How can you talk about someone or something if it does not exist? Do
words need a referrent? It's like saying, what's a widget? So do
fictional characters like Romeo and Juliet, Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde,
Annakin Skywalker exist in some philosophical universe of creation?

C3

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:35:44 -0700 (PDT), C3 aol.com> wrote:

As information structures we represent the situation through
a personal brain based "virtual reality" (model):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality
Thus "fiction" is a marginal issue.
There may be structures in the brain perhaps called
"credibility module". When functioning properly this may
evaluate "model" aspects as to their "credibility" or
"reality". Of course this "credibility" function is subject
to its own "credibility" and can even be aberrational, as in
some here.

"C3" aol.com> wrote in message
news:d1dc5c84-15c3-4259-9bd7-6696bef18021@q27g2000prf.googlegroups.com...

Yes.
They all exist.
Everything that is conceivable by man is true somewhere, somehow.

On Jun 20, 12:45�am, "Mark Earnest" yahoo.com> wrote:

That is a radical notion which I sometimes wonder about. Do these
"fictional" characters have volition and free will?

C3

"C3" aol.com> wrote in message
news:384ae1c4-e736-45a2-974c-2dc2cbc6debc@g16g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
On Jun 20, 12:45?am, "Mark Earnest" yahoo.com> wrote:

That is a radical notion which I sometimes wonder about. Do these
"fictional" characters have volition and free will?

On Jun 20, 4:35 pm, C3 aol.com> wrote:

I remember many years ago, putting a similar question to a sci fi
panel on a radio show.

The question being "if imagination is part of creation, is it possible
to imagine something outside of creation". There was deadly silence, a
few grunts and the comment "NEXT". Very confirming.

There is a scene from the great movie, "Contact" where the answer is
delivered beautifully, and also in Robin Williams's "Where Dreams Come
From."

Ther is no limit to what an individual creates. What would you expect
on the Shakesperian 'world stage'.

Just thought of a funny line. If all the world is a stage, and we are
merely players, should we all have to belong to actors equity :-).

On Jun 20, 5:54 pm, C3 aol.com> wrote:

On Jun 20, 6:17 pm, "Mark Earnest" yahoo.com> wrote:

On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:35:44 -0700, C3 wrote:

metaphors.

John runs like a deer is a simile

John is a deer = metaphor for john who can run fast

A deer, when put into a plot, could be a metaphor for a certain kind of
people or all people. Bambi = the innocent

It can work the other way also where characters become metaphors for
ideals or concepts.

Jeckyl and Hyde is a metaphor for the good/bad nature in all humans.
Romeo and Juliet = young love.
The One Ring = Absolute Power
The Matrix = Engineered Reality

The list goes on and on and into holy books, the ancient ballads, most if
not all works of literature, movies, plays and song. So deep in the
psyche of the human species that it is nearly impossible to always tell
the deer from John.

On Jun 20, 8:35 am, C3 aol.com> wrote:

Read Jasper FFordes' "Lost in a good book" or "The well of lost plots"