That we should accept all dream images and incidents as real, however absurd they are to waking judgment, has caused some discussion. It is, however, necessary that we accept all that happens in dreams as actual, else we would neither sleep nor dream. In semi-sleeping states, when waking critique is not entirely dormant, we may reason that what has flitted through the mind is only a fancy, a dream. And, usually, this reasoning occurs when something unpleasant has been in consciousness; the painful idea permits a greater exercise of reason because it throws the balance between sleeping and waking nearer the latter. The deeper the sleep the further are we removed from the employment of the reasoning of waking life, this being for the purpose of permitting mental rest.

We may attribute our acceptation of all dreams as actual occurrences to the inferior mental powers at sleep's disposal. The critical judgment, logic selection, typical of directive thinking are at a low ebb; there is a tendency to flights of ideas, a hastening of some scenes, a retardation of others. Thoughts, arising by associations, quickly come and go; fantasy has control; there is an increased openness to suggestion, and sleeping consciousness is practically forced to accept without question whatever may occur. Often, too, the dream deals with childhood; the dreamer is in fancy a child again, and so reverts to childhood views and credence.

Imagination will sufficiently account for the reality feeling of dreams; and should rob dreams of much of their apparent absurdity. For example, one dreams that he is dead; he may fancy himself in a coffin, yet he seems to see and hear, which fact causes him no surprise, and which is considered nonsensical only when waking criticism submits the dream to inspection. A person actually dead cannot, of course, employ the senses, yet in the case of the dreamer the demise is only imaginary. But awake or asleep we are unable to imagine anything without, at the same time, employing some or all of the sensory faculties; for example, if, when awake, we imagine ourselves dead, we will, in imagination, see various things, hear conversations, etc. Imagination makes no distinction between the real and the unreal; and when imagination is at its best, as in sleep, the apparent actuality of all that occurs is highest. The separation between the real world and the artificial world is the property of the higher reasoning powers. Sleep allows the imagination to run riot; therefore, all that takes place in dreams is accepted as real because it seems real.