Cognitive Value of Philosophical Fiction

Jukka Mikkonen is a postgraduate researcher in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Tampere, Finland.

Jukka Mikkonen contributes a welcome new voice, at once meticulous and creative, to contemporary discussion of what has become known as "philosophy through literature". In The Cognitive Value of Philosophical Fiction intentionalist semantics is shown to be capable of taking significant account both of characteristically literary uses of language and of literary activity as a range of social practices. In part through seeking to defuse the well-known objections, Mikkonen uses this semantics to develop a powerful case for a nuanced version of the claim that certain forms of imaginative literature offer genuine and distinctive cognitive gains, with particular attention to how it is that they do so. -- Martin Warner, Associate Fellow of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Warwick, UK Jukka Mikkonen offers a well-informed overview of the discussion about literature and knowledge in analytic aesthetics and a distinctive theory of his own, pointing to three ways for literary works to contribute to knowledge by communicating truths. This is a sensible and perceptive analysis of one of the classical problems in the theory of literary art. -- Anders Pettersson, Professor at University of Umea, Sweden It would be hard to find anyone better informed than Jukka Mikkonen about recent analytical philosophical debates on fiction and cognition. He is a reliable and perceptive guide to the whole terrain. -- Peter Lamarque, Professor of Philosophy at University of York, UK There is plenty to admire in this elegant little book. It offers one of the most thorough explorations in print of how works of literary fiction can engage in an important kind of philosophical labor. The Cognitive Value of Philosophical Fiction is a must-read for anyone with a serious interest in the intersection of philosophy and literary studies. -- John Gibson, Associate Professor of Philosophy at University of Louisville, USA In short, the book is not only an interesting contribution for readers who are already familiar with the debate, but also a valuable source for those looking for an introduction to the field. -- Wolfgang Huemer, Universita di Parma Notre Dame Philosophical Review

• 1. Introduction: Cognition, Knowledge and Truth \ 2. Fictive Use of Language \ 3. Literature and Truth \ 4. Meaning and Interpretation \ 5. Conclusion \ Epilogue: The Grey Zone \ Bibliography \ Index