ABSTRACT
Freud (Freud, 1955b) stated that the function of dreaming does not have to be part of a theory of dreaming. He took the position that any exposition on dreams that tries to encompass as many of the characteristics as possible of dreams from a particular point of view and that places the position of dreams in a broader area of phenomena deserves to be considered a theory of dreams. The many dream theories differ as they select one characteristic of dreams as the essence of the process and relate their explanations and correlations to this core or essential characteristic. A function may not be derivable from the espoused theory. Freud’s preference is for theories that include a function for dreaming as part of the theory.
