Much Ado About Nonexistence: Fiction and Reference - Softcover

Avrum Stroll; A. P. Martinich

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0742548341 ISBN 13: 9780742548343

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007

Synopsis

The problem of the nature of fiction and the problem of nonexistence are closely tied because fiction often talks about nonexistent entities. In Fiction, Reference, and Nonexistence, A. P. Martinich and Avrum Stroll, two of America's leading philosophers, explore fiction and undertake an analytic philosophical study of fiction and its reference and its relation to truth. Included in the discussion is the authors' new, contemporary theory of fiction developed as an extension of the speech act theory of H. P. Grice, as well as the relationship between nonexistence and Bertrand Russell's well-known theory of definite descriptions, and Hilary Putnam's theory of the relationship between common names and the world.

About this title

About the Author

A. P. Martinich is Roy Allison Vaughan Centennial Professor in Philosophy at the University of Texas, Austin and the author of more than a dozen books. He is the editor of Philosophy of Language and is on the board of directors of the Journal of the History of Philosophy. Avrum Stroll is professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of California at San Diego. He is the author of numerous books and hundreds of articles on topics including philosophy of language and analytic philosophy.

Review

Rejecting standard presuppositions that have guided much of the debate about fictional discourse, Stroll and Martinich offer a novel approach to fictional discourse―indeed, theirs is clearly the most developed and important ordinary language-style treatment of fictional discourse available. This is essential reading for anyone interested in fictional discourse, and also will be relevant to those with broader concerns about meaning and reference and the relation between fiction and history. (Amie Thomasson, University of Miami)

An interesting, enlightening book. . . . Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and up. (CHOICE, Vol. 45 No. 6 (February 2008))

A. P. Martinich and Avrum Stroll have written a crisply argued and fascinating book about fiction and reference. Clear and penetrating, the book performs its two tasks―as a study in the philosophy of language of the nature of reference and a defense of a conception of fictional discourse―in such a way that students are bound to learn a great deal about both. It will serve as an excellent survey of some major developments in twentieth century philosophy of language as well as a providing a compelling view of what fictional discourse is. (Michael L. Morgan, Chancellor's Professor, Department of Philosophy, Indiana University)

Edition details

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0742548341
• ISBN 13: 9780742548343
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 176