Thread: What dreams?

i assume it takes a certain mental capacity to dream. i know nothing about brain chemistry so i don't know if insects dream... but you have to think it wouldn't be much of a dream if they did. i suppose memory capacity would be big... you know like the gold fish with a 3 second memory? ... he probably doesn't dream too often.

That is a good point Adidas. fish are mammels, Right? I too would have to queation their abilty to dream.
I forgot to mention reptiles as well. (they are very odd creatures)
As far as insects not only do they dream, but do they sleep?

Nope, fish are not mammals. Nor are reptiles.

I think that only mammels dream (however u spell it). ( I didnt read all tha replys so i hope no one already said that.)

I wonder what dogs dream about? Or whether they know that they are dreaming.

My girlfriends cat often turns up in my dreams in unusual locations, perhaps it is a shared dream?

Originally posted by Sublime
Nope, fish are not mammals. Nor are reptiles.

I was aware that reptiles are not mammels. So what are fish if they are not mammels?

they are fish =p

Mammal: any warm-blooded vertebrate having the skin more or less covered with hair; young are born alive except for the small subclass of monotremes and nourished with milk (and they breath air)

Fish: An oviparous, vertebrate animal usually having fins and a covering scales or plates. It breathes by means of gills, and lives almost entirely in the water

Originally posted by Trichome
they are fish =p

Mammal: any warm-blooded vertebrate having the skin more or less covered with hair; young are born alive except for the small subclass of monotremes and nourished with milk *(and they breath air)
*
Fish: An oviparous, vertebrate animal usually having fins and a covering scales or plates. It breathes by means of gills, and lives almost entirely in the water

Thanks for the info.
Mammels bare there younfg while reptiles lay eggs.
There are also marsupials.
mar·su·pi·al ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mär-sp-l)
n.
Any of various nonplacental mammals of the order Marsupialia, including kangaroos, opossums, bandicoots, and wombats, found principally in Australia and the Americas.

Anyway we got all that tech crap out of the way so what sleeps and dreams and what does not?

I'm with the only mammals can dream bandwagon. I've noticed my dog dreaming, too; he was baring his teeth and kicking his legs, so I woke him up and he looked around all confused.

Similar to the reason why we suffer infantile-amnesia; dreams within animals are virtually useless, or at least, never remembered anyway.

Considering the neurological aspect; only animals with a sense of self even had the possibility to have a dream, and (according to tests, we can still be optimistic in saying it is possible that other animals do) only other gorilla's, apes, etc. have such a sense of self. There are the rare tests that reveal arguements against such a theory (BF Skinners pigeons). However.. that's another topic..

But it is true; only animals with a sense of self can even have a possibility of dreaming because if you are not aware of your own existance, how or why would you even dream, or even think? It is logical (although argueable, yes..).

I should note that in the above when I say possibility to dream, I mean remember them. Because us humans are the only species with a culture and the ability to communicate more fluenty, have a sense of independance, ethics, morals, etc. We are also entitled to the capability of dreaming. However, in other animals, even if they dream, they will (best guesses would say, and logically) not remember any of their dreams because it is similar to the same reasons why normal adults do not remeber their dreams, and primarily, why we cannot remember any of our dreams from childhood (from years 1-3, roughly).

It has been debated throughout Freudians many times (and still) that dreams is the battle between the Id and Ego to reveal the true natural wishes; that all dreams are wish ful-fillments, most likely motivated by the Id. The argument is then that if animals can dream, how can they have an ego? When, in order to have an ego, there must be a structure of characteristics and intellectual aquisitions.

Hm..

Hope I've been enlightening somehow..

Originally posted by O'nus
Hope I've been enlightening somehow..

like always.

Well... Now we have no need for science class today.

Originally posted by Some guy from howstuffworks.com
Reptiles, birds and mammals all sleep. That is, they become unconscious to their surroundings for periods of time. Some fish and amphibians reduce their awareness but do not ever become unconscious like the higher vertebrates do. Insects do not appear to sleep, although they may become inactive in daylight or darkness.
By studying brainwaves, it is known that reptiles do not dream. Birds dream a little. Mammals all dream during sleep.

Different animals sleep in different ways. Some animals, like humans, prefer to sleep in one long session. Other animals (dogs, for example) like to sleep in many short bursts. Some sleep at night, while others sleep during the day.

Interesting fact:
Cows can sleep while standing up, but they only dream if they lie down!
Whales and dolphins are \"conscious breathers,\" and they need to keep breathing while they sleep, so only one half of the brain sleeps at a time!

I hope I have been more enlightening than O'nus....

Well Shit
I got what I asked for and more. Thanks O'nus And Truthbearer

Originally posted by O'nus

But it is true; only animals with a sense of self can even have a possibility of dreaming because if you are not aware of your own existance, how or why would you even dream, or even think? It is logical (although argueable, yes..).

Babies dream before they develop a sense of self. They just aren't in their own dreams.

Originally posted by djaio+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(djaio)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-O'nus

But it is true; only animals with a sense of self can even have a possibility of dreaming because if you are not aware of your own existance, how or why would you even dream, or even think? It is logical (although argueable, yes..).

Babies dream before they develop a sense of self. They just aren't in their own dreams.[/b]

Read the paragraph right below where you quoted.

I would have to say that truthbearer is the smartest here.

Originally posted by Evanescent
I would have to say that truthbearer is the smartest here.

*Grumbles*

You come very close but only rank in second.

The animal that has more REM sleep - and thus more dreams - than any other (including man) is the Armadillo.

Bet you didn't know that.

Us humans shouldn't be so pompous and self-superior, remember, we were once animals too, and still are, albeit smart ones (although some are smarter than others as ths topic has shown us). We wouldn't dream if it did not serve a purpose, and although we are yet to determine that purpose, you can bet that animals, such as the armadillo, require something to satisfy this need as well, and hence dream.

Oh, and don't leave me out of your smart-ness rankings, I got 6 A* at GCSE (which are pretty easy anyway), but seemingly that hasn't helped me with AS level physics - which I have an exam in in 30 minutes. Shit.

I wouldn't think animals would be moving in their dreams, because of sleep paralysis.

But maybe god just allows animals to hurt themselves while asleep...

Originally posted by Evanescent
I would have to say that truthbearer is the smartest here.

Why thank you...its nice for someone to notice

Nah, I'm kidding...I would actually have to step down and give that award to my friend O'nus as he has proven once and again to be filled with knowledge of that sort, and the brains to understand and explain it...

Anyway, its not about who's smarter or more helpful, etc. Its about being glad we helped

Originally posted by Truthbearer
Anyway, its not about who's smarter or more helpful, etc. Its about being glad we helped

*Nods* That's why I was grumbling; it seemed that deeming someone "smarter" took away that incentive and makes intelligence a competition..

I deem everyone equal at this forum.