Fiction
Public Truth System
Philosophy of Fiction
How stories relate to reality exploring truth in fiction and falsehoods in nonfiction.
Recent Tidbits:
Stories, Quotes, and FAQs.
The wisdom builder tidbits that feed the columns, articles, and trainer.
Philosophy of Journalism
Featured Story
Idea of Ideas
After you categorize an idea as empirically true, rationally true, or currently false, you can then start to calibrate your belief in it. Even ideas in the irrational category may deserve some degree of belief, depending on the evidence, context, and the limits of what is currently known.
Featured QUOTE
Critical Thinking
Quote
“The historian without his facts is rootless…the facts without their historian are…meaningless.”
- E. H. Carr
- 1961
Philosophy of History
Carr supports the heart of empirical narrative realism: evidence anchors history, but reason shapes the retelling. The facts keep the historian grounded in reality; the historian gives those facts sequence, context, and meaning. Always ask how much confidence each reconstruction deserves.
Featured FAQ
History
FAQ
What is the history of philosophy of fiction?
Philosophy of Fiction
Long before fiction had a name, myths, epics, parables, and dramas were already exploring gods, fate, suffering, courage, and moral failure. The philosophical turn came when people asked whether stories reveal truth or deepen illusion. Plato warned that fiction can mislead; Aristotle saw that it can reveal patterns.
Updated Tidbits
Critical Thinking
FAQ
How do we know what is true in a fictional world?
Philosophy of Fiction
07 Jul 2026
(Updated 1 month ago)
07 Jul 2026
(Updated 1 month ago)
Science
FAQ
Why does fiction feel real?
Philosophy of Fiction
07 Jul 2026
(Updated 1 month ago)
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Philosophy of Fiction
Recombine reality into something new!
Fiction is reality reimagined.
Fictional writing recombines real impressions into imagined stories. It tells stories that purposely depart from reality while remaining built from reality. No story is created fully outside reality; even fiction remains largely aligned with reality.
Deep-Dive Articles
TST Philosophy of Fiction: Imaginative Realism
Michael Alan Prestwood
July 1, 2026
Fiction is not created from nothing; it is the recombination of real impressions into imagined things.
Irrational Ideas: The Subtypes
Michael Alan Prestwood
April 6, 2026
When you encounter an irrational idea, first ask whether it is speculative or disproven.
Irrational Ideas: The Subtypes
April 6, 2026
When you encounter an irrational idea, first ask whether it is speculative or disproven.
Speculative Ideas in Science: Rip-Bang, Bigfoot, and Beyond
June 5, 2024
Speculation has a real place in science and in your worldview, but speculative ideas are not established truths. They are starting points, possibilities, or failed ...
Spin, Falsehoods, and Lies
January 29, 2019
Truth matters, but so does being fair about intent. Do not confuse spin, falsehood, and lying. Spin presents the best face. A falsehood is an ...
New Ideas
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Updated Articles
TST COLUMN
01 Jul 2026
Critical Thinking
Paper
TST Philosophy of Fiction: Imaginative Realism
Philosophy of Fiction
Wed 1 Jul 2026
(2 months ago)
Updated 1 month ago.
THINK WELL
Paper
Irrational Ideas: The Subtypes
Idea of Ideas
Mon 6 Apr 2026
(5 months ago)
Updated 2 months ago.
TST COLUMN
29 Jan 2019
Debut
THINK WELL
Article
Spin, Falsehoods, and Lies
Journalism
Tue 29 Jan 2019
(8 years ago)
Updated 2 months ago.
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