What does Freud's theory of dreams tell us about the nature of the human mind? Freud insists that dreams are a product of the individual's mind and are not something impressed on the mind by outside sources. If the are mental events that need to be analyzed to be understood, what can be inferred about the mind that created them?
             The functioning of the human mind remains in great measure a catalyst for wonder, amazement, and discovery for all mankind. Some of mankind's greatest intellectuals have attempted to quantify and define the vast amount of brain functions. Through years of experiment and observation, man has excelled in the understanding of many of the brain's functions. However, the function of dreaming continues to elude empirical verification, and many have theorized about its purpose. Sigmund Freud was a pioneer in developing theories on the usage of dreams. He described many of these theories in his essay, "The Interpretation of Dreams." From some of the premises found in his essay, we can see how dreams are capable of opening a window into the nature of human kind.
             Freud theory states that dreams serve as a function of wish fulfillment. They are the unconscious manifestations of ambitions and hopes that were created in our conscious life. He points to many examples of this idea throughout his essay.
             If I eat anchovies or olives or any other highly salted food in the evening, I develop thirst during the night which wakes me up. But my waking is preceded by a dream; and this always has the same content, namely, that I am drinking. I dream I am swallowing down water in great gulps, and it has the delicious taste that nothing can equal but a cool drink when one is parched with thirst.
             In this excerpt from "The Interpretation of Dreams," the theory of dreams functioning as wish fulfillment is very clear. While sleeping, Freud developed a t
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