Final answer:
Alan Hobson suggests that dreaming may represent a state of protoconsciousness according to his activation-synthesis theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alan Hobson, a neuroscientist, suggests that dreaming may represent a state of protoconsciousness. According to Hobson's activation-synthesis theory, dreaming is the result of our brain attempting to make sense of the neural activity happening during REM sleep. Hobson proposes that dreaming involves constructing a virtual reality in our heads that can potentially help us during wakefulness.