1 research outputs found
The possibility conditions of narrative identity.
The focus of this dissertation is narrative identity theory, i.e. the proposition that our
sense of self is structured like a story. The imputed advantage of narrativity identity is
that it enables great coherence and guidance to our complex lives composed of
multiple and often conflicting inner impulses and social demands. The manner in
which this is accomplished is that narrativity functions metaphorically as a tacit,
formative operation, which transfers the intelligibility inherent in the familiar domain of
stories to the more elusive domain of personal identity. Narrativity is an epistemically
efficient kind of discourse which can synthesize a multitude of elements into a unity
called plot. A plot gives unity to the whole of a story and confers significance to its
parts. Both narrativity and metaphoricity are the more recognizable products of an
underlying mechanism both share, i.e. productive imagination. This faculty
pervasively and continually configures the whole field of our experience, accentuating
the relevant structures of our physical, social or inner, affective-mental environment
(context) and projects the path through this environment towards a physical destiny,
social accomplishment or resolution (direction). With the tools of classic Husserlian
phenomenology and its radicalization in Heideggerian existential hermeneutics the
main concepts of narrativity, metaphoricity and productive imagination can be further
clarified and connected. This will enable a discussion about the question whether the
ontological status of narrative identity can be construed such that either 1) personal
identity merely has narrative cognition available as a pervasive, tacit tool to cope with
life, or 2) whether our personal identity is nothing but the product of the productive The focus of this dissertation is narrative identity theory, i.e. the proposition that our
sense of self is structured like a story. The imputed advantage of narrativity identity is
that it enables great coherence and guidance to our complex lives composed of
multiple and often conflicting inner impulses and social demands. The manner in
which this is accomplished is that narrativity functions metaphorically as a tacit,
formative operation, which transfers the intelligibility inherent in the familiar domain of
stories to the more elusive domain of personal identity. Narrativity is an epistemically
efficient kind of discourse which can synthesize a multitude of elements into a unity
called plot. A plot gives unity to the whole of a story and confers significance to its
parts. Both narrativity and metaphoricity are the more recognizable products of an
underlying mechanism both share, i.e. productive imagination. This faculty
pervasively and continually configures the whole field of our experience, accentuating
the relevant structures of our physical, social or inner, affective-mental environment
(context) and projects the path through this environment towards a physical destiny,
social accomplishment or resolution (direction). With the tools of classic Husserlian
phenomenology and its radicalization in Heideggerian existential hermeneutics the
main concepts of narrativity, metaphoricity and productive imagination can be further
clarified and connected. This will enable a discussion about the question whether the
ontological status of narrative identity can be construed such that either 1) personal
identity merely has narrative cognition available as a pervasive, tacit tool to cope with
life, or 2) whether our personal identity is nothing but the product of the productive The focus of this dissertation is narrative identity theory, i.e. the proposition that our
sense of self is structured like a story. The imputed advantage of narrativity identity is
that it enables great coherence and guidance to our complex lives composed of
multiple and often conflicting inner impulses and social demands. The manner in
which this is accomplished is that narrativity functions metaphorically as a tacit,
formative operation, which transfers the intelligibility inherent in the familiar domain of
stories to the more elusive domain of personal identity. Narrativity is an epistemically
efficient kind of discourse which can synthesize a multitude of elements into a unity
called plot. A plot gives unity to the whole of a story and confers significance to its
parts. Both narrativity and metaphoricity are the more recognizable products of an
underlying mechanism both share, i.e. productive imagination. This faculty
pervasively and continually configures the whole field of our experience, accentuating
the relevant structures of our physical, social or inner, affective-mental environment
(context) and projects the path through this environment towards a physical destiny,
social accomplishment or resolution (direction). With the tools of classic Husserlian
phenomenology and its radicalization in Heideggerian existential hermeneutics the
main concepts of narrativity, metaphoricity and productive imagination can be further
clarified and connected. This will enable a discussion about the question whether the
ontological status of narrative identity can be construed such that either 1) personal
identity merely has narrative cognition available as a pervasive, tacit tool to cope with
life, or 2) whether our personamagination operating through narrativityl identity is nothing but the product of the productiv