《on dreams》

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on dreams- 第3部分


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sight is being stimulated; though in reality not so stimulated; that



we sometimes erroneously declare ourselves to see; or that; from the



fact that touch announces two movements; we think that the one



object is two。 For; as a rule; the governing sense affirms the



report of each particular sense; unless another particular sense; more



authoritative; makes a contradictory report。 In every case an



appearance presents itself; but what appears does not in every case



seem real; unless when the deciding faculty is inhibited; or does



not move with its proper motion。 Moreover; as we said that different



men are subject to illusions; each according to the different



emotion present in him; so it is that the sleeper; owing to sleep; and



to the movements then going on in his sensory organs; as well as to



the other facts of the sensory process; 'is liable to illusion'; so



that the dream presentation; though but little like it; appears as



some actual given thing。 For when one is asleep; in proportion as most



of the blood sinks inwards to its fountain 'the heart'; the internal



'sensory' movements; some potential; others actual accompany it



inwards。 They are so related 'in general' that; if anything move the



blood; some one sensory movement will emerge from it; while if this



perishes another will take its place; while to one another also they



are related in the same way as the artificial frogs in water which



severally rise 'in fixed succesion' to the surface in the order in



which the salt 'which keeps them down' becomes dissolved。 The



residuary movements are like these: they are within the soul



potentially; but actualize themselves only when the impediment to



their doing so has been relaxed; and according as they are thus set



free; they begin to move in the blood which remains in the sensory



organs; and which is now but scanty; while they possess verisimilitude



after the manner of cloud…shapes; which in their rapid metamorphoses



one compares now to human beings and a moment afterwards to



centaurs。 Each of them is however; as has been said; the remnant of



a sensory impression taken when sense was actualizing itself; and when



this; the true impression; has departed; its remnant is still



immanent; and it is correct to say of it; that though not actually



Koriskos; it is like Koriskos。 For when the person was actually



perceiving; his controlling and judging sensory faculty did not call



it Koriskos; but; prompted by this 'impression'; called the genuine



person yonder Koriskos。 Accordingly; this sensory impulse; which; when



actually perceiving; it 'the controlling faculty' describes (unless



completely inhibited by the blood); it now 'in dreams' when



quasi…perceiving; receives from the movements persisting in the



sense…organs; and mistakes it…an impulse that is merely like the



true 'objective' impression…for the true impression itself; while



the effect of sleep is so great that it causes this mistake to pass



unnoticed。 Accordingly; just as if a finger be inserted beneath the



eyeball without being observed; one object will not only present two



visual images; but will create an opinion of its being two objects;



while if it 'the finger' be observed; the presentation will be the



same; but the same opinion will not be formed of it; exactly so it



is in states of sleep: if the sleeper perceives that he is asleep; and



is conscious of the sleeping state during which the perception comes



before his mind; it presents itself still; but something within him



speaks to this effect: 'the image of Koriskos presents itself; but the



real Koriskos is not present'; for often; when one is asleep; there is



something in consciousness which declares that what then presents



itself is but a dream。 If; however; he is not aware of being asleep;



there is nothing which will contradict the testimony of the bare



presentation。



  That what we here urge is true; i。e。 that there are such



presentative movements in the sensory organs; any one may convince



himself; if he attends to and tries to remember the affections we



experience when sinking into slumber or when being awakened。 He will



sometimes; in the moment of awakening; surprise the images which



present themselves to him in sleep; and find that they are really



but movements lurking in the organs of sense。 And indeed some very



young persons; if it is dark; though looking with wide open eyes;



see multitudes of phantom figures moving before them; so that they



often cover up their heads in terror。



  From all this; then; the conclusion to be drawn is; that the dream



is a sort of presentation; and; more particularly; one which occurs in



sleep; since the phantoms just mentioned are not dreams; nor is any



other a dream which presents itself when the sense…perceptions are



in a state of freedom。 Nor is every presentation which occurs in sleep



necessarily a dream。 For in the first place; some persons 'when



asleep' actually; in a certain way; perceive sounds; light; savour;



and contact; feebly; however; and; as it were; remotely。 For there



have been cases in which persons while asleep; but with the eyes



partly open; saw faintly in their sleep (as they supposed) the light



of a lamp; and afterwards; on being awakened; straightway recognized



it as the actual light of a real lamp; while; in other cases;



persons who faintly heard the crowing of cocks or the barking of



dogs identified these clearly with the real sounds as soon as they



awoke。 Some persons; too; return answers to questions put to them in



sleep。 For it is quite possible that; of waking or sleeping; while the



one is present in the ordinary sense; the other also should be present



in a certain way。 But none of these occurrences should be called a



dream。 Nor should the true thoughts; as distinct from the mere



presentations; which occur in sleep 'be called dreams'。 The dream



proper is a presentation based on the movement of sense impressions;



when such presentation occurs during sleep; taking sleep in the strict



sense of the term。



  There are cases of persons who in their whole lives have never had a



dream; while others dream when considerably advanced in years;



having never dreamed before。 The cause of their not having dreams



appears somewhat like that which operates in the case of infants; and



'that which operates' immediately after meals。 It is intelligible



enough that no dream…presentation should occur to persons whose



natural constitution is such that in them copious evaporation is borne



upwards; which; when borne back downwards; causes a large quantity of



motion。 But it is not surprising that; as age advances; a dream should



at length appear to them。 Indeed; it is inevitable that; as a change



is wrought in them in proportion to age or emotional experience; this



reversal 'from non…dreaming to dreaming' should occur also。



                             THE END





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