Once Upon a Time

Essays in the Philosophy of Literature

By: Aaron Meskin, Peter Kivy

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Paperback | 7 August 2019

At a Glance

Paperback
140 Pages

Age
20+

Grade
15 - 17

Dimensions(cm)
23.2 x 15.6 x 0.9

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Once Upon a Time is a collection of essays in the philosophy of literature with two central themes: the significance of story -telling for us and the question of whether the novel, perhaps the art form most closely associated with story-telling, is a legitimate source of human knowledge. Leading philosopher of art Peter Kivy explores why human beings are so enthralled by being told stories and whether story-telling is a significant source of knowledge. Starting with a study of Aristotle's Poetics, Kivy then undertakes a critical discussion of Noel Carroll's suggestion that our interaction with the artists of the past is a kind of "conversation." He goes on to defend the thesis that one of the legitimate artistic pleasures we take in novel-reading is the acquiring of knowledge and, furthermore, that the silent reading of a novel is a kind of performance, making the novel one of the performing arts. The volume concludes with a chapter about jokes, and, in particular, whether it is immoral to tell or be amused by an "immoral" joke. This volume of essays is a must-read for anyone seriously interested in literature and the conceptual problems it may raise for philosophers.

Industry Reviews

We want to be told a story almost as much as we want to breathe. But why? The answer is classic Kivy, a healthy serving of common sense spiced with eloquence, wit, and an unforgettable personal voice. A book to take to heart. -- Dominic McIver Lopes, Professor of Philosophy, University of British Columbia

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