Published : 2026-02-11

Imagination, Falsehood and Truth in Art and Science: Notes on the Sociology of Literature

Abstract

Fiction constitutes a vital component of literature, but can figments of imagination also play a significant role in scholarly work of scholars? This article explores the notion that the relationship between the real and the imaginary world cannot be reduced to a simple dichotomy of truth and falsehood, and that this is the case not only in artistic culture but also in the realm of science. If the discovery and dissemination of truth are what writers and scientists share, to what extent can they use imagery, rhetoric, narrative, and fiction to achieve those goals? I delve into the period in the history of sociology when proposals were made to make “literary sociology” a proper form of social science. I also reflect on the current and prospective use of literary forms in the academic work of social scientists.

Keywords:

sociology of literature, social representations, sociological imagination, reality, truth, falsehood



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Ćwikła, P. (2026). Imagination, Falsehood and Truth in Art and Science: Notes on the Sociology of Literature. Roczniki Nauk Społecznych, (Online First). https://doi.org/10.18290/rns2026.0001

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