From ancient philosophy to contemporary theories of fiction, it is a common practice to relegate illusory appearances to the realm of the non-existent, like shadows on the wall of Plato's cave. Contrary to this traditional mode of drawing a metaphysical distinction between reality and fiction, Markus Gabriel argues that the realm of the illusory, fictional, imaginary and conceptually indeterminate is as real as it gets.
 
Being in touch with reality need not and cannot require that we overcome appearances in order to grasp a meaningless reality which exists 'out there', outside and maybe even beyond our minds. Human mindedness (Geist) exists in the mode of fictions through which we achieve self-consciousness. This novel approach provides a fresh perspective on our existence as subjects who lead their lives in the light of self-conceptions.
 
Fictions also develops a social ontology according to which the social unfolds as a constant renegotiation of dissent, of different points of view onto the same reality. Thus we cannot ever hope to ground human society in a fiction-free realm of objective transactions. However, this does not mean that truth and reality are somehow outdated concepts. On the contrary, we need to enlarge our conception of reality so that it fully encompasses ourselves as specifically minded social animals.
 
This major new work of philosophy will be of interest to students and scholars throughout the humanities and to anyone interested in contemporary philosophy and social thought.

Markus Gabriel holds the chair for Epistemology, Modern and Contemporary Philosophy at the University of Bonn and is also the Director of the International Center for Philosophy in Bonn.

Preface
Introduction

Part One: Fictional Realism

§ 1 Interpretation and Reading
§ 2 There Are No Fictional Objects: Against a Philosophical Myth
§ 3 Meontology in Ontology of Fields of Sense
§ 4 The World Is Not a Fiction: The Incoherence of Borges's The Aleph
§ 5 OFS Is Not a Meinongian Theory of Objects
Part Two: Mental Realism

§ 6 From Naive Realism to Illusionism
§ 7 The Indispensability of Mind
§ 8 The Lifeworld of Ontology of fields of sense

§ 9 Objective Phenomenology
§ 10 Ontology of the Imagination: (Alleged) Expressive Barriers of OFS

§ 11 Fictive, Imaginary and Intentional Objects
Part Three: Social Realism
§ 12 The Nature of Social Facts
§ 13 Our Survival Form: Intransparent Society
§ 14 Rule-Following, Realistically Conceived
§ 15 Mythology, Ideology, Fiction
§ 16 The Ontology of Social Networks
§ 17 The Public Sphere of Mind
On a Final Note: We Must Chase away the Spectre of the Post-Truth Era
Notes
Index