Trunov D.G. The Concepts of Dreams: Religious, Natural-Science and Psychological Models

Abstract: In this article Trunov describes the main historical models of the dreams concepts including metaphysical, natural-science and psychological models. According to the metaphysical model, the source of dreams is the other world and dreams are messages to a dreamer from that other world. Based on the natural-science model, dreams are a specific product of spontaneous activity produced by a sleeping mind and thus do not have any important meaning for a dreamer. Depending on the psychological model, the source of dreams is the mental sphere, namely, 'the unconscious', and dreams perform important psychological functions. The author of the article compares the aforesaid models based on the following criteria: the source of dreams, functions of dreams, reason of dreams, mechanism of dreaming and oneiropractices (dream interpretation practices). Description of the three main models and their criteria allows to analyze how these models are integrated in the individual consciousness. Our individual idea of what a dream is is based on the fragments of different models depending on the contents of a dream, our world view and other factors which allows us to create our own personal integrated model of dreams. 

Keywords: