Abstract

In this chapter a provisional definition of literary humanism is given; it is argued that the theses associated with it by that definition are best understood in the context of a special application of Frege’s sense–reference distinction. It is maintained that works of literature often have a paraphrase, which conveys the same referential content via a different sense, and that this referential content may be an object of propositional knowledge. It is further argued that the sense of a work of literature, as well as its reference, may be of cognitive value, and some examples of works (or parts of works) whose cognitive value resides in their reference (respectively, sense) are given. Finally, the chapter examines the respects in which rereading a work can bring cognitive benefit.