In this debut volume of a new series, N羹nning (English literature, Ruprecht-Karls-U., Heidelberg) treats the late American philosopher Nelson Goodman's constructivist approach to Ways of
Worldmaking (1978) as an entr矇 to conceptualizing world models influenced by the symbol systems of the arts, sciences, philosophy, perception and everyday discourse. After comparing his
approach to other theories (e.g., phenomenological, cognitive- psychological), European scholars explore theoretical, media, and narrative ways of worldmaking. Going beyond Goodman, they
examine the relationship between cultural values and facts, and theories of the role of media in worldmaking. Literary narratives (e.g., Stead's fictional autobiography, A Secret History of
Modernism, Doctorow's novel City of God) are discussed for their self- and community-making functions. Not indexed. Annotation 穢2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
