On Dreams
(Aristotle)
Since time began it has been our human nature to question the origin of dreams. In fact, it has become a controversial quest for some individuals to find the exact meaning of dreams. Aristotle does not seek to take meanings out of the dreams but seeks to give them a logical origin.
In fact, Aristotle gives us a lengthy explanation about dreams being the impressions of our senses. He states that just as an object will remain in motion after the object setting the item in motion is take away, so will our senses continue to perceive long after the stimulus has left. In fact, it will continue to perceive even after there is no object left to perceive.
It is interesting that although Aristotle seeks to give dreams a logical explanation, he still mentions the soul. In fact Aristotle states, ?They are in the soul.? Here he was referring to the dreams that are in the soul but are only released when our guards are lifted. To Aristotle this is when we are asleep and our bodies are not in motion.
In fact, he further believes that people who have eaten right before bed and infants do not have dreams or the dreams are distorted. This is because their blood is in motion. He uses the image of a reflection in liquid being dissipated or distorted by motion.
Aristotle also explains that our senses only seem real to us because we choose to believe them. He states that if we were having a dream and knew that we were doing so, we would not believe the images we were seeing.
He further states that perceptions have can be effected not only be the object that we perceive but by the organ which we use to perceive it. This he illustrates by giving an example of how when your body is moving, your eyes will perceive objects as in motion when it is really the eyes themselves that are in motion.
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