According to Strümpell,[66] some logical mental operations based on
relations and connections disappear in the dream—naturally also at
points where the nonsense is not obvious (p. 26). According to
Spitta,[64] (p. 148) the presentations in the dream are entirely
withdrawn from the laws of causality. Radestock[54] and others emphasize
the weakness of judgment and decision in the dream. According to
Jodl[37] (p. 123), there is no critique in the dream, and no correcting
of a series of perceptions through the content of the sum of
consciousness. The same author states that “all forms of conscious
activity occur in the dream, but they are imperfect, inhibited, and
isolated from one another.” The contradictions manifested in the dream
towards our conscious knowledge are explained by Stricker[77][78] (and
many others), on the ground that facts are forgotten in the dream and
logical relations between presentations are lost (p. 98), &c., &c.
The authors who in general speak thus unfavourably about the psychic
capacities in the dream, nevertheless admit that the dream retains a
certain remnant of psychic activity. Wundt,[76] whose teaching has
influenced so many other workers in the dream problems, positively
admits this. One might inquire as to the kind and behaviour of the
remnants of the psychic life which manifest themselves in the dream. It
is now quite universally acknowledged that the reproductive capacity,
the memory in the dream, seems to have been least affected; indeed it
may show a certain superiority over the same function in the waking life
(_vid. supra_, p. 10), although a part of the absurdities of the dream
are to be explained by just this forgetfulness of the dream life.
According to Spitta,[64] it is the emotional life of the psyche that is
not overtaken by sleep and that then directs the dream. “By emotion
[“Gemüth”] we understand the constant comprehension of the feelings as
the inmost subjective essence of man” (p. 84).
Scholz[59] (p. 37) sees a psychic activity manifested in the dream in
the “allegorising interpretation” to which the dream material is
subjected. Siebeck[62] verifies also in the dream the “supplementary
interpretative activity” (p. 11) which the mind exerts on all that is
perceived and viewed. The judgment of the apparently highest psychic
function, the consciousness, presents for the dream a special
difficulty. As we can know anything only through consciousness, there
can be no doubt as to its retention; Spitta, however, believes that only
consciousness is retained in the dream, and not self-consciousness.
Delbœuf[16] confesses that he is unable to conceive this
differentiation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account