The Role of Dreams In Moral Development

Abstract

Dreams can be perceived as a range of possible experiences - from imaginative scenarios revealing nothing but the abstract nature of the human mind to almost life-like experiences that mimic considerations we undertake daily. Dreams have long been a topic of interest in various fields - much of the discourse in philosophy historically centers on questioning if agency exists within dreaming states and how this may impact the application of notions of morality to dream scenarios. The status of dreams as experiences may even aid in the development of a person's moral character, cultivating possible benefits for personal growth and revealing certain characteristics that are inaccessible through the restricted reality of the waking world. Furthermore, the different states of dreaming raise an increasingly complex state of being; lucid dreaming can greatly impact considerations for the agency in moral decision-making in simulated worlds. This article aims to examine two aspects of morality within dreams: firstly, assessing the state of agency within dreams, and secondly, exploring the capacity of dreams to act as an avenue to advance the exploration of personal moral character for moral development.