Do your dreams have a meaning?

The Scientific Literature of Dream-Problems

This overview will provide a brief account of earlier views on dreams and the current status of the dream-problem in contemporary science. Despite thousands of years of study, little progress has been made in the scientific understanding of dreams, a fact universally acknowledged by earlier writers on the subject. The educated layperson, naturally, knows even less about the topic.

Early Views on Dreams

The conceptions of dreams held by prehistoric peoples and their influence on the formation of their views of the universe and the soul are significant topics, but I will not explore them in depth here. For those interested, I refer to the works of Sir John Lubbock (Lord Avebury), Herbert Spencer, and E. B. Tylor. These early ideas remind us of the importance of these problems and speculations in the broader context of dream interpretation.

Dreams in Classical Antiquity

In classical antiquity, dreams were generally believed to be linked to the supernatural world, serving as predictions of the future or warnings. However, Aristotle was among the first to regard dreams as a psychological problem, stating that dreams were not divine revelations but subject to human nature. According to Aristotle, the dream was the psychic activity of the sleeper, revealing subtle physical sensations that might indicate health issues.

Antique Philosophical Perspectives

In ancient times, philosophers divided dreams into true and valuable dreams that foretold future events and vain, misleading dreams. The dream’s supernatural origin was in keeping with ancient conceptions of the universe, where psychic experiences were often projected as external realities.

Dreams and the Supernatural in Modern Times

The belief in the supernatural origin of dreams persists even today, with some people basing their religious beliefs on dream phenomena. Some modern thinkers, including mystics and pietists, still debate the prophetic power of dreams, despite the inadequacy of psychological explanations to fully account for the material amassed through centuries of study.

The State of Dream Science

Writing a history of our scientific knowledge of dreams is challenging, as no real progress has been made in a clear direction. Every new researcher approaches the same problems as if starting from scratch. While some authors have attempted to address dream-related issues in the literature, significant progress is lacking.

Recent Developments in Dream Interpretation

In recent years, more attention has been given to my contributions to dream interpretation. However, the variety of new contentions and problems raised by other authors has made it difficult to continue a comprehensive summary. I have reviewed valuable material from recent literature as part of the following exposition.

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