Lecture Title: Potential Mechanisms of Belief Acquisition through Fiction
Lecturer: Mario Slugan, Professor from Queen Mary University, London
Introduction: In the introduction to the lecture, Professor Mario Slugan highlights the prevalent belief among filmologists, literary experts, and philosophers that regular engagement with fiction has an impact on our personal beliefs. However, the servant challenges this assumption by pointing out the contradiction between academic opinion and the most recent meta-analyses of psychological studies conducted over the past thirty years. Furthermore, even if it is assumed that fiction does influence beliefs, the mechanism through which this occurs remains unclear, particularly since fiction is often not taken seriously.
Objective: The objective of the lecture is to present the main theories of belief acquisition and assess their plausibility. Professor Slugan aims to explore how fiction can potentially influence our beliefs and examine how this influence can be explained within relevant theoretical frameworks.
Context: The lecture is conducted as part of the project "Aesthetic, Ethic and Ontology in Post Digital Art," which receives co-financing from UNIRI University Grants. It is specifically associated with the research project "Aesthetic education through narrative art and its importance for the humanities." The lecture aligns with the activities of the broader collaboration between the established research project and the UNIRI project titled "Aesthetic, ethical and ontological challenges of post-digital art."
Logistics: The lecture will take place on Friday, May 26, 2023, commencing at 10:15 a.m. It will be held in classroom 401 at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Rijeka.