Useful Fictions Evolution, Anxiety, and the Origins of Literature |
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| Author:
| Austin, Michael |
| Series title: | Frontiers of Narrative Ser. |
| ISBN: | 978-0-8032-3026-2 |
| Publication Date: | Jan 2011 |
| Publisher: | University of Nebraska Press
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| Book Format: | Hardback |
| List Price: | USD $45.00 |
Book Description:
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Drawing on evolutionary biology, anthropology, narrative theory, cognitive psychology, game theory, and evolutionary aesthetics, Michael Austin develops the concept of a ""useful fiction"", a simple narrative that serves an adaptive function unrelated to its factual one. In his work we see how these useful fictions play a key role in neutralizing the overwhelming anxiety that humans can experience.
Drawing on evolutionary biology, anthropology, narrative theory, cognitive psychology, game theory, and evolutionary aesthetics, Michael Austin develops the concept of a ""useful fiction"", a simple narrative that serves an adaptive function unrelated to its factual one. In his work we see how these useful fictions play a key role in neutralizing the overwhelming anxiety that humans can experience.