University of Isfahan Metaphysics 2476-3276 12 30 2020 09 22 From the Probable Impossibility to the Self-Sufficiency of the Literary Work in Aristotle's Thought From the Probable Impossibility to the Self-Sufficiency of the Literary Work in Aristotle's Thought 169 185 25786 10.22108/mph.2021.128258.1291 FA Masoud Algooneh Juneghani Associate professor of Persian language and literature, department of ,Persian language and literature, humanities faculty, university of Isfahan, isfahan, Iran Journal Article 2021 04 24 Emphasizing the subject of imitation as an instinctive and natural factor in human learning, Aristotle in his Poetics considers mimesis as the origin of artistic indulgence, however his commitment to the theory of imitation, like Plato, does not reduce the work of art to mere representation of the real world. In fact, when Aristotle explicitly prefers the probable impossibility to the possible improbability in explaining the mechanism of the plot of tragedy, such a viewpoint entails acknowledging the validity and reliability of the possible literary world and confirming its self-sufficiency. Obviously, adopting such a view requires a formalist reading of Aristotle's theory, a reading that contrasts with the anti-formalist approach prevalent in the mimetic theory. Therefore, the question which arises is on what basis and by what means did Aristotle succeed in merging these two different theories, and does such a view ultimately guarantee the self-sufficiency of the literary work or not? For this reason, the present study, while critically reading the place of imitation theory in Aristotle's thought, analyzes the concept of probable impossibility and according to Aristotle's own statements in the poetics, account for his understanding of as probable impossibility as well as the self-sufficiency of the literary work. Finally, this study shows Aristotle, acknowledging the independence of the literary work and emphasizing the validity of the principle of probability and necessity in shaping the internal logic of the work, still believes in the representation of the real world, although his adherence to the principle of representation requires attention to structure of events and not its content. Emphasizing the subject of imitation as an instinctive and natural factor in human learning, Aristotle in his Poetics considers mimesis as the origin of artistic indulgence, however his commitment to the theory of imitation, like Plato, does not reduce the work of art to mere representation of the real world. In fact, when Aristotle explicitly prefers the probable impossibility to the possible improbability in explaining the mechanism of the plot of tragedy, such a viewpoint entails acknowledging the validity and reliability of the possible literary world and confirming its self-sufficiency. Obviously, adopting such a view requires a formalist reading of Aristotle's theory, a reading that contrasts with the anti-formalist approach prevalent in the mimetic theory. Therefore, the question which arises is on what basis and by what means did Aristotle succeed in merging these two different theories, and does such a view ultimately guarantee the self-sufficiency of the literary work or not? For this reason, the present study, while critically reading the place of imitation theory in Aristotle's thought, analyzes the concept of probable impossibility and according to Aristotle's own statements in the poetics, account for his understanding of as probable impossibility as well as the self-sufficiency of the literary work. Finally, this study shows Aristotle, acknowledging the independence of the literary work and emphasizing the validity of the principle of probability and necessity in shaping the internal logic of the work, still believes in the representation of the real world, although his adherence to the principle of representation requires attention to structure of events and not its content.

https://mph.ui.ac.ir/article_25786_daeb5489ef727e5ee8b7d15d36f7c1c2.pdf