The Dilemma of Context (Paperback)

To understand anything well we must grasp it in its context, particularly when we attempt to understand cultures other than our own. However, being thorough in this endeavor can lead to complete contextualization, in which everything becomes the context of everything else. The opposing position of noncontextuality is equally problematic. In THE DILEMMA OF CONTEXT, Scharfstein contends that the problems encountered with context are insoluble. He explains why this problem lays an intellectual burden on us that, while remaining inescapable, can become so heavy it destroys the understanding it was created to further.