Robinson's Podcast 214 - Joyce Carol Oates: On Philosophy and Literature
Jun 30, 2024
Joyce Carol Oates, a celebrated novelist and professor at Princeton, dives into the complexities of philosophy and literature. She reflects on her experiences with controversial philosopher Peter Singer, exploring the interplay of ethics and fiction. Oates discusses her approach to criticism and how it shapes her work, as well as her unique writing process and techniques for short stories. She intriguingly links her characters' moral dilemmas to broader philosophical ideas, all while navigating the challenges of translation and the essence of storytelling.
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Meeting Peter Singer At Princeton
- Joyce recounts meeting Peter Singer after he joined Princeton and notes the controversy his appointment sparked.
- She describes being part of an interdisciplinary center that connected her with him early on.
Formalism As Dramatic Inquiry
- Joyce Carol Oates sees formalism as a way to dramatize the interplay of ideas and human personality.
- She values both pragmatic reformist philosophies and transcendental absolutes as complementary influences on art.
Pragmatism Versus Transcendence
- Oates frames utilitarianism/pragmatism as practical, reform-minded philosophies tied to worldly engagement.
- She contrasts them with transcendental or Platonic visions that prioritize absolutes and detachment.
