Doctoral Candidate Jiacheng Mo

Jiacheng Mo is currently a doctoral candidate at the English Department of University Heidelberg. His research centers on narrative theory, with a particular emphasis on cognitive narratology. He explores how narratives shape human perception, influence worldviews, and affect the understanding of others. A key question driving his work is whether reading narratives can actively change people’s minds and enrich their perspectives.

In his doctoral project, Mo delves into the representation of artificial consciousness in literary fiction. By analysing these representations, he seeks to uncover insights into the fundamental nature of cognition and its implications for how both human and artificial minds are understood. Despite being in an early stage, his study investigates how fictional narratives engage readers and challenge conventional ideas about intelligence, self-awareness and identity.

Mo's broader academic interests include the relationship between storytelling and cognition, as well as the power of literature to address complex questions about human experience and social interaction. Through his work, he aims to bridge literary analysis and cognitive science, providing new perspectives on how narratives function as a tool for understanding and reimagining the world around us. This exploration is intended not only to advance theoretical discussions in narratology but also to contribute to broader debates about consciousness, empathy and the transformative power of literature.