Is it Good to Conceive of One’s Life Narratively?

Latham, Sally and Pinder, Mark (2023). Is it Good to Conceive of One’s Life Narratively? Philosophia (Early access).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11406-023-00659-4

Abstract

Grace Hibshman has developed a new explanation for why narrative self-conceptions might contribute to one’s flourishing: conceiving of one’s life narratively, she argues, can facilitate an improved self-understanding. In this short paper, we argue that, pace Hibshman, life narratives tend to misrepresent and mislead. So while they may give the impression of an improved self-understanding, that impression is typically mistaken. In this respect, conceiving of one’s life narratively hinders flourishing.

Viewing alternatives

Metrics

Item Actions

Export

You can export this page using these formats Digital Object Identifier - DOI

About

• Item ORO ID
• 88890
• Item Type
• Journal Item
• ISSN
• 0048-3893
• Keywords
• life narrative; Hibshman; flourishing; self-understanding
• Academic Unit or School
• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) > Social Sciences and Global Studies > Philosophy
  Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) > Social Sciences and Global Studies
  Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)
• Research Group
• Global Challenges and Social Justice
• Copyright Holders
• © 2023 The Authors
• Depositing User
• Mark Pinder