From: Durant Schoon (durant@ilm.com)
Date: Mon Jun 25 2001 - 12:01:43 MDT
> From: "Ben Houston" <ben@exocortex.org>
>
> Durant Schoon said:
> > I've had a pet theory for a while that dreaming is used to strengthen
> and
> > weaken conceptual relationships while we sleep.
>
> That's actually been an aspect of the dominant theory of what happens
> when we sleep. Thus, there might be a simple reason why things seem
> clearer after a good night's sleep. ;-)
The last thing I read about dreaming was the PONS theory in Chemical
States of Consciousness by Hobson...but's I don't even remember what
that theory is...I'll have to check that again.
The book did explain why dreams are hard to remember: something about
a critical neurochemical for memory not being present during dreaming.
Lots of other good stuff about halucinations and the balance between
the cholinergic and aminergic (sp) neurochemical systems in the brain
(sleeping / waking...I might have the order backwards).
I remember reading (but not in that book) that there was a recent
experiment conducted where subjects played videogames all day long
and their brain activity was being monitored. At night when they
slept the researchers showed that their brain was quite active in
the same area as game play, as if they were "rehersing". I think there
was something similar done with rats and mazes and improved skills
after sleeping / dreaming.
> Durant Schoon said:
> > Using spare cycles to compare one's own mental structures with the
> mental
> > structures of others one is likely to come into concact with, so that
> > at the time of actual communication, one already knows which symbols
> are
> > shared.
>
> I am not sure if this is a good idea. Do you really want to be learning
> concepts from someone else without putting critical thought into it?
> But maybe it is decent...
That's a step further than what I was thinking. I was merely proposing
that a list of similarities (to public beliefs) be created, so that if
you're communicating with me, you can subconsciously check the results
of communal dreaming to see if we share a similar concept.
The only information gathered would be a list of what is *similar*
(perhaps what is different, too). That list could be consulted for
determining whether to send me an experience or just reference to one
of our common beliefs.
-- Durant Schoon
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