In chapter 16, Sagan mentions how, "When I was a child, my most exultant dreams were about flying--not in some machine, but all by myself...A wish to soar like the birds motivated many of the pioneers of flight...Maybe that's part of the appeal of spaceflight, too".
Sigmund Freud, in his chapter on Typical Dreams, from The Interpretation of Dreams, says that dreams of flying, "reproduce impressions of childhood; they relate, that is, to games involving movement...In after years they repeat these experiences in dreams...It not uncommonly happens that these games...give rise to sexual feelings".
I found it very interesting how two people can interpret the same material in such different, but related ways! Sagan explains dreams of flight in the context of his belief that humans have the need to explore. For Sagan, it appears that our need to explore is reflected in these pleasureable dreams. Freud too, talks of childhood and pleasure, but with a different slant! Freud seems to be explaining dreams of flight in that they are remembrances of enjoyable childhood games with a kick of sexual feeling added for good measure.
I'd be interested to know if anyone has had dreams of flight. Which theory do you think explains these dreams? Do you have your own theory on dreams of flight?
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