Afterword
The problem of expression has seemed more difficult than it actually is because philosophers have construed it in terms of intentional objects and necessary connections, when really the explanation is causal and there are only contingent collections. The problem has been to show that all that is wanted for a theory can be obtained from within the causal picture. This the book has attempted to do. However, the obstacles that need to be overcome are not solely philosophical ones. When we listen to music, walk around an art gallery, or read about the thoughts and experiences of composers and artists, it is difficult to believe that expression can be explained in a relatively clear way using familiar philosophical concepts. The experience of expression seems almost to require a complicated and mysterious analysis. Regardless of the importance ethical or aesthetic judgements have in our lives, they raise problems which it is proper for philosophy to look at.
Keywords: expression, philosophy, music, art, judgements, fiction
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