The Theory of Informative Fictions: A Character-Based Approach to False News and other Misinformation

This paper derives a theory of informative fictions. Common forms of misinformation--fake news, rumors, and conspiracy theories—while dysfunctional for communicating property information—information about the state and operation of things—can actually be valuable for communicating character information—information about the motivations of social agents. It is argued that narratives containing “false facts” can effectively portray a speaker’s...