On Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:48:53 -0800, Sir Frederick wrote:

Fantasy seem to be intrinsic to humans?

Is it instinctual do you think?

My theory about the dream is that, at it's core, it's purpose is the need
for the rational mind to 'rest-up', to take a break from structured
pattern recognition. Either this is done as a pure physical response to
the sensory deprivation that happens during sleep or that the mind/body
act as one and as one goes into recovery so does the other. [This doesn't
mean other things are not at work but the basic need is a rest from the
rational.]

At any rate, maybe fantasy serves the same purpose but on a cultural
scale. Maybe it fills a instinctual(?) need for the collective social
mind to break from the bonds and pressures of the tangible world.

The cross cultural commonality found in fantasy/myth, as per by Joseph
Campbell, can be accounted for by the commonality in environmental need
and the commonality of the processing system (aka mind/body).

???