Wolfgang Huemer (University of Parma)

April 7 MON — 12.30-14.30

Sala Riunioni — Direzione del Dipartimento (Via Festa del Perdono 7, Milano)

Manner Matters. Reference, Truth, and Literary Form

Abstract: The recent debate in the philosophy of literature – a discipline that has received more and more attention in recent years – has focused mainly on problems that are directly related to or stem from the question concerning truth and reference in literary works of art: the ontological status of fictional characters, the cognitive value of literature, the paradox of fiction, i.e., the question of whether we can feel genuine emotions for fictional characters, etc. Most of the theories that have been developed are deeply based in a general theory of language, knowledge or ontology, with the result that very often they do not display a genuine interest in literature, but rather a systematic interest in philosophy of language, epistemology, philosophy of mind, or metaphysics that are applied to literature as a somewhat extravagant border-case, in which language is on holiday. As a consequence, they often focus on fiction rather than literature. In my paper I will suggest that it is important to bring literature back into the philosophy of literature. The notions “literature” and “fiction” are not synonymous, nor are the co-referential. They rather refer to very different aspects of a work – sometimes of one and the same work. If we come to see literary works as works of art and pay due attention to their stylistic dimension, I will argue, we can get a better grasp on the problems mentioned above and will be able to pay due attention to problems of the philosophy of literature that in the current debate are often ignored.

(The conference will be held in English)