It can be a compelling pastime, and Hunt, a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana, sometimes finds himself playing four hours or more each day. There is still no strong scientific consensus on the purpose or value of dreams. But dreams are too common to be devoted entirely to problem solving.
Therapists use dreams as a way to better understand the inner workings of a patient's mind.
But for most of us, it's the free movie our brains provide for us on clear nights. After all, a burger flipper will sometimes fill orders in his sleep. In fact, all experience is reflected in our dreams, says Doug Davis, a professor of psychology at Haverford College in Pennsylvania who has long been fascinated by people's experiences with computing. So Internet dreams should be expected, since computers and communications devices have infiltrated every corner of our lives, says Richard Restak, a Washington-based author who writes about the brain. There's no such thing as leisure time any more.