In The Plausible World , the intersections of literature and cartography enable readers to understand that place is anything but purely geographic: a plausible world is created as a strategy to fill the void. Innovative in his approach, Westphal challenges the view that perceptions and representations of space are stable or straightforward.

Examples through history used to examine the role of possible worlds in explanation and practical judgements.

What is our place in the world, and how do we inhabit, understand, and represent this place to others? Topophrenia gathers essays by Robert Tally that explore the relationship between space, place, and mapping, on the one hand, and literary criticism, history, and theory on the other. The book provides an introduction to spatial literary studies, exploring in detail the theory and practice of geocriticism, literary cartography, and the spatial humanities more generally. The spatial anxiety of disorientation and the need to know one's location, even if only subconsciously, is a deeply felt and shared human experience. Building on Yi Fu Tuan's "topophilia" (or love of place), Tally instead considers the notion of "topophrenia" as a simultaneous sense of place-consciousness coupled with a feeling of disorder, anxiety, and "dis-ease." He argues that no effective geography could be complete without also incorporating an awareness of the lonely, loathsome, or frightening spaces that condition our understanding of that space. Tally considers the tension between the objective ordering of a space and the subjective ways in which narrative worlds are constructed. Narrative maps present a way of understanding that seems realistic but is completely figurative. So how can these maps be used to not only understand the real world but also to put up an alternative vision of what that world might otherwise be? From Tolkien to Cervantes, Borges to More, Topophrenia provides a clear and compelling explanation of how geocriticism, the spatial humanities, and literary cartography help us to narrate, represent, and understand our place in a constantly changing world.

Drawing on recent work in literary theory, linguistics, and symbolic anthropology, as well as cognitive and developmental psychology Professor Bruner examines the mental acts that enter into the imaginative creation of possible worlds, and he shows how the activity of imaginary world making undergirds human science, literature, and philosophy, as well as everyday thinking, and even our sense of self. - Publisher.

Charles Dickens' collection of short stories, 'The Complete Short Stories', offers readers a glimpse into the vast literary landscape of one of the most renowned Victorian authors. The book not only showcases Dickens' mastery of storytelling and character development but also provides insight into the social issues of the time. From heartwarming Christmas tales to thought-provoking social sketches, this collection is a testament to Dickens' ability to capture the essence of humanity in various forms. The illustrated edition adds an extra layer of charm to these timeless stories, making them a delight to read and revisit. Charles Dickens, known for his iconic novels such as 'Great Expectations' and 'Oliver Twist', was a prolific writer who used his works to shed light on the societal injustices of his time. His keen observations and compassionate portrayals of characters have solidified his place in the literary canon. It is evident that his personal experiences and empathy towards the less fortunate shaped his storytelling, creating works that continue to resonate with readers today. I highly recommend 'The Complete Short Stories' to readers who appreciate classic literature and wish to delve deeper into Dickens' literary prowess. This collection is not only a treasure trove of beautifully crafted stories but also a testament to the enduring legacy of one of the greatest literary figures in history.

Stringently reviewed papers presented at the October 1992 meeting held in Cambridge, Mass., address such topics as nonmonotonic logic; taxonomic logic; specialized algorithms for temporal, spatial, and numerical reasoning; and knowledge representation issues in planning, diagnosis, and natural langu

This book develops an original theory of decision-making based on the concept of plausibility. The author advocates plausible reasoning as a general philosophical method and demonstrates how it can be applied to problems in argumentation theory, scientific theory choice, risk management, ethics, law, economics, and epistemology. Human decisions are conditioned by formidable uncertainty. The standard resource for dealing rationally with uncertainty is the mathematical concept of probability. The probability calculus is well-known, but since the numerical demands for applying it cannot usually be met, it is not widely applicable. By contrast, the concept of plausibility is widely applicable, but it is little known. This book relies on a generalized concept of plausibility whose strength is its adaptability. The adaptability is due to a novel form of decision theory that takes plausibilities as inputs. This form of decision theory remains applicable to decisions informed by sharp probabilities and utilities, but it can also be applied to decisions that must be made without them. It can aid in the rationally critical enterprise of discriminating good arguments from bad, and this can foster philosophical progress. A Plea for Plausibility will be of interest to scholars and advanced students working in argumentation theory, philosophy of science, ethics, epistemology, economics, law, and risk management.