The theory Lucretius proposes for dreams is very different from the previous three philosophers mentioned.  In the context of looking at the mind body dilemma, a major question in psychology, the previously mentioned philosophers take on theory that deals with the processes of the mind or both to understand how dreams are formed and how to interpret them. On the other hand, Lucretius takes on a more physical and external analysis of dreams. This theory is similar to body aspect as well as the notion of nature over nurture, which is another dilemma in psychology. Lucretius believes, as Mcrudy (1946) states, “Here images are said to originate not in the operation of the mind but in the external world itself” (p. 226). Furthermore, Lucretius believed dreams formed during sleep were a result of a multitude of different atomic combinations, allowing different images to be produced by connect different patterns together. This explains how imaginary objects and creatures are produced.  Movement in a dream is a result of many images succeeding one another (McCrudy, 1946, p. 226-227).

By: David Minnick