The present study aims to identify and articulate a point of intersection between science and the activity of “music.” The integration of science, musicology, and music within a common thematic field is achieved by examining the concept of “scientific rationality,” understood as a normative concept of correct (rigorous, logical) thinking, correct conduct, or their mutual correspondence. From this perspective, musicologically rational denotes a conception of correct musicological thinking, whereas musically non-rational refers to music itself in its unfolding.

Musically non-rational contains rigor—musical rigor, musical logic—that does not lend itself to scientific verification, yet at the same time constitutes the fundamental point of orientation for musicological rigor. Given that the musically rational (the musically logical) is part of the musically non-rational, some of the discrepancies between classical scientificity and musicology may be viewed less as an inability of the latter to meet the methodological criteria of the philosophy of science, and more as a relativistic stance taken by the former toward its objects of inquiry.