The Emotion Engine

The Prompt

Propose a theory of fictional emotions that resolves the paradox without denying any of its three premises (we feel genuine emotions; we know characters are fictional; genuine emotions require existential beliefs). Your theory may draw on cognitive science, philosophy of mind, or aesthetic theory, but it must explain — not explain away — the reality of the tears.

Completion Criteria

A novel or carefully synthesized theory that addresses all three horns of the paradox, explains the mechanism by which fiction generates genuine emotion, and anticipates at least one serious objection.

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