Looking at literature with philosophy

The relationship between philosophy and literature has been the research area of many philosophers. Due to the multifaceted nature of this relationship, these areas cannot be easily distinguished from each other. In order to examine this relationship, the question of what literature is must be seen as a philosophical problem. When literature is viewed with philosophy, it is seen that the basic concepts related to its nature come to the fore. These concepts are decisive in the question of what literature is as "knowledge", "fiction", "reality" and "language". This thesis, which aims to discuss what literature is in its relationship with philosophy, has sought an answer to this question by researching prominent views on the nature and functioning of literature. To achieve this aim; In the first part of the thesis, the origin of the concept of literature is examined, what this concept means, how it is understood and the definitions and explanations made for it. It is seen that it is insufficient to explain literature as fiction or written works. It is seen that the explanation of literature as fictional works or written works is insufficient. The distant relationship of oral literature periods with writing shows this deficiency. The view that literature is limited only by imagination causes literature to be positioned as a field that does not give information. When literature is considered in its relation to imagination, it can be said that literature suggests something and these can be another kind of knowledge. In the second part of the thesis, the concept of fiction and reality, which is one of the definitions for literature, is discussed. One of the consequences of handling the concept of fiction with imagination is that fiction is seen as the opposite of reality. For this reason, the position of the concepts of fiction and reality in literature and the relationship between these two concepts are discussed and evaluated. As a result of this evaluation, it is revealed that there are problematic aspects of definitions of reality and that reality may have a relationship with imagination. In the third part of the thesis, the concept of language, which is one of the most basic elements of literature, is examined and the questions about the function and functioning of language in literature are examined in conjunction with the views on language in philosophy. In this examination, the function and functioning of language in literature can be based on the views on language in philosophy, and examples of this are seen. In the fourth and last part of the thesis, the relationship between philosophy and literature is investigated. The reasons for the relationship between the two fields are examined by specifying the similar and different aspects of philosophy with literature. In addition to these, it was evaluated what literature is in company with philosophy and based on philosophical views, and the possibility and result of looking at literature with philosophy were investigated. As a result of these examinations, it is revealed that literature can find answers to its basic problems through philosophy.