Yes, but...
A mind palace consist of two steps: first, you imagine a location (loci, palace) real or fictitious and second, you must imagine a image association to your topic to memorize inside the location. Also, you need to make encoding to make your memorization simpler and quicker. The method of loci use the
First let's refer to the characters: Sherlock and Magnussen. They both memorize the information, it is not deduced. Though in the case of Sherlock if you are dedicated enough to memorize MO of criminals, statistics and more, it is understandable that he'd be able to make quick correlations between what he remembers and the problem at hand. Magnussen acquired information and memorized it, that's very ound. Both ways can be achieve with a lot of practice and dedication, unless you have curse gift (you have some autism plus better brain activity in memory).
Though thinking about how to survive a gunshot in 5 seconds (s2:e2) that's highly improbable.
For more about the method of loci and great feats of some famous mnemonists:
According to Pliny the Elder:
- The king Cyrus (memorized his army of 10k immortals)
- L. Scipio (could name the citizens of Rome, 200k+)
- The king Pyrrhus (knew the name of many in the city, the senate, the chivalry)
- The king Mithridates (reigned over 22 nations and commanded in their
languages)
- Charmidas(remembered the contents of books word by word)
Other mentions: Simonides Melicus, Metrodorus of Scepsis, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Cosmos Rossellius, Mateo Ricci(A Treatise On Mnemonics), Giordano Bruno, Francis Bacon, Rene Descartes, Robert Fludd, Johannes Romberch.
Note: I use this technique in my personal life for studying, knowledge and self development. An example of the effectiveness of this: I memorized the formulas of a class of math, then did the exercises from memory and in the exam I didn't even need to visit my palace, I have it integrated the information in my mind like if I knew these for a long time.