Representationalism in Literature & Literary Theory

Representationalism: Etymology/Term, Meanings and Concept

Representationalism has its roots in the Latin word “repraesentare,” meaning “to make present again.” In the context of philosophy, representationalism is the theory that our minds do not directly access the external world. Instead, our perceptions, thoughts, and experiences are based on internal mental representations of that world.

• Key Concepts
  • Veil of Perception: Our senses don’t give us unfiltered reality; they create internal representations which we interpret as the world.
  • Problem of Skepticism: Since we only interact with representations, how can we be certain that they accurately reflect true reality?
  • Intentionality: Mental states (beliefs, desires, etc.) have the capacity to be about something other than themselves.
  • Mind-Body Problem: This theory raises the question of how non-physical mental representations can arise from, or interact with, the physical world.

Representationalism: Definition of a Theoretical Term

Representationalism is a philosophical theory that suggests our perceptions and mental experiences are not direct interactions with the external world. Instead, our minds operate on internal representations or copies of that external reality. This concept implies that our understanding of the world is fundamentally indirect, raising questions about the true nature of reality and the limits of our knowledge.

Representationalism: Theorists, Works and Arguments

Key Theorists

• John Locke: One of the earliest proponents of representationalism. He distinguished between primary qualities (inherent in objects, like shape and size) and secondary qualities (produced in our minds, like color and taste).
• Immanuel Kant: Developed the concept of transcendental idealism. He believed the mind actively constructs our experience of the world, using categories like space and time, rather than simply mirroring reality.
• John McDowell: A contemporary representationalist who emphasizes the role of our conceptual understanding in shaping our experience of the world.

Important Works

• John Locke: “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding” – introduces the distinction between primary and secondary qualities.
• Immanuel Kant: “Critique of Pure Reason” – outlines transcendental idealism and the mind’s role in constructing reality.
• John McDowell: “Mind and World” – a modern defense of representationalism with an emphasis on our conceptual capacities.

Central Arguments

• Argument from Illusion: Illusions and hallucinations demonstrate that our perceptions don’t always match external reality, suggesting they are mediated by mental representations.
• Argument from Science: Our scientific understanding of perception (e.g., how the brain processes sensory input) supports the idea that our experiences are built from neural representations, not direct contact with the world.
• Causal Argument: If mental representations were merely caused by the external world with no resemblance, it’s unclear how we could ever know about that world. Representation must involve some level of similarity, even if imperfect.

Representationalism: Major Characteristics

1. Mediated Perception: Perception of external reality is believed to be mediated by mental representations or internal states, acting as intermediaries between the mind and the external world. (Literary Reference: “The Matrix” by the Wachowskis, where reality is perceived through simulated representations.)
2. Internal Representation: Emphasizes the presence of mental states or representations that stand for objects, events, or ideas in the external world, playing a pivotal role in cognition and knowledge acquisition. (Literary Reference: George Orwell’s “1984”, where the protagonist’s thoughts are controlled by internal representations manipulated by the authoritarian regime.)
3. Dependence on Mental States: Knowledge and understanding rely on the content and structure of mental representations, with their accuracy and fidelity determining the quality of perception and cognition. (Literary Reference: Jorge Luis Borges’ “The Library of Babel”, where knowledge is constrained by the representations contained within an infinite library.)
4. Epistemological Significance: Asserts that knowledge is grounded in mental representations of reality, highlighting the importance of comprehending how the mind constructs and interprets representations to shape our understanding of the world. (Literary Reference: Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose”, where knowledge is pursued through deciphering symbols and representations in a medieval monastery.)
5. Philosophy of Mind Perspective: Within philosophy of mind, mental states like beliefs, desires, and perceptions are viewed as representations of external or internal states of affairs, informing theories of consciousness, intentionality, and mental content. (Literary Reference: Daniel Dennett’s “Consciousness Explained”, which explores how consciousness arises from representational processes in the brain.)
6. Artistic Expression: Extends to art, where artists create representations symbolizing aspects of reality, delving into how meaning is conveyed and interpreted across various mediums. (Literary Reference: Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, which represents the artist’s perception of the night sky in a symbolic and expressive manner.)
7. Debates and Critiques: Engages in ongoing debates and critiques within philosophy, particularly concerning the nature of mental representation, the relationship between representation and reality, and the role of representation in cognitive processes. (Literary Reference: Thomas Nagel’s “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?”, which challenges representationalist accounts of consciousness by exploring the subjective nature of experience.)

