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The Relation between Music and Philosophy: Three Retrospects/Perspectives



Author(s)

Kristina Yapova

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DOI:10.17265/2159-5313/2017.10.005

Having for its object the relation between music and philosophy, the present article aims, on the one hand, to seek out the philosophical resources contained in foundational texts in terms of musical knowledge, and, on the other, to outline the musical resources enriching philosophical knowledge. With this end in view, three retrospects/perspectives are examined which can be traced throughout the history of the music-philosophy relation. The first looks back at the two basic words referring to music in Greek philosophy (armonia and musikē) in order to find out how the human ability for musical knowledge can be activated when these two are brought together. The second focuses on what lies at the heart of music, namely the thing which can be defined as the tone-ness of the tone. The third explores the art-and-science content of music, which allows for a further perspective to be drawn forth—a perspective on musical knowledge proceeding from, though at the same time remaining with music as a mode of human existence.

Aristoxenus, armonia, armonica, art-and-science of music, musikē, Socrates’ dream, tone-ness