‘Language, Ethics, & Fiction’ Seminar Series
sponsored by LEMMings (UNIMI)
Department of Philosophy
University of Milan
31 October 2024
2-4pm
Michele Paolini Paoletti (University of Macerata)
“The Identity of Ficta and the Place of Authors and Interpreters”
Identity criteria for fictional entities (or ficta, in short) typically have the following form: necessarily, ficta x and y are identical iff P – where “P” should be replaced with whatever conditions are necessary and sufficient for the identity of x and y. When it comes to determining the relevant P, there are two possibilities: (i) either P only include features of the relevant ficta that do not involve their ‘creators’ (i.e., the authors of the stories in which they first figure out) or (ii) P also or only include features of the relevant ficta that do involve their ‘creators’. I shall argue that the following dilemma is in order: (1) if one opts for (i) (i.e., P only include features of the relevant ficta that do not involve their authors), then some counterexamples are in order; (2) if one opts for (ii) (i.e., P also or only include features of the relevant ficta that do involve their authors), then some implausible results are in order, including the circularity of the identity criteria and the redundancy of the author-involving features. Assume that A is some relevant act/intention/relation/feature that involves the author of a fictum. To resist (2), I shall argue that we should reject the principle: (AI) if A determines or contributes to determining the identity conditions of a fictum, then A partakes in P, i.e., in the identity conditions of that fictional entity. I shall motivate the rejection of (AI) and suggest that authors may determine or contribute to determining the identity criteria of ficta without partaking in such conditions. In the last part of the talk, I shall move to acts of literary interpretation and to the factors that determine the legitimacy of some acts of literary interpretation (e.g., the actual intentions of original authors, the historical contexts of production, and so on). In a similar vein, I shall argue that such acts and such factors cannot figure in the identity conditions of ficta, though they clearly contribute to determining such conditions.
The seminar will be held in a hybrid mode, in person (Sala Martinetti, via Festa del Perdono 7, Milan) and online (MTeams). All are welcome! Please, register here: https://tinyurl.com/57hxt3n8
Organisers: Elisa Paganini, Laura Caponetto, Filippo Contesi, Silvana Pani.
For any further information, please feel free to contact Laura Caponetto at laura.caponetto1@unimi.it.