Abstract
This lecture presents the conflict between isolationism and contextualism as two main tendencies within the field of aesthetic theory. First, the opposition between isolationism and contextualism is outlined.
The author draws on Melvin Rader's explanation of the chief difference between the two: an isolationist theory insists that art is distinct or even separate from the rest of life, whereas a contextualist theory maintains the integrality of art and life. Second, the author argues that both tendencies are implausible if considered separately, and that - despite the manifest conflict between these tendencies - John Dewey was able to use them to good purpose in his philosophy of art.
Finally, the close connection between John Dewey's contextualism and Alva Noë's conception of artworks as 'strange tools' is emphasized and further explored.