A Metalinguistic Theory of Metafictional Discourse

哲学家们普遍认为，我们至少看起来有能力对虚构的人物做出直接真实的陈述，而不仅仅是虚构的真实。这种陈述通常被描述为“批判性的”、“外部的”或“元小说的”。例如：（1）福尔摩斯是《血字的研究》中的一个人物。(2)福尔摩斯是一个文化偶像。(3)福尔摩斯是许多其他虚构侦探的典范。然而，哲学家们对这种说法的真实性条件存在分歧

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