The Role Of Dreams Essay -- essays research papers

Are dreams a source of reliable divination? Generations upon generations look to bring forth thought so. They incubated dreams by travelling afar, by fasting and by zesty in all(prenominal) other manners of self deprivation or intoxication. With the exception of this highly dubious role, dreams do seem to have tether important functions a. To process repressed emotions (wishes, in Freuds speech) and other mental mental ability which was suppressed and stored in the unconscious. b. To order, classify and, generally, to pigeonhole conscious experiences of the day or days preceding the dreaming (day residues). A partial converging with the former function is inevitable some sensory commentary signal is immediately relegated to the darker and dimmer kingdoms of the subconscious and unconscious without being consciously processed at all. c. To stay in touch with the outside world. External sensory input is interpreted by the dream and represented in its unique terminology of s ymbols and disjunction. Research has shown this to be a rare event, independent of the timing of the stimuli during kip or immediately prior to it. Still, when it does happen, it seems that even when the interpretation is dead victimize the substantial information is preserved. A collapsing bedpost (as in Maurys famous dream) will suit a French guillotine, for instance. The message conserved there is physical riskiness to the neck and head.All three functions are part of a much(prenominal) larger one The continuous adjustment of the imitate one has of ones self and of ones place in the world to the incessant stream of sensory (external) input and of mental (internal) input. This model modification is carried out through an intricate, symbol laden, communion between the dreamer and himself. It probably also has therapeutic side benefits. It would be an over-simplification to say that the dream carries messages (even if we were to limit it to correspondence with ones self). T he dream does not seem to be in a position of privileged knowledge. The dream functions more than like a good friend would listening, advising, sharing experiences, providing access to upstage territories of the mind, putting events in perspective and in proportion and provoking. It, thus, induces relaxation and credenza and a better functioning of the client. It does so, somely, by analysing discrepancies and incompatibilities. No question that i... ...d to one tenth their size without appreciably losing information. The same principle is utilise in speed reading skimming the unnecessary bits, getting straight person to the point. The dream employs the same principles it skims, it gets straight to the point and from it to yet another point. This creates the brainiac of being erratic, of abruptness, of the absence of spatial or temporal logic, of purposelessness. But this all serves the same purpose to succeed to finish the Herculean task of refitting the model of the Sel f and of the World in one night. Thus, the selection of visuals, symbols, and collective symbols and of the discontinuous mode of presentation, their preference over alternative methods of representation is not accidental. This is the nigh economic and unambiguous way of representation and, therefore, the most efficient and the most in compliance with the four principles. In cultures and societies, where the mass of information to be processed is less mountainous these features are less likely to legislate and indeed, they dont. SourcesSam Vaknins Psychology, Philosophy, Economics and Foreign AffairsWeb Sites found at www.geocities.com/vaksam