第 3 节
作者:
管他三七二十一 更新:2021-02-19 00:30 字数:7355
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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