© 2020 |Published by Scholars Middle East Publishers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 164 Scholars International Journal of Linguistics and Literature Abbreviated Key Title: Sch Int J Linguist Lit ISSN 2616-8677 (Print) |ISSN 2617-3468 (Online) Scholars Middle East Publishers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Journal homepage: https://saudijournals.com/sijll Review Article Sherlock Holmes’ Ability of the Mind and its Timeless Appeal Manal Abdullah Batobara 1* , Aafreen Akbarali Sayed 2 1 College of Languages and Translation, English Department) University of Jeddah, Hamzah Ibn Al Qasim Street, Al Sharafeyah, Jeddah 23218, Saudi Arabia 2 University of Jeddah, Hamzah Ibn Al Qasim Street, Al Sharafeyah, Jeddah 23218, Saudi Arabia DOI: 10.36348/sijll.2020.v03i05.005 | Received: 19.05.2020 | Accepted: 27.05.2020 | Published: 30.05.2020 *Corresponding author: Manal Abdullah Batobara Abstract Intellectuals, academicians, and critics alike do not miss the opportunity to tackle Sherlock Holmes‟s proficiency as one - of-a-kind consulting detective created in the stories of the Scottish writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). A closer look into Doyle‟s literary works points to the path of the author‟s visionary outlook, in terms of Holmes‟ philosophy and investigation methods, which this paper argues, resonate with the core technology of the modern era. Central to the theme surrounding the Holmesian doctrine, this research takes inspiration from the “ability of the mind” context with reference to the literary detective, Sherlock Holmes. The main objective is to elucidate that Holmes‟ philosophy is not an outdated proposition. It is very much in circulation in modern investigation methods and applies to basic technological principles as well. Hence, its appeal is still relevant and connected to our lives today. In order to support the discourse and argument revolving Holmes‟ philosophy, this paper adopts an analytical method that relies on contextual reference and textual inferences by comparing it with the contemporary narrative in terms of the emerging technology in today‟s digital era. To provide Holmes‟ worldwide fans with a deeper reading of his stories, this paper is not meant to present a thematic analysis of Doyle‟s literary productions; rather it is a careful examination of Holmes‟ mind. With a focus on Sherlock‟s “ability of the mind,” the central hypothesis is approached by drawing analogies between his detective methods and the basic principles of computers and core technologies. In so doing, this research proves that Holmesian philosophy is still affecting a basic, yet forms a significant part of our lives in the twenty-first century. Keywords: Sherlock Holmes; Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; crime fiction; Holmesian philosophy; solving mysteries; mind attic; machine learning; artificial intelligence; human-machine interaction; the ability of the mind, literary detective; investigation methods. Copyright @ 2020: This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium for non-commercial use (NonCommercial, or CC-BY-NC) provided the original author and source are credited. INTRODUCTION Sherlock Holmes is not the first literary detective, as many preceded him like C. Auguste Dupin in Edgar Allan‟s stories and Monsieur Lecoq, created by the French writer Émile Gaboriau, yet he is the most enduring of his brethren. Being listed as “the most portrayed literary human character in film and television” by the Guinness World Records in 2012 is not surprising at all. Claire Burgess describes the fictional detective by asserting that, “This Guinness World Records title reflects his enduring appeal and demonstrates that his detective talents are as compelling today as they were 125 years ago” [18]. Between 1887 and 1924, which is widely referred to as the Golden Age of Crime Fiction, sixty narratives were written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about the fictional detective and Watson, Holmes‟ side- kick and chronicler. The Canon consists of four novels and fifty-six short stories over the course of forty years [39]. Without the slightest doubt, Holmes commands huge followers, a wide range of fans around the globe and his popularity is observed across all fields: prints, media, television series, comic books, video games, fan clubs, and films [5]. Sherlock Holmes‟ recurrent appearance in these media beats well-known characters like Hamlet. This raises some pertinent questions. What is the importance attached to Sherlock Holmes and his popularity that make him different from any other fictional characters? With a span of 133 years since his creation, does Sherlock Holmes still relate to our modern life? If so, what are the relevance and impact of Holmes‟ philosophical doctrine today? To arrive at these answers, it is only prudent to understand Holmes‟s way-of-life, philosophy, and methods which are central to the premise of this research.