Dreaming and mind wandering: Spontaneous thought across the sleep-wake cycle. Editorial introduction
Jennifer Windt, Manuela Kirberg, Tomas Andrillon
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences January 5, 2026 DOI: 10.33735/phimisci.2025.12554 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Special issue introduction Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind Dreaming |
| Keywords | Mind-wandering Dream Relation database Cognition Consciousness Theory of mind Neurophenomenology Cognitive science Epistemology Cognitive psychology |
| Key points | Dreaming and waking mind wandering share phenomenological and neurophysiological similarities that suggest they are intimately connected, raising questions about spontaneous mental phenomena and their relation to wakefulness and sleep. |
Abstract
This special issue unites original theoretical and empirical research on two topics that are gaining traction in cognitive neuroscience and psychology, but so far have small philosophical footprints: dreaming and waking mind wandering. While the fields of dream and mind wandering research are largely separate, phenomenological and neurophysiological similarities between waking mind wandering and sleep-related experiences suggest that these phenomena are intimately connected. Together, they raise important questions about the nature and functions of spontaneous mental phenomena and their relation to wakefulness and sleep, as well as for theories of attention, action, and consciousness.