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Article: A response to Joseph Carroll.(Responses)
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- June 22, 2008
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Northern Illinois University. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Joseph Carroll's essay, "An Evolutionary Paradigm for Literary Study," gives us a solid overview of evolutionary psychology and literary study. In my response I will address a few major points in hopes of spurring yet more written conversation.
Carroll wants to institute, not just another paradigm, but in tact the paradigm for literary study. (More specifically, he wants to undo the continuing reign of poststructuralist-derived theory.) A Darwinian approach, he writes, should "ultimately ... subsume all other approaches to literary study." Taking this even further: "if evolutionary psychology can give a true and comprehensive account of human nature, it can ...