Science Fiction - The Hubres of Science

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Wol yoso talks about the meaning of great stories and how they can be misinterpreted. He says that literary criticism has collapsed in the twentieth century, because it's so useless. But he argues that we should still try to understand what a story is trying to tell us. Wol yoso: I would say for people get out of the book what you learned in high school.

Michael speaks with neuroscientist and literature professor Dr. Angus Fletcher about 25 of the most powerful developments in the history of literature, from ancient Mesopotamia to Elena Ferrante. Fletcher says these literary technologies can alleviate grief, trauma, loneliness, anxiety, numbness, depression, pessimism, and ennui — all while sparking creativity, courage, love, empathy, hope, joy, and positive change. Fletcher is a professor of story science at Ohio State’s Project Narrative, the world’s leading academic think-tank for the study of stories. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.