Bibliographical data for
Author
Title of Edited Collection
Open MIND
Editors
Publication Date
January 2015
Publication Place
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
ISBN
9783958570672
Abstract
Sleep and dreaming do not serve a single biological function, but are multifunctional. Their functions include memory consolidation and integration, emotion regulation, creativity and problem solving, and preparation for waking life. One promising level of description is that of dreaming as a virtual reality: The dreamer interacts with a simulated environment including other simulated avatars. While dreaming can be considered a multifunctional general reality simulator, the threat simulation and social simulation functions of dreaming are unique among other dream functions in their ability to explain a striking feature of dream phenomenology: obliviousness towards the true state of mind.