Philosophy

The novels and short stories of Thomas Pynchon pose specific problems for philosophical readings of his works that are not seen in other authors. In fact, it would be fair to say that Pynchon is a writer who at once invites philosophical approaches to his work while, at the same time, his novels resist such readings. In this chapter I focus on the specific stances that Pynchon's novels evince with respect to a range of formal philosophical thinking and thinkers, which has been a constant thematic presence in his work since his earliest fiction