Philosophical analysis reveals the aesthetic value of dreams in human consciousness, suggesting that dreaming provides unique immersive experiences of agency and awe.
Dreams can be aesthetically valuable in many ways. They can provide opportunities for aesthetically rich experiences of agency and action, placing the dreamer into novel situations and taking her out of her usual network of motivations, commitments, and goals. Dreams can also feature unique ambiences and evoke awe both regarding their content and regarding consciousness itself. Finally, dreams are intense and immersive experiences that have an aesthetically interesting mental connection to the dreamer.
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York et al. (2026) studied this question.
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