Overview

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.

Full Product Details

9781666929607

Table of Contents

Reviews

""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

Author Information

Mark Stone is professor of philosophy at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina.

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