Watching Sport

Description

While philosophy of sport has tended to focus on the participator, the majority of people actually experience sport as a spectator. Mumford here considers the philosophical import of watching sport, suggesting that far from being passive, it is an aesthetic, a moral and an emotional experience for spectators.

Delving into parallels with art and theatre in terms of a release from the self, this book outlines the aesthetic qualities of sport from the incidental beauty of a well-executed football pass to the enshrined artistic interpretation inherent in performed sports such as ice-skating or gymnastics. We then move on to consider the moral lessons to be learned from watching competitive sport, looking at the rewards of endeavour and the penalties of cheating and how these apply to a wider approach to life. Finally, sport is recognized as a focus of profound emotional experiences, bringing an essential human touch into a theoretical and academic forum of debate.

With such universal themes, this book will appeal to a broad audience across philosophical disciplines and sports studies.

Contents

Part 1: Sport As An Aesthetic Experience Introduction: Sport As An Aesthetic Experience. Three Degrees Of Art In Sport. A Broad Sense Of Aesthetic Experience. The Loss Of Self. Response Dependence And The Ontology Of Sport Part 2: Sport As A Moral Guide Introduction: Sport As Guide To Life. Exhibitionism. Wider Guide To Life Part 3: Sport As A Focus Of Emotion Introduction: Sport As An Emotional Experience. The Simplicity Of Sporting Emotions. The Rationality Of Emotions. Allegiance Support.

Related Subjects

1. Sport Studies
2. Philosophy
3. Ethics and Philosophy of Sport
4. Sociology of Sport
5. Television