Fiction and the Actual World

Matravers, Derek (2023). Fiction and the Actual World. In: Engisch, Patrik and Langkau, Julia eds. The Philosophy of Fiction: Imagination and Cognition. New York, NY, USA and Oxon, UK: Routledge, pp. 62–76.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003139720-5

Abstract

This chapter considers whether reading fiction and reading non-fiction differ in that, in the former case, inconsistencies between the content of the narrative and what is believed to be true in the actual world do not matter, but in the latter case, it does matter. It is argued that, in both cases, the relevant contrast is between the content of the narrative and what is believed to be true in the actual world and that sharp contrasts cannot be drawn. It concludes by arguing that the fiction and non-fiction distinction is a distinction of content. Hence, the contrast can be drawn with any form of engagement with content. This thought is applied, in particular, to engagement with video games.

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