Table Of ContentFiction
Fiction
A Philosophical Analysis
CATHARINE ABELL
1
3
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
1. Aims, Scope, and Overview 1
1.1 TheIssuestobeAddressed 3
1.2 ADistinctivelyInstitutionalApproach 7
1.3 SummaryoftheArgument 9
1.4 TheLimitstomyExplanatoryAims 18
1.5 ChapterSummaries 20
2. Fiction Institutions 23
2.1 TheNatureofInstitutions 25
2.2 FictionInstitutions 29
2.3 WorksofFiction 35
2.4 WorksofFictionandFictiveUtterances 40
2.5 TheEvaluationofWorksasFiction 43
3. Fictive Utterances 53
3.1 FictiveUtterancesAreDeclarations 54
3.2 TheRoleofIntentionsinDeterminingtheContents
ofFictiveUtterances 59
3.3 IntentionalistResponses 66
3.4 TheRoleofRulesinDeterminingtheContents
ofFictiveUtterances 74
3.5 HowtheRulesAccommodateContext-SensitiveContents 80
4. The Structure of Fictive Content 88
4.1 AccountsofIndirectGeneration 90
4.2 SillyQuestions 95
4.3 Authors’IntentionstoElicitEffectsintheirAudiences 97
4.4 UnderstandingWorksofFiction 105
4.5 InterpretingWorksofFiction 110
5. Fictional Entities 120
5.1 ExistenceandConstitutionConditionsforSocialEntities 123
5.2 ExistenceandConstitutionConditionsforFictionalEntities 126
5.3 TheGroundsandAnchorsforFactsaboutFictionalEntities 137
5.4 TheNatureofFictionalEntities 139
5.5 IdentityandIndividuationConditionsforFictionalEntities 141
5.6 FictionalEntitiesarenotPleonastic 146
viii
6. External Thought and Talk about Fiction 150
6.1 Anti-RealismaboutFictionalEntities 153
6.2 IdentifyingFictionalEntities 155
6.3 TheCo-IdentificationofThoughtandTalkaboutNon-Existents 166
6.4 TheInterpretativeRoleofExternalThoughtandTalk 169
6.5 TheRoleofExternalThoughtandTalkinCoordination 173
Conclusion 184
References 191
Index 195
Acknowledgements
Ithastakenmealongtimetowritethisbook.Duringtheprocessofdoingso,
I have benefited from the opportunity to present my ideas about fiction at
various stages of their development to audiences at the University of Sussex,
theUniversityofBristol,theUniversityofNottingham,theLondonAesthetics
Forum, the University of Hamburg, the University of Southampton, the
Scottish Aesthetics Forum, the London School of Economics, the Czech
Academy of Sciences, the University of Hertfordshire, the Institut Jean
Nicod, the University of Manchester, the University of Keele, the University
ofSydney,andtheUniversityofOxford.Iamverygratefultotheaudiencesat
these presentations for challenging questions and criticisms and for helpful
suggestions, all of which have helped me to improve my views in ways that
Icouldnothavedonealone.
IamalsogratefultoJulianDodd,VíctorDurà-Vilà,AnthonyEverett,Stacie
Friend, Alex Paseau, François Recanati, Nick Shea, and Enrico Terrone for
discussion of some of the issues I address in this book, and to Tim Bayne,
Stacie Friend, and Enrico Terrone for helpful comments on draft material.
Three anonymous referees also provided constructive comments and criti-
cismsthathavehelpedmetoimprovemyargument.Thankyou,whoeveryou
are. Kathleen Stock generously read the entire draft typescript and provided
invaluable comments and criticisms that have prompted me to clarify my
argument, although I know she still will not be persuaded by the views
presentedhere.
Thank you to Peter Momtchiloff from OUP for his help and for the
efficiency with which he obtained readers’ comments. My thanks to
Gagosian and John Currin for permission to use John Currin’s painting,
2070, on the cover of this book. Thanks also to Jim Grant and James Knight
andtomycolleaguesatQueen’s,particularlyNickOwenandBenSorgiovanni,
forhelpingmetogettogripswithanewjobwhilefinishingthisbook.Ifthere
isanyoneelseIoughttohavethankedbuthaveforgotten,pleaseforgiveme.
The process of writing this book was made much more palatable by my
friends and family. Thank you especially to Tim Bayne, Helen Beebee,
Cathy Evans, Stacie Friend, Katherine Harrison, Rebecca Hartley, Gayle
Impey, Aida Kaisy, Marion and Roger Kinns, Peter Lawler, Roger Liddy,
