ABSTRACT
Suppose you were asked to speak to the City Council about why they should vote to support the local symphony with public funds. If so, would you respond with an argument based on the fact that having a symphony is economically advantageous to the city because of increased parking revenues, restaurant receipts, and so on? Or, suppose local music teachers pleaded with you to speak to the school board about why they should vote ‘no’ on a proposal to cut funding for music in the schools. In this instance, would you respond by saying that student attendance rates are higher in schools with high-quality music programs? It just so happens that both arguments are based on evidence.1 But does either argument rely on the kinds of values that are found in a music philosophy?
