Literature in the Light of Philosophy

This book examines the relationship between philosophy and literature. It encompasses political philosophy, the philosophy of language, ethics, and the philosophy of mind. It also includes a section on philosophical interpretations of literature. This volume offers analytically acute and culturally rich ways of understanding how it is that literature can illuminate philosophical topics and what kind of distinctive conceptual progress is thereby secured. Given the extremely widespread interest in how literature can assist in the search for meaning and truth, this volume will strike resonant chords far and wide. Literature in the Light of Philosophy  is essential reading for all scholars and researchers of aesthetics, especially those focusing on literary aesthetics. It is also ideal for literature scholars with an interest in the relationship between philosophy and literature. Garry L. Hagberg  is the James H. Ottaway Professor of Philosophy and Aesthetics at Bard College; his most recent book is Living in Words: Literature, Autobiographical Language, and the Composition of Selfhood (2023).