From: Scott Badger (wbadger@psyberlink.net)
Date: Fri Aug 07 1998 - 16:48:24 MDT
Joe E. Dees <jdees0@students.uwf.edu> wrote:
Dreaming is a way for the brain to function more efficiently by
sifting the day's stimuli for novel or useful memories, comparing/
contrasting them with previously filed data, and shifting those
selected for retention into longer-term storage (and dumping the
rest) while it is disconnected (offline) from the cerebral load
imposed by the exigencies of interaction with the perception-action
manifold. If we had to process our perceptions and react to them at
the same time we selected for relevance and stored the selections,
the cognitive complexity requirements of such massive multitasking
would entail such massive brains that we would probably have to
carry them around in wheelbarrows. Joe
I've heard this explanation before and it never satisfies me. What does
this alleged daily sifting process have to do with the complex stories that
evolve, and the fact that dreams are often recurring? Dreams often have
nothing to do whatever with the days eevents. I've even had dreams that
were purely aural; rich symphonic music that I feel certain I am
spontaneously composing. This can easily happen on a day when I've heard no
music at all so what's being "sifted" here?
As for the lucid dreaming comment; I read a fascinating report about an
individual who was extraordinaryly good at it. He was instructed to wait
until he entered a lucid dreaming state, and then to communicate that fact
to the waking world by tapping out his name in code with his finger and was
able to do it. Imagine having conscious control of your dreams. You could
do anything, be anyone, go anywhere. Sound like fun? They have devices
that are designed to induce lucid dreams for those who want to train
themselves. I don't know whether they actually work or not.
SB
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