Representationalism: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance of Representationalism
Formalism / New Criticism	Challenges the direct correspondence of language to reality. Emphasizes the constructed nature of literary texts and how they create their own internal realities.
Structuralism	Aligns with the idea that signs (words) only have meaning within a system of relationships, not by directly referencing real-world objects. Focuses on how literature creates its own representational system.
Post-Structuralism	Emphasizes the instability of meaning and challenges the possibility of any fixed representation of reality. Texts are seen as constantly generating new meanings, undermining the idea of a single, authoritative representation.
Reader-Response Criticism	Stresses the role of the reader in constructing meaning from the text. The act of reading becomes an interaction between the text’s representations and the reader’s own experiences and interpretations.
Cognitive Literary Studies	Explores how the mind constructs literary worlds and narratives using schemas, mental models, and other cognitive processes. Representationalism provides a philosophical foundation for understanding the mental mechanisms involved in reading literature.

Representationalism: Application in Critiques

• Hamlet (William Shakespeare):
  • The Veil of Perception: Hamlet’s struggle with the veracity of the ghost and the unreliability of outward appearances underscore representationalism’s concern with the fallibility of perception. The play-within-a-play further emphasizes the layered nature of reality and representation.
  • Intentionality and Interpretation: The ambiguity surrounding characters’ motivations and the play’s polysemous nature highlight the lack of a singular, definitive meaning. This invites the audience to engage in their own representational processes, drawing individual interpretations.
• Ulysses (James Joyce):
  • Subversion of Representational Norms: The novel’s fragmented form and stream-of-consciousness technique challenge traditional linear narratives. It demands active reader participation in the construction of meaning, emphasizing the subjective and constructed nature of experience in line with representationalism.
  • Limits of Language: Joyce’s experimentation with language exposes the inherent limitations of words in their ability to fully encapsulate the multifaceted nature of reality.
• The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood):
  • Representational Power Structures: Gilead’s manipulation of language, imagery, and historical narratives demonstrates how controlling representations equates to controlling reality. This critiques systems of power that construct worldviews to enforce dominance.
  • Subjectivity and Constructed Realities: Offred’s first-person account underscores how personal experiences, particularly those influenced by oppression, are inherently mediated through internal representations. This emphasizes the individual’s role in filtering and understanding their world.
• Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison):
  • Representational Injustice: The novel explores how imposed social constructs and stereotypes deny the protagonist’s complex individuality. This highlights the harmful effects of misrepresentation and the failure of external perceptions to capture the depth of lived experience.
  • Existential Invisibility: The protagonist’s metaphorical invisibility critiques the disconnect between societal representations of race and the multifaceted realities of Black identity, underscoring the dehumanizing consequences of denying an individual’s right to self-definition.

Representationalism: Relevant Terms

Representationalism: Relevant Terms

1. Mental Representation: Internal cognitive structures that stand for objects, events, or ideas in the external world, playing a crucial role in cognition and perception.

2. Intentionality: The property of mental states being about something; the directedness or “aboutness” of mental content towards objects or states of affairs.

3. Phenomenal Consciousness: The subjective experience of consciousness, including sensory perceptions, emotions, and thoughts, which are represented in the mind.

4. Computational Theory of Mind: The view that mental states and processes can be understood as computational processes, involving the manipulation of symbols or representations.

5. Language of Thought Hypothesis: The theory proposing that thought processes are structured and mediated by an internal language or symbolic system of mental representations.

6. Dualism: The philosophical stance that posits a fundamental distinction between mind and matter, often contrasting mental representations with physical reality.

7. Idealism: The philosophical perspective asserting that reality is fundamentally mental or constructed by the mind, with external objects existing only as mental representations.

8. Perception: The process of acquiring, interpreting, and organizing sensory information from the external world, often mediated by mental representations.

9. Epistemology: The branch of philosophy concerned with the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge, exploring how knowledge is acquired and justified through mental representations.

10. Realism: The philosophical position affirming the existence of an objective reality independent of human perception or representation, contrasting with idealism.

Representationalism: Suggested Readings

1. Dennett, Daniel C. Consciousness Explained. Little, Brown and Company, 1991.
2. Descartes, René. Meditations on First Philosophy. Translated by John Cottingham, Cambridge University Press, 1996.
3. Dretske, Fred I. Knowledge and the Flow of Information. MIT Press, 1981.
4. Fodor, Jerry A. The Language of Thought. Harvard University Press, 1975.
5. Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Translated by Paul Guyer and Allen W. Wood, Cambridge University Press, 1998.
6. Locke, John. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. Edited by Peter H. Nidditch, Oxford University Press, 1979.
7. Putnam, Hilary. Representation and Reality. MIT Press, 1988.
8. Russell, Bertrand. The Problems of Philosophy. Oxford University Press, 1912.
9. Sellars, Wilfrid. Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind. Harvard University Press, 1997.
10. Tye, Michael. Ten Problems of Consciousness: A Representational Theory of the Phenomenal Mind. MIT Press, 1995.