Dreams have fascinated philosophers

Dreams have fascinated philosophers for thousands of years, but only recently have dreams been subjected to empirical research and scientific study. Chances are that you've often found yourself puzzling over the content of a dream, or perhaps you've wondered why you dream at all. First, let's start by answering a basic question: What is a dream? A dream can include any of the images, thoughts and emotions that are experienced during sleep. Dreams can be extraordinarily vivid or very vague; filled with joyful emotions or frightening images, focused and understandable or unclear and confusing.

Why do we dream? What purpose do dreams serve? While many theories have been proposed about the reason and function of dreams, no consensus has emerged. Considering the time, we spend in a dreaming state, the fact that researchers do not yet understand the purpose of dreams. Sometimes dreams may seem baffling. However, it is important to consider that science is still unraveling the exact purpose and function of sleep itself. Some researchers suggest that dreams serve no real purpose, while others believe that dreaming is essential to mental, emotional and physical well-being. Next, let's learn more about some of the most prominent dream theories.

Consistent with the psychoanalytic perspective, Sigmund Freud's theory of dreams suggests that dreams are a representation of subconscious desires, thoughts and motivations. According to Freud, people are driven by aggressive and sexual instincts that are repressed from conscious awareness. While these thoughts are not consciously expressed, they find their way into our awareness via dreams. In his famous book 'The Interpretation of Dreams' (1899), Freud wrote that dreams are “… disguised fulfillments of repressed wishes."

Freud’s theory contributed to the popularity of dream interpretation. Following his paths many theorists came up with their own ideas about dreams.

 

1.Choose the correct answer from the alternatives.                                                      10×0.5=05

(a)The word ‘puzzling’ stands for______.

            (i) horrifying    (ii)terrifying                 (iii)perplexing (iv) sneering

(b) Empirical research on dream is________.

(i) recent                      (ii)old               (iii)past            (iv) current

(c)The word ‘fascinate’ mentioned in the passage means_____.

(i)repulsive      (ii) unattractive            (iii) ugly           (iv) captivate

(d) For which one as mentioned in the passage, dreaming is not essential?

(i) mental well being                            (ii) physical well being

 

(iii) emotional well being                     (iv) anger management

(e)The word ‘empirical’ mentioned in the passage means______.

 

(i) experimental           (ii) imaginative            (iii) fanciful     (iv) unpractical

(f) Sigmund Freud's theory of dreams says that dreams are a representation of ______

(i) conscious desires                (ii) unconscious desires

 

(iii) sad memories                    (iv) happy memories

(g) Which of the following is the correct meaning of ‘unravel’?

            (i) riddle           (ii) baffle         (iii) conceal      (iv) unriddle

(h) According to Freud, people are driven by___________.

(i) compromising instincts        (ii) defensive instincts

 

(iii) fearful instincts                 (iv) antagonistic instincts

(i) The word extraordinarily mentioned in the passage means______.

(i) normally      (ii) exceptionally         (iii) commonly (iv) hardly

(j) The word “vivid” mentioned in the passage means______.

(i)dull               (i)weak                        (iii) vague                    (iv)eloquent

 

2. Answer the following questions.                                                                              5×2=10

a. Give a definition of dream in your own words. Write your answer in not more than two sentences.

b. What purpose do dreams serve according to the researchers? Explain in two sentences.

c. Science is still unraveling the exact purpose and function of sleep itself.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.

d. Why do we often find ourselves puzzling over the content of a dream? Describe in brief.

e. How did Sigmund Freud define dreams in his famous book “The Interpretation of Dreams”?

3. Make a flow chart showing different aspect of dreams.

 

 

4. Write synonym and antonym of the following words.

a. fascinate (antonym)

b. perhaps (synonym)

c. include(synonym)

d. understandable(synonym)

e. consensus (antonym)

f. baffling (synonym)

g. prominent(synonym)

h. Consistent(antonym)

i. motivation(synonym)

j. awareness(synonym)