In the Dream of the Man that was Dreaming, the Dreamt Man Woke Essay

By traditional definition, perception is anything that can be known through the five senses. However, this quote adds another dimension to the idea about perception. It implies that perception is not dictated by the five senses, but by the brain. If a man perceives something, he has either seen it, heard it, felt it, smelt it, tasted it, or any combination of those. A man knows that a car has crashed because he saw the collision and heard the loud noise. He knows that he likes steak through enjoying its pleasant smell and satisfying taste. In addition, he knows that fire is hot because the nervous system allows him to feel its warmth. However, one usually forgets that it is impossible to use these senses without the brain, which controls each of these perceptions. The quote serves as a supporting reminder of this idea. Arguably, the dreaming man is able to perceive a dreamt man waking up. Yet, he does not necessarily see the man with his own eyes, because his eyelids are shut. He does not hear the dreamt man with his ears; he does not feel the man with his hands, and he certainly doesn’t taste or smell the man. So how is he able to perceive him? He is able to perceive him because his brain still functions, creating the image of the dreamt man waking. Now, the reason why the brain creates the image of the dreamt man is for another paper, about dream interpreting. The quote simply implies that we perceive only what our brain wants us to, and that our brain may even make us perceive what is not reality. It may be possible that we do not always know what is reality even if it is right in front of us. For example, today might feel like a cold day, yet it is still about 50-60 degrees F. However, in the winter months of January and February, a 60 degree day may not feel so cold. In fact, it would even feel warm compared to the usual freezing temperature. This is because the brain interprets what messages are sent through the nervous system, and it tells the body to feel warm because it is used to a colder temperature. Recently, due to the sniper shootings, America’s Most Wanted conducted a study which proved that the brain can affect what a witness may have seen with his or her own eyes. This is a major cause of the inconsistent eyewitness accounts of the shootings. These are just a few examples that prove that perception is under the complete control of the brain. Perception is much more than what the body is able to sense; it is how the brain interprets the information it receives through those senses. Even while the body is in slumber, the brain continues to interpret and create perceptions. Does the brain have a mind of its own?