Martial Arts and the Philosophy of Sport brings together martial arts and Eastern philosophical wisdom with the competitive world of sports as games. This exploration goes beyond the conventional view of martial arts as fighting skills and delves into their evolution as competitive Olympic sports and profound ways of self-cultivation.
Mark Stone reveals the philosophical underpinnings of both disciplines, which engage not only the body but also the mind, fostering a holistic mind-body experience. The book illuminates concepts like “no-mind” from Japanese philosophy and ”in the zone” as a mode of peak athletic performance and showcases how these practices transcend mere physicality to encompass aesthetic, competitive, and cooperative dimensions.
Martial Arts and the Philosophy of Sport argues that both martial arts and sports are forms of striving play—activities pursued for their intrinsic value and for the personal fulfillment they bring. In addition to its contributions to philosophy of sport, aesthetics, and comparative philosophy, the arguments explored in this book also offers martial artists and sports enthusiasts alike a profound understanding of their pursuits as integral to life's enduring goals, and even to understand their pursuit of excellence as a path to enlightenment.
By:
Mark Stone
Imprint: Lexington Books
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 23mm
Weight: 544g
ISBN: 9781666929607
ISBN 10: 1666929603
Series: Studies in Philosophy of Sport
Pages: 244
Publication Date: 20 December 2024
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1 - Martial Arts and Sports – A Beginning Chapter 2 - Martial Arts, Martial Sports, and Martial Ways Chapter 3 - Finding the Art in Martial Arts and Sports Chapter 4 - Philosophical Wisdom in Martial Arts, Competition, and Play Chapter 5 - Mind-body Integration, an Alternative to Dualism Chapter 6 - Metaphysics, Martial Arts, and Sport Conclusion Bibliography
Mark Stone is professor of philosophy at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.
Reviews for Martial Arts and the Philosophy of Sport
""Engaging, clearly written, and philosophically astute: Mark Stone offers a sustained and thoughtful reflection on the martial arts as he grapples with core debates in the philosophy of sport. Stone draws on the work of contemporary thinkers, the philosophical traditions of east and west, and on his own martial arts practice. The result is sure to enrich both scholarly debates and readers' own experiences of martial arts and other sports."" --Jeanette Bicknell, Bicknell Mediation
