The Research Seminar Series in Philosophy invites you to a guest lecture with Ben Caplan, University of Kansas, "Mythical Creatures: The Return?"
In the 1970s, Saul Kripke and Peter van Inwagen argued for the existence of fictional characters (e.g. Sherlock Holmes). In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Nathan Salmon and David Braun argued from the existence of fictional characters to the existence of what they called "mythical" characters (e.g. Vulcan as posited by Le Verrier), which are now sometimes called "creatures of mistaken theorizing." In a recent paper, Chris Tillman and Joshua Spencer push back against the Salmon and Braun expansionist line. In this paper, I revisit the issue and see what--contra Tillman and Spencer--can be said for the existence of mythical characters.
All interested are welcome to this meeting.
Learn more about the seminar series in Philosophy and upcoming events
