Dream to Predict

This chapter emphasizes the predictive role of dreams in the sense of depicting a non-obvious pattern in past events in an image that is retained at an unconscious level. When assimilated with sensory data, this unconscious image then drives expectations during wake about what’s going on in the world and what will happen next. Across evolutionary time this was particularly useful when there was any ambiguity in sensory data during potentially dangerous situations. But although dreams predict, they don’t usually come true. Their primary evolutionary role was to avoid dangers. Acting on informed expectations precludes possible futures, like being eaten at the waterhole.