Trying to find a narrative reason

Abstract

The article reflects on the relationship between narrative and knowledge, proposing the existence of a ‘narrative reason’, understood not only as a form of communication, but as a specific way of organising thought and understanding reality. Drawing on a critical dialogue with history, philosophy, literature and various conceptions of science, Francesca Gargallo challenges the modern devaluation of storytelling in the face of models of knowledge that claim to be based on necessary, universal and demonstrable truths. Narrative reason is presented as relational and dialogical: storytelling involves addressing other people, transmitting knowledge, accepting the plurality of perspectives and recognising the fallible and revisable nature of knowledge. This dimension transforms storytelling into an ethical and political practice, capable of forging bonds, transmitting experiences and resisting the imposition of singular discourses. In the face of the homogenising models of modernity and globalisation, storytelling enables us to recognise cultural differences, articulate heterogeneous forms of knowledge and continually reconstruct our understanding of the world. Knowledge, Gargallo concludes, is multifaceted and cannot be reduced to a single form.