The Epistemology of Narrative Knowledge

Human beings have long been defined as social, political, rational, or economic beings. However, a more recent perspective identifies them as “storytelling animals”. Storytelling is not merely a form of entertainment – it plays a crucial epistemological role by offering a unique way to understand the world. Stories help both children and adults make inferences, organize knowledge, and comprehend complex social dynamics. This issue of Rivista di Estetica is devoted to the epistemology of narrative knowledge, which explores how knowledge is produced, structured, and evaluated through stories. Unlike objective knowledge, narrative knowledge reflects personal beliefs, assumptions, experiences, and desires. It is perspectival – shaped by individuals or communities – and participative, often influencing worldviews in subtle and sometimes oppressive ways. Stories intertwine to form complex narrative clusters that shape human understanding of the world. By studying these dynamics, we can better grasp their influence on how we perceive and engage with reality.

Contents

Erica Onnis, Sarah Worth, Introduction
Andrea Velardi, Narrative theory, mind and text: Beyond the dichotomy between mindreading and global coherence
Iris Vidmar Jovanović, Exploring transmission: The epistemic status of narrative-based knowledge
Giulia Beltritti, The utopia of a shared narrative that looks to the future
Valeria Costanza D’Agata, The aesthetic potential of narrative knowledge for self-awareness and for the creation of more inclusive communities
Joshua Rust, Skillfully confronting the unknown: Narratively-inflected practical knowledge
Cristina Ganz,  Empowering women’s narratives: Unravelling the dominant narrative on pregnancy and childbirth
Mara Floris, Narrative knowledge, archaeology, and gender roles: How we use today’s stories to make sense of the past
Arianna Borrelli, Scientific theories as multi-medial narratives: Telling the story of the origin of mass

Varia

Babette Babich, New religion: Wang Guangyi, Apelles’ line, and political theology
Nicolas C. Gonzalez, A realist approach to surrealist art
Martina Properzi, The technology-supplemented bodily subject. A case study in biomimetic prostheticsNiki Young, Passion and allure: Mundane and disruptive experience in Harman and Lingis

Recensioni

Vivetta Vivarelli, Nietzsche sullo schermo. Saggi di filosofia del cinema di Paolo Stellino