial we have Leras.
Leras's physical being appears to have died long ago. During the entire events of Secret History it is clear that his cognitive entity does not remember the majority of himself. His cognitive entity seems to be trying to continue a plan that he created when he was whole. Leras is clearly occasionally touching the physical realm as we seem him interact with Elend.

The only counterargument for this I can find is the Heralds. The Heralds are cognitive entities and I cannot find any reference to mental degradation. It is possible that the heralds are bound to their physical body even in death. This could prevent the decay of transferring from the cognitive realm into the physical.

Kandra
While Kandra are not cognitive entities it is of interest that losing a spike corrupts a Kandra's memories. They experience very similar effects to what happens to other cognitive beings.

We also know that Kelsier spent a very long time as a cognitive shadow. He then went to the South claiming to be The Lord Ruler. Is it plausible that Kelsier thought that he was The Lord Ruler? A being that returned from death itself. A sliver of divinity. If so suddenly worshiping allomancers makes a lot of sense. This doesn't seem like something Kelsier would teach, but it does sound a lot like The Lord Ruler.
 

Edited June 7, 2018 by Fatikis

[Wandering Investor]

On 6/6/2018 at 9:30 PM, Fatikis said:

Leras's physical being appears to have died long ago. During the entire events of Secret History it is clear that his cognitive entity does not remember the majority of himself. His cognitive entity seems to be trying to continue a plan that he created when he was whole. Leras is clearly occasionally touching the physical realm as we seem him interact with Elend.

Leras did not actually die long ago. He sacrificed his mind to create Ruin's prison. This severely crippled Preservation's mental functions, but was not fatal by itself. It did cripple his ability to fight back against Ruin, basically promising his death eventually. But he did not die in till the scene with Elend, which mentions Leras' body falling out of the mist shortly after.  

 

On 6/6/2018 at 9:30 PM, Fatikis said:

The only counterargument for this I can find is the Heralds. The Heralds are cognitive entities and I cannot find any reference to mental degradation. It is possible that the heralds are bound to their physical body even in death. This could prevent the decay of transferring from the cognitive realm into the physical.

.OB Spoiler

Spoiler

Roshar is a little pattern breaking. Both the Fused and the Heralds retained their memories after becoming a cognitive shadow. Even rebirth did not immediately break them, although the fused show severe mental damage after multiple rebirths. The Heralds might experience degradation, but it is hard to be sure if their current states are from rebirths or from thousands of years of torture

Edited June 8, 2018 by Wandering Investor
OB spoiler outside of OB board

[The One Who Connects he/him]

On 6/6/2018 at 9:30 PM, Fatikis said:

Spren have no physical body. On crossing into the physical realm they lose nearly all sentience and ability to retain memories until bonded to a Radiant.

I've seen several people mention that this doesn't happen to all Spren, pertaining to OB Spoilers

[Wandering Investor]

1 hour ago, The One Who Connects said:

I've seen several people mention that this doesn't happen to all Spren, pertaining to OB Spoilers

Wyndle mentions his people took steps to send him over in WoR.