Lektura i metafizyka

Each work of literature creates its own world of fiction and presents a series of events that bring that world to life. Such a world is initially evoked by its author, but subsequently continues to exist supported by collective memory and imagination of the readers and critics. Altogether Roman Ingarden admits four metaphysical categories: the real, the ideal, the mental and the intentional world. A puzzling question arises if we inquire how various objects are included into any of these categories. Is it necessary that they meet some qualitative criteria, or is it possible that they are placed in a suitable category by being freely ascribed to it? The author chooses the second option and argues that this is compatible with the eminent role that Ingarden assigned to works of literature