Thread: What if Lucid Dreaming is really just an illusion?

You may or may not be right, but it makes no difference either way.
We still think we have a choice and get to do what we want, so thats all that matters.

You could say the same thing about life. Our thought processes are defined by the laws of physics, how our synapses formed, external factors etc... So really, choice is an illusion. The choices we make happen a specific way because they can only happen that way, so aren't really choices at all. But we perceive a choice, and thats all that matters.

I dont thing an illusion can let your mind feel so awake u no what i mean

Originally Posted by Hiros

You may or may not be right, but it makes no difference either way.
We still think we have a choice and get to do what we want, so thats all that matters.

You could say the same thing about life. Our thought processes are defined by the laws of physics, how our synapses formed, external factors etc... So really, choice is an illusion. The choices we make happen a specific way because they can only happen that way, so aren't really choices at all. But we perceive a choice, and thats all that matters.

Well thats hardly something we can test now is it? You can't take a person back to identical circumstances with identical memories and see if he makes the same choice each time. So we don't really know if the mind makes precise calculated decisions or if there is a level of randomization.

Essentially its a question of fate vs free will. Is there only one possible end, or are there many possibilities?

The reason this particular question is interesting is that it leaves the possibility for either dreams or reality to not follow the same rule as the other. We could have no free will in our dreams and only think we do as we carry out a predetermined plot, OR we could have no free will in reality and only be able to make our own choices in dream where no outside influences can force an inevitable decision.

usually it feels different to me. there are times when I am aware that I'm dreaming, but when I wake up, I just know that I wasn't lucid dreaming (properly at least) and that I wasn't controlling my actions. When I actually do it right, it just feels as real as any moment of my waking life. Except I can do ANYTHING

Originally Posted by MadHatter17

Well thats hardly something we can test now is it? You can't take a person back to identical circumstances with identical memories and see if he makes the same choice each time. So we don't really know if the mind makes precise calculated decisions or if there is a level of randomization.

Essentially its a question of fate vs free will. Is there only one possible end, or are there many possibilities?

The reason this particular question is interesting is that it leaves the possibility for either dreams or reality to not follow the same rule as the other. We could have no free will in our dreams and only think we do as we carry out a predetermined plot, OR we could have no free will in reality and only be able to make our own choices in dream where no outside influences can force an inevitable decision.

Precisely. You can't test it. Even if you could, even the tiniest change would factor into the equation and change the outcome. Its that whole what you observe will also change thing.

But my point is that either way, it makes no difference. We perceive we are in control and making choices, and thats all that matters in the end.