From Weltpoesie to Weltpoetik: World Poetics as Third-Order Observing

Thomas Beebee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This essay explores the idea of a world poetics through the lens of system theory. I propose three hypotheses that relate to Wang Ning’s call for a world poetics: 1) world literature is coterminous with world poetics as guidelines for “making” world literature; 2) world literature is brought about by rendering the vast majority of literature invisible, whether the distinction is drawn geographically, generically, chronologically, or otherwise; and 3) world literature is third-order observing of literature, and that observing is its poetics. These theses are explained, exemplified, and applied to Wang’s ideas in the course of my piece.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)48-64
Number of pages17
JournalPhilosophy and Literature
Volume48
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Philosophy
  • Literature and Literary Theory

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'From Weltpoesie to Weltpoetik: World Poetics as Third-Order Observing'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this