Abstract Accepted

Dream Consciousness And Dream Argument

Abstract: -

The Nature, origin and functions of consciousness are some of the great mysteries of human existence. Scientists have tried to study “consciousness” and altered states of consciousness. Dreaming is one such altered state of consciousness, in which picture stories are constructed based on memories and current concerns or on images. Neurology and other sciences have deciphered the process of dreaming which is universal. However it doesn’t explain the unique experience of every dreamer and unique content of the dream, which is studied by psychoanalytic thinkers like Freud, Carl Jung and Boss. This study emphasizes three qualities about the experience of dreams.

a) Its similarities with real waking life experience.
b) Unique way of introducing meaning into our experiences.
c) The quality of dream consciousness, which makes us believe that what we are experiencing is reality and which gets falsified after waking experience.

On the basis of these qualities the dream consciousness argument in Western Philosophy and Upanishadic Philosophy is formulated. They proclaim that we may arise at such a level of consciousness wherein our life experience may be proved to be just a dream.

The argument becomes difficult to refute for us who have daily experience of dreaming, which is quite similar to our waking life.

Key words: Dreams, consciousness, Interpretation of Dreams, Quality of Dream Consciousness, and Levels of consciousness