Why Music Matters: Philosophical and Cultural Foundations

This chapter casts a philosophical eye on selected concepts at the heart of this book, especially music and selfhood. The first premise is that what people assume and believe about concepts, ideas, and practices affects dramatically what people (e.g., musicians, physicians, psychologists) envision and seek to do 'rightly' for others. The second premise is that 'music for health and wellbeing' ought to be debated, conceived, and applied in relation to human beings considered holistically, as selves or persons, not simply distressed, unwell, or 'diseased' individuals. Otherwise, healers and researchers may assume too little about music's potencies and potentials for improving the quality of human life.