A Sensibilist Explanation of Imaginative Resistance

Abstract This article discusses why it is the case that we refuse to accept strange evaluative claims as being true in fictions, even though are happy go along with other types of absurdities such contexts. For instance, would following statement true, context a fiction: (i) In killing her baby, Giselda did right thing; after all, was girl. offers sensibilist diagnosis this puzzle, inspired by an observation first made David Hume. According sensibilism, way feel about things settles their properties. Thus, when confronted fictional scenario where configuration non-evaluative facts and properties relevantly similar actual world, instantiated according different pattern. It attitudes hold world fix extension terms, nonactual worlds. When engaging fiction, (to some extent) leave our beliefs what like behind, while taking emotional us into fiction. To substantiate diagnosis, paper outlines semantics for terms based on recent discussion regarding predicates personal taste, explains how, together standard assumptions nature discourse, makes relevant predictions respect engagement fictions.