The Philosophy of Literature: Classic and Contemporary Readings: An Anthology - Paperback

by Eileen John (Editor), Dominic McIver Lopes (Editor)

Essential readings in the philosophy of literature are brought together for the first time in this anthology.

• Contains forty-five substantial and carefully chosen essays and extracts
• Provides a balanced and coherent overview of developments in the field during the past thirty years, including influential work on fiction, interpretation, metaphor, literary value, and the definition and ontology of literature
• Includes an additional historical section featuring generous selections of the writings of early pioneers such as Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, and Hume
• Serves as an ideal introduction to the philosophy of literature or the philosophy of art, as well as a handy compilation of contributions to the field by its leading figures

Back Jacket

Forty-five essential readings in the philosophy of literature are brought together for the first time in this anthology to provide a balanced and coherent overview of developments in the field during the past 30 years. They include substantial and carefully chosen essays and extracts which highlight influential work on fiction, emotion, interpretation, metaphor, literary value, and the definition and ontology of literature. An additional historical section features generous selections of the writings of early pioneers such as Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, and Hume.

This authoritative volume offers a handy compilation of contributions to the field by its leading figures. It is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the philosophy of literature or the philosophy of art.

Author Biography

Eileen John is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Louisville, specializing in aesthetics and philosophy of literature. Her essays have appeared in the Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, Philosophy and Literature, and The Henry James Review.

Dominic McIver Lopes is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of Understanding Pictures (1996) and co-editor of the Routledge Companion to Aesthetics (2000) and Imagination, Philosophy, and the Arts (2003). He is also co-editor, with Berys Gaut, of the Blackwell series New Directions in Aesthetics.