The Commited JUNE 2021 | Page 29

symbols needed to be analyzed . Dream incubation was another well-known practice in many ancient civilizations and its application was nearly identical in all societies . During dream incubation , the dreamer would sleep in a temple , expecting a dream to enlighten a problem and guide the dreamer . According to a professor of religious history at the University of Strasbourg , Jean-Marie Husser , dreams were seen as a “ recognized means of access to divine wisdom ” by the people of the Old Testament world ( meaning the time and place covered by the first part of the Bible .)
Dreams in Philosophy
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When it comes to philosophers , the amount of curiosity increases , since they love asking questions . Many philosophers have questioned throughout history : “ Where do dreams come from ? Do they have a deeper meaning ? Can they predict our future ?” The famous neurologist Sigmund Freud and psychiatrist Carl Jung claimed that dreams are the unconscious pursuits of the human mind . Other philosophers believed that dreams were a bridge between the human soul and the supernatural world . They called these “ true dreams ”. Centuries later , a modern philosopher named Norman Malcolm denied that dreams have any meaning and argued that people can ’ t be mentally active when sleeping .
The Science of Dreams
The philosophers ’ questions didn ’ t remain as questions but have turned into answers , by means of science . There is even an independent branch of science , called “ oneirology ” - the scientific study of dreams . Scientists believe that there ’ s a relationship between dreaming and brain functions . So much so that certain parts of oneirology overlaps with neurology . They seek to understand how our