Emotion and Fiction [microform]

📖 The Scoop

In this thesis I defend the claim that the emotions felt by an audience in response to fictional works of art are real emotions. In Chapter I I present the traditional statement of the problem of aesthetic emotions, i.e., that there are certain conditions for genuine emotional response that aesthetic situations do not provide. I then categorize and analyze some proposed solutions to the problem of aesthetic emotions. I conclude that a solution is not possible without a theory of emotions. In Chapter II I provide a theory of emotions. In Chapter III I apply this theory to aesthetic situations and conclude that those conditions not met in aesthetic situations are not, in fact, necessary conditions for genuine emotional response. I then argue that a certain set of connections between fictional works of art, imagining as an activity, and emotional response, render aesthetic situations involving audience response to fictions ideal situations for genuine emotional response.

Genre: No Category (fancy, right?)