- Accounting for Problems in the Philosophy of Fiction: Is it necessary to posit i-desires to solve the paradox of fiction and the puzzle of imaginative resistance?
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- Why do I experience sadness at the death of fictional characters? Why do I resist accepting certain imagined scenarios? Ultimately, why do I hold desires about scenarios, which I am aware are completely fictional? These questions have surely been considered by many of us at some point in our lives, and are therefore deserving of in-depth analysis. A popular proposal is that our responses to imagined scenarios rely on ‘imagined’ rather than ‘truly-held’ desires. However, this position is weak at best, incoherent at worst. I propose that to fully understand imaginative responses, we must instead modify our understanding of the cognitive architecture within which our imaginings take place. In this essay I provide a critical assessment of contemporary theories of imagination, and ultimately propose an original position to take on the matter, modifying existing theory in line with applied evidence, allowing real-life emotions to interact with our desires.
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