Noël Carroll is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, City University of New York. His recent books include Art in Three Dimensions, On Criticism, Humor: A Very Short Introduction, Living in an Art World, and Minerva's Night Out: Philosophy, Pop Culture, and Moving Pictures.

John Gibson is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of [...] his publications are Fiction and the Weave of Life and, as editor, The Philosophy of Poetry. He is currently working on a book titled Poetry, Metaphor & Nonsense: An Essay on Meaning.

Introduction Noël Carroll & John GibsonPart 1: Historical Foundations 1. Ancient Beginnings Stephen Halliwell 2.Philosophy of Literature in The Eighteenth Century Paul Guyer 3. Philosophy of Literature in The Nineteenth Century Allen Speight 4.Twentieth Century European Philosophy of Literature Kristin Gjesdal 5.Analytic Philosophy of Literature Kristin Boyce Part 2: What is Literature? 6. The Idea of Literature Mark Rowe [...] Novel Robert Chodat 8. Poetry Anna Christina Soy Ribeiro 9.Reading Plays as Literature Susan L. Feagin 10.Popular Fiction Aaron Meskin 11.Screenplays Ted Nannicelli 12.Evolutionary Approaches to Literature Stephen Davies 13. Canon and Tradition Stein Haugom Olsen Part 3: Aesthetics and Appreciation 14. Creativity Mathew Kieran 15. Authorship Paisley Livingston 16. Expression Peter Lamarque 17.Literary Style Wolfgang Huemer [...] Eileen John 19.Character Garry Hagberg 20.Empathy John Gibson 21. The Paradox of Fiction Damien Freeman [...] Paradox of Negative Emotions Eva Dadlez 23.Neuroaesthetics and Literature William P. Seeley Part 4: Meaning and Interpretation 24.Narrative Noël Carroll 25. Narrative Understanding Daniel D. Hutto 26.Interpretation Noël Carroll 27.Criticism Stephanie Ross 28. The Poetic Imagination Ernest Lepore & Matthew Stone 29.Metaphors in Literature Elisabeth Camp Part 5: Metaphysics and Epistemology 30. The Ontology of Literary Works Amie L. Thomasson 31.Fiction Noël Carroll 32.Fictional Truth and Truth through Fiction David Davies 33.Literary Cognitivism James Harold 34.Imagination Jonathan Gilmore [...] Problem of Imaginative Resistance Tamar Szabo Gendler & Shen-yi Liao 36. Literature and "Theory of Mind" Gregory Currie Part 6: Ethics and Political Theory 37. Literature and Morality A. W. Eaton 38. Literature and Marxism Espen Hammer 39.Literature and Race Paul C. Taylor 40.Literature and Gender Mary Bittner Wiseman