The Olympics and philosophy / edited by Heather L. Reid and Michael W. Austin.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Reid, Heather Lynne, 1963-

Austin, Michael W.

Series:

Philosophy of popular culture

The philosophy of popular culture

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Olympics--Philosophy.

Olympics.

Olympics--History.

History.

Physical Description:

ix, 295 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Lexington : University Press of Kentucky, [2012]

Summary:

It is said the champions of the ancient Olympic Games received a crown of olive leaves, symbolizing a divine blessing from Nike, the winged goddess of victory. While the mythology of the ancient games has come to exemplify the highest political, religious, community, and individual ideals of the time, the modern Olympic Games, by comparison, are widely known as an international, bi-annual sporting event where champions have the potential to earn not only glory for their country, but lucrative endorsement deals and the perks of worldwide fame. The Olympics and Philosophy examines the Olympic Movement from a variety of theoretical perspectives to uncover the connection between athleticism and philosophy for a deeper appreciation of the Olympic Pillars of Sport, Environment, and Culture. While today's Olympic champions are neither blessed by the gods nor rewarded with wreaths of olive, the original spirit and ancient ideals of the Olympic Movement endure in its modern embodiment. Editors Heather L. Reid and Michael W. Austin have assembled a team of international scholars to explore topics such as the concept of excellence, ethics, doping, gender, and race. Interweaving ancient and modern Olympic traditions, The Olympics and Philosophy considers the philosophical implications of the Games' intersection with historical events and modern controversy in a unique analysis of tradition and the future of the Olympiad.

Contents:

1 A Greatness of Olympic Proportions / Michael W. Austin

2 Machiavelli, The Olympic Ideal, and The Southern Arrow / Raymond Angelo Belliotti

3 What's More Than Gold / Scott F. Parker

4 The Olympics and the Spirit of the Ancient Greeks / Paul A. Cantor; Peter Hufnagel

5 Go Tell the Spartans: HOnor, Courage, and Excellence in the Ancient Olympic Games / Jesús Ilundáin

6 Soul of an Olympian / Heather L. Reid

7 More than Games: Olympism as a Moral Approach to Sport / Douglas W. McLaughlin; Cesar R. Torres

8 Olympism between Individualism and Transnationalism / Milan Hosta

9 Citius, Altius, Fortius, Virtuous / Jeffrey Fry

10 The Olympics and Steroids / Stephen Kershnar

11 What's Wrong with Olympic Boxing? / Joseph D. Lewandowski

12 Should the Olympics Be the Very Best? / Regan Reitsma

13 The Strong Men Keep A Comin': African American Athletic Performance and the Philosophy of Resistance / Pellom McDanielsIII

14 Olympic Amazons and the Cold War: The Rise and Fall of Gender Radicalism / Kutte Jönsson

15 Buns of Gold, Silver, Bronze: The State of Olympic Women's Beach Volleyball / Charlene Weaving

16 Boycotting Ethics in the Olympics / Charles Taliaferro; Michel LeGall

17 Patriotism and the Olympic Games / Alun R. Hardman; Hywel Iorwerth

18 The Spirit of the Games: Aesthetics and the Ideology of Globalization / Matthew Sharpe.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780813136486

0813136482

9780813136509

0813136504

9780813140711

0813140714

OCLC:

757463419