h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK, the reason for this poll is to ask four questions for the purposes of an essay I will need to hand in in a few days. No comments necessary, though I don't mind if you comment after the questions! I'd just like to know. I'm afraid it's not confidential, sorry - this is h2g2! The questions are: -

1. Would you say you are conscious and making choices when you are dreaming? (Preferred format: one of (a) never; (b) not usually; (c) half and half; (d) usually; (e) always.)
2. To what degree would you say you are conscious? (Preferred format: (a) not conscious; (b) Neither fully conscious nor not conscious; (c) Fully conscious.)
3. How often do you have lucid dreams - i.e. you realise you are in a dream, that it is not real life? (Preferred format: (a) Never; (b) almost never - around 1 in 1000 or less dreams are lucid; (c) infrequently - 1 in 100; (d) not too often - 1 in 10; (e) quite often - 1 in 2; (d) almost always - more than 1 in 2.)
4. If you do have lucid dreams, how conscious would you say you are when having them? (Preferred format: as question 2.)

If you have any comments, feel free to make them! It's for the purposes of an essay on consciousness, any feedback greatly appreciated!

- Jordan

1. B
2. B
3.E
4.B

Oh! Sorry! I think that question 2 ought to be answered as (a) not conscious at all; (b) closer to not being conscious than being conscious; (c) neither fully conscious nor not conscious at all; (d) closer to being conscious than not at all conscious; (e) fully conscious.

Thanks Hass!

- Jordan

1. Would you say you are conscious and making choices when you are dreaming? (d) usually

2. To what degree would you say you are conscious? (c)fully conscious ... that is, when I remember a dream. If I don't remember it, how would I know?

3. How often do you have lucid dreams - i.e. you realise you are in a dream, that it is not real life? (d) not too often - 1 in 10

4. If you do have lucid dreams, how conscious would you say you are when having them? (c)fully conscious/partially conscious, somewhat able to make decisions when dreaming. I find myself making choices. Mostly, those choices involve moral issues or overcoming difficulties in ridiculously heroic or impossible circumstances. Don't ask me why ... I have no idea.

So the revised questions are:

1. Would you say you are conscious and making choices when you are dreaming?

(Preferred format: one of (a) never; (b) not usually; (c) half and half; (d) usually; (e) always.)

2. To what degree would you say you are conscious?

(Preferred format: (a) not conscious at all; (b) closer to not being conscious than being conscious; (c) neither fully conscious nor not conscious at all; (d) closer to being conscious than not at all conscious; (e) fully conscious.)

3. How often do you have lucid dreams - i.e. you realise you are in a dream, that it is not real life?

(Preferred format: (a) Never; (b) almost never - around 1 in 1000 or less dreams are lucid; (c) infrequently - 1 in 100; (d) not too often - 1 in 10; (e) quite often - 1 in 2; (d) almost always - more than 1 in 2.)

4. If you do have lucid dreams, how conscious would you say you are when having them?

(Preferred format: as question 2.)

Thanks! For the record:

1. A
2. A
3. D
4. D

- Jordan

Thanks Washcloth! Yeah, it's a bit like the torch problem - it can only see the area it shines on! Annoying, isn't it?

Should I add anything, or are you fine with the questions? Hass too!

- Jordan

1 d
2 c
3 e
4 c

unless the questions have changed again.....

Revised answers to fit revised questions:

1.(d)

2.(e)

3.(d)

4.(e)

As of this moment ...

1. (c)
2. (d)
3. (e)
4. (d)

One thing ... by saying I'm fully conscious while dreaming is a little misleading. I remember a lot of details in dreams; there is an intensity that is sometimes lacking in ordinary daytime consciousness. However, dreaming in a conscious way is by nature a *different* experience than wakeful sentient awareness. There is a murkiness of thought that isn't there when awake ... the odd shifts between reality and the unreal ... and the sensation of being swept along on the currents of random thoughts and emotions, despite the choices made while dreaming. I sometimes feel that I can direct my dreams, but ultimately, they drift and congeal in uncontrollable ways.

Does any of that make sense?

Thanks all for participating!

Well, first, I have to define something! Not consciousness, but... wait for it... how we experience it!

This is far easier: I'd stick with reflection. That means you can reflect on what you are doing and the environment you are in, and that you can decide on what to do, reflect on what you intend to do and on what you have done. You may even be conscious of consciousness (apperception)...

One thing that I hypothesised was that surely, if you were conscious of your dream environment, you would realise that you were dreaming! Does this definition change anything? If not, just ignore it! I certainly don't think I am at all conscious when having non-lucid dreams.

Perhaps I should point out that questions one and two refer to non-lucid dreams, though I think you all got that!

I'm not changin' anything yet, unless anyone wants to suggest anything?

It's a good thing I did this. From the looks of it I was wrong initially! I now need to go back and revise my theory. Keep it coming in, and thanks!

- Jordan

(That means yes, it did make sense, and here's a definition to clear it up...)

- Jordan

Hi Jordan .

1)E
2)E
3)F (assuming that you do not have 2 'D' choices as you have written)
4)E

You may also find it interesting to discern what senses are working when you are dreaming. I for instance operate in my dreams with a full range of senses: colour vision, surround sound, smell, touch, kinaesthetic etc. But I know people who dream in black and white or only with distorted sound.

Blessings,
Matholwch the Apostate /|\.

(Preferred format: (a) not conscious at all; (b) closer to not being conscious than being conscious; (c) neither fully conscious nor not conscious at all; (d) closer to being conscious than not at all conscious; (e) fully conscious.)

Did I make a stoopid double meaning somewhere?

- Jordan

1. Would you say you are conscious and making choices when you are dreaming?... D

2. To what degree would you say you are conscious? ...D - but not conscious of anything other than the dream.

3. How often do you have lucid dreams - i.e. you realise you are in a dream, that it is not real life?... F all the time. Why haven't you got an F

4. If you do have lucid dreams, how conscious would you say you are when having them? Thith question is the same as Q2 unless you mean in Q2 'How conscious are you when you are awake.'



Alji the Magus

oopth, I'm lipthing!

Alji the Magus

How annoying! I thought people would be less conscious! My hypothesis is getting shot to hell!

- Jordan

It means 'during non-lucid dreams'. Hope that helps!

So you think of life as a lucid dream?

- Jordan

Like Math, I dream in Technicolor and Dolby Surround Sound.


Alji the Magus

Is that Dirk Gently, by any chance?

- Jordan