In a recent paper, James Edwin Mahon (2019) argues that literary artworks—novels in particular—never lie because they do not assert. In this discussion note, I reject Mahon’s conclusion that novels never lie. I argue that a central premiss in his argument—that novels do not contain assertions—is false. Mahon’s account underdetermines the content of literary works; novels have rich layers of content and can contain what I call ‘profound’ assertions, and ‘background’ assertions. I submit that Mahon therefore fails to establish that novels never lie.
Show by month | Manuscript | Video Summary |
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2024 December | 34 | 34 |
2024 November | 47 | 47 |
2024 October | 39 | 39 |
2024 September | 45 | 45 |
2024 August | 27 | 27 |
2024 July | 36 | 36 |
2024 June | 33 | 33 |
2024 May | 31 | 31 |
2024 April | 36 | 36 |
2024 March | 43 | 43 |
2024 February | 35 | 35 |
2024 January | 28 | 28 |
2023 December | 43 | 43 |
2023 November | 53 | 53 |
2023 October | 25 | 25 |
2023 September | 23 | 23 |
2023 August | 19 | 19 |
2023 July | 26 | 26 |
2023 June | 24 | 24 |
2023 May | 34 | 34 |
2023 April | 36 | 36 |
2023 March | 48 | 48 |
2023 February | 2 | 2 |
2023 January | 4 | 4 |
2022 December | 30 | 30 |
2022 November | 63 | 63 |
2022 October | 36 | 36 |
2022 September | 36 | 36 |
2022 August | 46 | 46 |
2022 July | 53 | 53 |
2022 June | 95 | 95 |
2022 May | 43 | 43 |
2022 April | 22 | 22 |
Total | 1195 | 1195 |
Show by month | Manuscript | Video Summary |
---|---|---|
2024 December | 34 | 34 |
2024 November | 47 | 47 |
2024 October | 39 | 39 |
2024 September | 45 | 45 |
2024 August | 27 | 27 |
2024 July | 36 | 36 |
2024 June | 33 | 33 |
2024 May | 31 | 31 |
2024 April | 36 | 36 |
2024 March | 43 | 43 |
2024 February | 35 | 35 |
2024 January | 28 | 28 |
2023 December | 43 | 43 |
2023 November | 53 | 53 |
2023 October | 25 | 25 |
2023 September | 23 | 23 |
2023 August | 19 | 19 |
2023 July | 26 | 26 |
2023 June | 24 | 24 |
2023 May | 34 | 34 |
2023 April | 36 | 36 |
2023 March | 48 | 48 |
2023 February | 2 | 2 |
2023 January | 4 | 4 |
2022 December | 30 | 30 |
2022 November | 63 | 63 |
2022 October | 36 | 36 |
2022 September | 36 | 36 |
2022 August | 46 | 46 |
2022 July | 53 | 53 |
2022 June | 95 | 95 |
2022 May | 43 | 43 |
2022 April | 22 | 22 |
Total | 1195 | 1195 |