Do dreams have meanings? Are dreams visions for the future, a past

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In summary, the current understanding is that dreams do not predict the future or reflect past lives. They are a way for our subconscious to process events and can provide insight into our thoughts and feelings. However, assigning too much meaning to them may be risky. There is no widely accepted explanation for dreams, but the most commonly held theory is that they are a way for our brain to reorganize and make sense of information. There is no set number of scientists needed to accept a theory for it to have merit, but the strongest evidence and agreement among scientists are factors that contribute to its acceptance.
  • #1
kaitlynnicole
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Do dreams have meanings?
Are dreams visions for the future, a past life?
Or are they just images that our subconscious just makes up?
 
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  • #2


Current understanding is that dreams do not portend the future and that there is no such thing as past lives.

They are - to some extent - an attempt on the part of our subsconscious to process events of our waking lives.

They can lend some insight into what you might be processing subconsciously, but there may be a risk in how much meaning we might assign to them. Some lines of thought carry it to an absurd degree, thinking they can quantify common symbols that span the population (like rivers mean money and trees mean relationships).
 
  • #3


But according to some cultures, they believe in past lives.How can you scientifically PROVE there is no past lifes?
 
  • #4


kaitlynnicole said:
But according to some cultures, they believe in past lives.How can you scientifically PROVE there is no past lifes?

We don't.
1] You cannot prove a negative. (eg. It is just as impossible to prove God does not exist.)
2] Science does not attempt to "prove" anything. Science develops theories to match observations.
3] The onus is on the claimant to demonstrate that past lives answer more questions than they raise. No one has come forward with convincing evidence that can be independently verified.
 
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  • #5


there is a dream documentary on netflix. it states we dream even out of rem. dreams are an evolutionary measure to keep us alive. a sort of simulation. preparing us to deal with different scenarios. fear, sex, conversation. also most nightmares occur during rem sleep.
 
  • #6


Another question:

Can you truly die in dreams?!
 
  • #7


kaitlynnicole said:
Another question:

Can you truly die in dreams?!

Well, since a dream is not reality, the literal answer to your question is yes - you could dream of your own death.

But I think the question you are asking is: could you die in real life while dreaming. To which the answer is also yes. You could suffer a heart attack for any of a number of reasons.

That being said, I think the question you are getting to is: if you dream you die, do you die in real life? To which the answer is no.
 
  • #8


Darken-Sol said:
dreams are an evolutionary measure to keep us alive. a sort of simulation. preparing us to deal with different scenarios. fear, sex, conversation.

There is currently no accepted explanation for dreams - nobody knows why we do so or why they occur, just many hypothesis.

I do hope mine aren't preparing me for scenarios, if they are, I'm not looking forward to the coming zombie apocalypse. :rolleyes:
 
  • #9


kaitlynnicole said:
Can you truly die in dreams?!

Nothing really to add to what Dave put above, but I will say that anytime I die in a dream I immediately wake up. Sometimes with an adrenaline rush or various other 'symptoms' of high stress situations.

There's no reason I can't see people dying from things like this, particularly stress brought on by dreams.
 
  • #10


DaveC426913 said:
They can lend some insight into what you might be processing subconsciously, but there may be a risk in how much meaning we might assign to them.

I regularly am presented with solutions in dreams to real life problems or to riddles which characters in my dreams set me but other characters in my dreams. It always amazes me that I can't think of solutions to problems when I am awake but when I am asleep I can dream about a riddle that I cannot answer then a guy from school that I haven't seen in a decade wanders past smoking a shisha whilst riding a bike and provides me with the answer! Dreams are very interesting but definitely not paranormal
 
  • #11


JaredJames said:
There is currently no accepted explanation for dreams - nobody knows why we do so or why they occur, just many hypothesis.

I do hope mine aren't preparing me for scenarios, if they are, I'm not looking forward to the coming zombie apocalypse. :rolleyes:

i dream about zombies alot. i was just pointing out what the documentary stated and that it is on netflix. "what are dreams? nova". its pretty interesting. lots of hypothesis and the tests they are using to draw conclusions. accepted? by who? i accept that dreams are the reordering of the information that i have yet to fully process. jumbled with similar memories and thoughts.
 
