A Metalinguistic Theory of Metafictional Discourse

哲学家们普遍认为，我们至少似乎有能力对虚构的人物做出直截了当地真实的陈述，而不仅仅是虚构的真实。这样的陈述通常被描述为“批判性的”、“外在的”或“元虚构的”。例如：(1)福尔摩斯是《血字的研究》中的一个角色。(2)福尔摩斯是一个文化偶像。福尔摩斯是许多其他虚构侦探的榜样。然而，哲学家们对这种说法的真实条件持不同意见

Philosophers broadly agree that we at least appear capable of making statements concerning fictional characters which are straightforwardly true,rather than merely fictionally true. Such statements are usually described as "critical", "external", or "metafictional". For example:(1) Holmes is a character in A Study in Scarlet.(2) Holmes is a cultural icon.(3) Holmes is a model for many other fictional detectives.Philosophers disagree, however, over the truth-conditions for such claims