Abstract

This paper defends a version of the realist view that fictional characters exist. It argues for an instance of abstract realist views, according to which fictional characters are roles, constituted by sets of properties. It is argued that fictional names denote individual concepts, functions from worlds to individuals. It is shown that a dynamic framework for understanding the evolution of discourse information can be used to understand how roles are created and develop along with story content. Taking fictional names to denote individual concepts provides accounts of a number of uses of fictional names. These include non-fictional uses, fictional uses, metafictional uses, interfictional uses, counterfictional uses, and negative existentials. It is argued that this account is not open to objections that have been raised in the literature.

Highlights

  • This paper argues that fictional names denote individual concepts

  • I propose a version of this view that belongs to a group of realist views, according to which fictional characters are abstract entities that exist in the actual world and are created by authors

  • The view I will argue for agrees with instances of this form of realism that hold that fictional characters are roles constituted by sets of properties

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Summary

Introduction

This paper argues that fictional names denote individual concepts. In particular, I propose a version of this view that belongs to a group of realist views, according to which fictional characters are abstract entities that exist in the actual world and are created by authors. the view I will argue for agrees with instances of this form of realism that hold that fictional characters are roles constituted by sets of properties.. The account I develop here follows Heim (1982) in representing this kind of dynamic discourse as an increasingly more specific set of pairs of possible worlds and variable assignments, called a “file.” At any point after the inception of the story, a fictional name denotes an individual concept specifying the properties that have so far been associated with the relevant character. This approach to fictional discourse has several advantages.

Abstract realism
Roles and occupants
Individual concepts
Telling stories and creating characters
The story of Jack’s morning
Predication and non-fictional uses
Creating fictional characters
Relations between characters
Fictional versus non-fictional names
Metafictional uses
Some more challenging uses
Interfictional uses
Counterfictional uses
Negative existentials
Three Kripkean objections
Conclusion
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