  • #12


Darken-Sol said:
accepted? by who?

Accepted widely as the current scientific theory on the matter.
 
  • #13


JaredJames said:
Accepted widely as the current scientific theory on the matter.

how widely? and which theories are closest to being that widely accepted. surely there more than one theory being tested. what's the cut off?
 
  • #14


Darken-Sol said:
how widely? and which theories are closest to being that widely accepted. surely there more than one theory being tested. what's the cut off?

There are quite a few theories being tested.

By widely accepted, it means the one with the strongest evidence and one that scientists agree upon for the most part.

Of course people will disagree, but until a better and stronger theory is put forward the above would stand.

At the moment, no one has much to go on with dreams.

No cut off, just hypothesise, test, show results - does it all stack up? Yes, then we go with it until something better.
 
  • #15


JaredJames said:
There are quite a few theories being tested.

By widely accepted, it means the one with the strongest evidence and one that scientists agree upon for the most part.

Of course people will disagree, but until a better and stronger theory is put forward the above would stand.

At the moment, no one has much to go on with dreams.

No cut off, just hypothesise, test, show results - does it all stack up? Yes, then we go with it until something better.

what i am asking is how many scientists need to accept a theory before it has some merit. 50%? 12? let's say there are so many theories on dreams out there that the most commonly held idea is like 2% of all theories. is that wide enough?
 
  • #16


Darken-Sol said:
what i am asking is how many scientists need to accept a theory before it has some merit. 50%? 12? let's say there are so many theories on dreams out there that the most commonly held idea is like 2% of all theories. is that wide enough?

Again, strongest evidence.

It doesn't matter how many people accept it if the evidence goes against them.

If every scientist turned around and said the theory of gravity is wrong, then it's just tough. The evidence says it's the best out there and so it stands.

The problem at the moment is that it is difficult to obtain evidence on this subject matter and as such there's not much floating around.
 
  • #17


well its not that there's not enough data. everyone dreams. even animals dream. it seems there is an issue with the quality of information suitable for testing. for example how would i test what i believe so others could examine the results. to me my dreams seem to consist of thoughts i don't have time to fully process. when i sleep they seem to collect with similar thoughts(like a folder on a computer). e.g. Scary Things or Anxiety. the result is a night mare with zombies, weird dialog, and being late for work. an amalgum of past and future fears and worries.
 
  • #18


You can't test subjective things as you describe there, but you can test the neurobiology of dreaming.

Don't confuse subjective dream content with tests such as above.

We already have a good outline of the brains state during sleep - we're working on working out why we dream, it's causes and it's uses. The content is fairly irrelevant, it's simply what about the brain is related to and creates it.

On these matters, there is limited to no data on the matter. We just don't know and it's extremely difficult to test.
 
  • #19


But like what JaredJames said about him waking up right when or right before he dies in his dream, it always happens. I always wake up from a nightmare right before I die either sweating, breathing hard, or (if I was stabbed or choked to death) I'd have a pain where i was stabbed or choked. It never fails.
 

1. Do dreams have meanings?

There is no definitive answer to this question as the interpretation of dreams is highly subjective. Some people believe that dreams are a way for our subconscious mind to process and make sense of our thoughts and emotions. Others believe that dreams have symbolic meanings and can offer insight into our deepest desires and fears.

2. Are dreams visions for the future?

There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that dreams can predict the future. However, some people may have experienced dreams that seem to have come true. This could be attributed to coincidence or the power of suggestion.

3. Are dreams a reflection of the past?

Dreams can be influenced by our past experiences, memories, and emotions. However, they are not a direct reflection of our past. Our dreams are often a mix of past and present, real and imaginary, and can be distorted or exaggerated versions of reality.

4. Do dreams have a purpose?

The purpose of dreams is still unknown, but some theories suggest that they serve as a way for our brain to process information and consolidate memories. Others believe that dreams allow us to explore our subconscious mind and tap into our creativity.

5. Can dreams be interpreted?

Dream interpretation is a highly debated topic. While some people believe that dreams have universal symbols and meanings, others argue that dream interpretation is highly personal and can vary from person to person. Ultimately, the meaning of dreams is open to individual interpretation and can be influenced by personal beliefs and experiences.

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