cfp: LITERATURE, EPISTEMOLOGY AND SCIENCE (12/31/05 proposals; 11/30/06 =
articles for journal issue)

European Journal of English Studies, Vol. 11, Issue 3 (Routledge)

The purpose of this special issue of EJES is to examine the relationship =
between literature (or art in general) and the realms of epistemology =
and science which philosophers have tried to connect or to compare to =
literature in various ways since the beginning of aesthetics. The =
justification of literature has often gone hand in hand with an attempt =
to prove its cognitive content or its "truth"; more recently, many =
influential studies have endeavoured to show how literature and the arts =
have helped determine the course of scientific research and/or =
epistemological theory. There is, of course, a long tradition of debate =
about this subject, with arguments ranging from T.L. Peacock's claim =
that while "the historian and the philosopher are advancing in, and =
accelerating, the progress of knowledge, the poet is wallowing in the =
rubbish of departed ignorance" to the Wordsworthian vision of poetry as =
"the breath and finer spirit of all knowledge". Related forms of the =
same question can be seen in the debate between I.A. Richards and T.S. =
Eliot on the problem of belief, in the so-called "Two Cultures =
Controversy" and even in the recent controversy raised by Alan Sokal's =
hoax. The title of this special issue intentionally places epistemology =
in the centre, since there may be some point in arguing that literature, =
fiction, and the arts in general play a full epistemological role =
without necessarily contributing directly to the sciences themselves.

Authors of articles will be asked to address the theoretical issues =
involved in this continuing debate via the examination of a certain =
number of concrete literary or artistic examples taken from the field of =
English Studies in the largest sense of this term. EJES welcomes =
polemical papers as well as more particular studies of a specialized =
point, the only general requirement being that all papers be informed by =
current work in the field.

Proposals for papers and enquiries regarding the issue should be sent by =
e-mail to Ronald Shusterman (RonaldShusterman_at_tele2.fr).=20

=20

The deadline for proposals is 31 December 2005, with delivery of =
completed essays by 30 November 2006.

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Received on Wed Aug 17 2005 - 06:03:55 EDT