Fantastyka i aksjologia (na przykładzie utworów z gatunku „space opera”)

Abstract

The article describes and defends the methodological and methodical thesis, which can be formulated as follows: popular literature, even in its rather ordinary works, refers to the metaphysical values. What is more, they play in these works a considerable importance. Although the article is limited to analysis of selected literary works and is quite specifically targeted, this thesis has been demonstrated. What is more — it turned out that the consequences of the description of the popular literature from the ethical point of view conduct to fairly gloomy conclusions: they are presented in the conclusions of the article. I think however, that we can see and analyze these values only when we apply the same criteria of literature research to the popular literature as well to the so-called high literature. Thus, we must maintain the division of art, resp. literature into high and low. Otherwise, we risk inevitably experiencing the over-interpretation: popular literature owes its strength to the fact that it shows the current way of perceiving and interpreting the world. However, the problem is what works, and according to what criteria we apply to that literature. Analysis of these criteria is not subject of these considerations.