ideas and emotions [Oatley, 1999a; Heath & Heath, 2007]. Moreover, a chronological
sequence of events centered on a single agent seems like the most natural format for
information to easily enter episodic memory. In that sense, the hero-centered, linear
structure of myths and traditional tales (whether told in the first or in the third person)
may be intrinsically easier to assimilate than more complex narrative structures.
The Amber series [Zelazny, 1999] is a particularly good illustration of the
“life is an adventure” paradigm in another aspect too. In the fantastic and epic
grandeur of its settings, Amber is probably most comparable to Tolkien’s “Lord of the
Rings”. However, while the threat posed to Amber by the “Black Road” is just as
sinister as the one posed by Mordor in “Lord of the Rings”, the Amber universe lacks
Tolkien’s simple dichotomy between good and evil. Amber’s reigning philosophy is
one of moral relativism, or at least fundamental uncertainty about what is good and
what is evil. From the outset, it is clear that no one—family and friends in
particular—can be trusted, while eventually some of the hero’s worst enemies turn out
to have been allies in disguise.
In spite of this cynical, Machiavellian outlook, the tone of the narrative is
uplifting, as the hero through ingenuity, willpower and an occasional lucky break
manages to overcome all adversity and eventually succeeds in what he set out to do,
becoming wiser and more mature in the process. The character of Corwin emanates
the powerful sense of freedom and personal control that characterizes a truly
autonomous agent, who is not bound by conventions, morals or expectations. This
stands in contrast with the fatalistic philosophy of many myths, ancient and modern,
where the ending of the story has been preordained (e.g. the final achievement has
been predicted by a witch at the hero’s birth), and the protagonists’ attempts to
intervene appear merely as a device to prolong the suspense. Nevertheless, the
outcome of Corwin’s enterprises is never fully what he intended, as every step
forward reveals new surprises and mysteries, and no victory is ever final. This is
precisely what the “life is an adventure” paradigm prescribes, as we will explore in
further detail.
Prospect and Mystery
Landscapes of adventure
The agent’s goal-directed navigation through an environment that throws up
unforeseen challenges and opportunities may be likened to a quest or search. The
notion of search has been studied extensively in the theory of problem solving
[Newell & Simon, 1972]. A problem can be defined simply as a difference between
the present situation (the starting point) and the desired situation (the goal, or solution
of the problem) [Heylighen, 1988], but such that there is no obvious path that leads to
the goal. Searching for the goal can be conceived as the heuristic exploration of a
problem space, i.e. a space of possibilities or potential solutions, until an actual
solution is found. A heuristic is a method or form of knowledge that guides the
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