Dwelling in Expression

Abstract

Expression in its various forms is a central concern of humanistic education. Expressive acts are particularly valued by humanistic educators because of their revelatory significance, i.e., their capacity to convey both a state of being as well as a content. This distinction between expression as revelatory and substantive receives attention in Justus Buchler's Nature and Judgment. Buchler concludes that whether an expression has revelatory or substantive significance depends upon the context and situation. Humanistic educators tend to neglect this situational character of expression and dwell on the revelatory aspects of expressive acts. Respect for the phenomenology of expression suggests that meaning comes to expressed being most freely when expression is dwelled in, not on. To dwell in expression does not exclude “being among” others in favor of “being with” others, i.e., expression exists and is fulfilled in forms of sociality other than just I-Thou relationships. Dwelling in expression evinces a faith that meaning is possible, meaning that answers the solicitations of the situation.