Overview

Literature, like the visual arts, poses its own philosophical problems. While literary theorists have discussed the nature of literature intensively, analytic philosophers have usually dealt with literary problems either within the general framework of aesthetics or else in a way that is accessible only to a philosophical audience. The present book is unique in that it introduces the philosophy of literature from an analytic perspective accessible to both students of literature and students of philosophy. Specifically, the book addresses: the definition of literature, the distinction between oral and written literature and the identity of literary works the nature of fiction and our emotional involvement with fictional characters the concept of imagination and its role in the apprehension of literary works theories of metaphor and postmodernist theory on the significance of the authors' intentions to the interpretationof their work an examination of the relevance of thruth and morality to literary appreciation Lucid and well organised and free from jargon, hilosophy of Literature: An Introduction offers fresh approaches to traditional problems and raises new issues in the philosophy of literature.

Full Product Details

9780415144865

Table of Contents

Reviews

... a cogent, careful, comprehensive, balanced and authoritative introduction to the philosophical discussion of literature. <br>- Philosophy in Review <br> A comprehensive introduction to the philosophy of literature, which summarizes arguments concisely and clearly. <br>-Dabney Townsend, Armstrong Atlantic State University <br> This is an intelligent, scrupulously fairminded, closely argued treatment of central topics in the philosophy of literature. <br>-Peter Lemarque, University of Hull <br>

... a cogent, careful, comprehensive, balanced and authoritative introduction to the philosophical discussion of literature. - Philosophy in Review A comprehensive introduction to the philosophy of literature, which summarizes arguments concisely and clearly. -Dabney Townsend, Armstrong Atlantic State University This is an intelligent, scrupulously fairminded, closely argued treatment of central topics in the philosophy of literature. -Peter Lemarque, University of Hull

'Something like the present work has been needed for some time ... useful for more advanced undergraduates taking both literature and philosophy courses including aesthetics, as well as being a handy reference item for the professional.' - Julius Groos XXVII/3 1999

Author Information

Christopher New is former Head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong. He is also the author of a number of novels.

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