Consciousness is Story-Shaped : How and Why Narrative Mirrors the Mind

Why do we conceptualize our experience primarily in terms of stories? This monograph is a groundbreaking exploration of how narrative structures mirror the architecture of human thought.

Drawing from disciplines as diverse as narratology, philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science, it meticulously examines Joseph Campbell’s theory of the ‘monomyth’, positing its isomorphism with the Categories of Judgment that Immanuel Kant considered innate to human cognition. The book presents a compelling case that stories represent a reflection of cognitive processes, arguing that humans inherently interpret the world and their experiences through a narrative schema deeply ingrained in our consciousness. Rooted in cognitive semiotics, it analyzes in detail the structural similarities between narrative and cognition.

Offering a novel understanding of the fundamental narrative nature of human thought and its implications for how we perceive and interact with the world, this book is essential for scholars in narratology and semiotics, writers, and anyone fascinated by storytelling.