Abstract

Collingwood’s work has proved a rich source of ideas for aestheticians, and also fruitful in respect of metaphysical ideas; most especially, suggestive in ways in which a non-realist theory of meaning and understanding might be developed within contemporary directions in the philosophy of language. But these two areas of interest are traditionally seen as importantly different, as depending on different aspects of Collingwood’s works. This paper argues that a potentially fruitful line of development for aesthetics comes from importing into our considerations of art and aesthetic experience Collingwood’s developed views on the nature of metaphysics.