Philosophy and Literature

Abstract:

The stories of Jorge Luis Borges and philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead view concepts as fictions, aesthetic objects that abstract particular aspects of reality, altering our feeling of the world around us. This aesthetic function of concepts makes them crucial elements of our perspective of the world. They delineate relevant and irrelevant aspects of experience, further directing our interests and concerns. By thinking with Borges and Whitehead, we see how we might use theories to widen our experience through the production of novel concepts. Doing so opens up greater possibilities for creative action and alternative ways of living together.