Aesthetics and Literature.

Cover -- Contents -- Preface -- 1 The nature of literature -- 2 What is a literary work? -- The ontological issue -- Textualism -- Contextualist critiques of textualism -- 3 The nature ofiction -- Stylistic and semantic conceptions of fiction -- Functional theories of fiction -- True fictions -- 4 Reading fiction (1):Truth in a story -- Constraints on a theory of truth in fiction -- 'Possible worlds' analyses of truth in fiction -- Fictional truth and fictional authors -- 5 Reading fiction (2): Interpreting literary works -- Interpretation and the 'intentional fallacy' -- Actual intentionalist' theories of interpretation -- 'Uptake' theories of interpretation -- Interpretative pluralism and interpretative monism -- 6 The nature of fictional characters -- Philosophical problems with fictional characters -- 'Meinongian' solutions -- 'Russellian' solutions -- Alternative strategies -- 7 Literature and the emotions -- The 'paradox of fiction' -- The 'paradox of tragedy' and the 'paradox of horror' -- 8 The cognitive value of literature -- Literary cognitivism -- The epistemological challenge to literary cognitivism -- Fictional narratives and thought experiments -- 9 Literature, morality, and society -- The moral value of literature -- Ethical value and artistic value -- The accountability of literature -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y -- Z.

The Continuum Aesthetics series looks at the aesthetic questions and issues raised by all major art forms. Stimulating, engaging and highly readable, the series offers food for thought not only for students of aesthetics, but also for anyone with an interest in philosophy and the arts.  Aesthetics and Literature places philosophical aesthetics at the heart of thinking about literature. The book takes concrete examples from the traditional and contemporary literary arts and uses them to introduce all the central philosophical issues in literature. David Davies considers, with stimulating insight and great clarity, the nature of literature and fiction, artistic uses of language, and the nature of fictional characters. He goes on to explore our emotional responses to literature, the cognitive value and ethical values of literature and the accountability of the literary arts.  The book offers a clear, non-technical analysis of each key issue, its broader significance and the principal positions that philosophers have taken on it. Davies presents the relevant philosophical background in a manner that is accessible to philosophy students and lay readers alike. Anyone interested in the philosophy of literature will find this book a rich source of ideas, insight and information. Combining a clear and engaging style with a sophisticated treatment of a fascinating subject, Aesthetics and Literature is a valuable contribution to contemporary aesthetics.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.