Abstract
This paper reviews some reasons for us believing that dreams are phenomenally
conscious experiences. I point out that if dreams would be such then one should
be able to draw analogies between them and waking conscious experiences at the
level of folk psychology, behavior, and neuroanatomy. Instead, we find
disanalogies at all these levels, so while we may have no strong reason to accept
that dreams are unconscious, we have good reason to think they are different from
conscious experiences. A safer bet is to think that they form a distinct sui generis
psychological category. Sleep science should wait for consciousness science and
until then treat its subject matter as distinct.
conscious experiences. I point out that if dreams would be such then one should
be able to draw analogies between them and waking conscious experiences at the
level of folk psychology, behavior, and neuroanatomy. Instead, we find
disanalogies at all these levels, so while we may have no strong reason to accept
that dreams are unconscious, we have good reason to think they are different from
conscious experiences. A safer bet is to think that they form a distinct sui generis
psychological category. Sleep science should wait for consciousness science and
until then treat its subject matter as distinct.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | TRUE COLORS, TIME AFTER TIME Essays Honoring Valtteri Arstila |
| Editors | Alexander Carruth, Heidi Haanila, Paavo Pylkkänen, Pii Telakivi |
| Place of Publication | Turku, Finland |
| Pages | 53-69 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-951-29-9960-6 |
| Publication status | Published - 2024 |