Fictional Immorality and Immoral Fiction

The most thorough, comprehensive, and timely analysis of fictional immorality on the market. It builds a convincing theory across all types of media—films, books, games, and more—and will therefore be a foundational text for anyone interested in what it means to imagine transgressions. It also holds broader relevance for research on the nature of fiction and what relationship it has with our real lives. -- Marcus Schulzke, author of Simulating Good and Evil: The Morality and Politics of Videogames, Rutgers University Press, 2020
If you have ever wondered about the moral considerations at play in works of fiction, this book is for you. Young’s exploration of issues of immorality in fiction explores the gamut: films, novels, theatre, music and more. Young delivers a thought-provoking work with important and far reaching philosophical and psychological implications. -- Morgan Luck, Charles Sturt University
In Fictional Immorality and Immoral Fiction, Garry Young engages with a wide range of important debates—including the metaphysics of fictional characters, the nature of harm, and empirical research on violent media—to develop a nuanced account of the morality of fiction. Young demonstrates how his account of the ethics of fiction can be applied to difficult cases such as private fantasies, historical fictions, and deepfake pornography. This book would be of great interest to students and scholars of the ethics of literature, film, and video games. -- Christopher Bartel, Appalachian State University

In his latest book, Fictional Immorality and Immoral Fiction, Prof. Dr. Garry Young presents an in-depth analysis of the discussions surrounding the narrative depiction (in novels, films, games and digital media) of immoral behavior such as extreme violence, rape or murder. The book presents a comprehensive overview of all relevant research relating to these topics, and provides integration into an all-encompassing theoretical framework. While several chapters can be read as standalone case studies, deepening the insights Young elaborated in his recently published work, the book develops an intricate line of thought, cumulatively adding new layers, and building towards a sophisticated conclusion.
A remarkable strength of Garry Young’s work is that he effortlessly embraces a genuinely interdisciplinary approach. Young is a versatile researcher whose thoughts are equally grounded in cultural studies, psychology, semiotics and media research, always through the methodical lens of contemporary philosophy. This makes his insights truly unique, and puts him in an excellent position to make nuanced statements on such sensitive topics. In times where political, moral, and legal debate is too often held in an antagonistic and confrontational manner (even among academics), Young’s analysis provides a breath of fresh air, integrating different points of view and reconciling seemingly contrasting data.

-- Steven Malliet, University of Antwerp