A moral theory of sports / Richard J. Severson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Severson, Richard James, 1955- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sports--Moral and ethical aspects.

Sports.

Sports--Philosophy.

Physical Description:

xviii, 191 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, Inc., [2019]

Summary:

The breadth of our moral experience is more extensive than has been believed over the past several millennia. There is more to morality than being honest and good, or aspiring to universal principles. In fact, in many ways the morality of our distant ancestors bears a remarkable resemblance to the moral experiences of modern athletes. In A Moral Theory of Sports, ethicist Richard J. Severson brings together stories from today's sports world and the moral practices of hunter-gatherers to shed new light on both sports and morality. Guided by anthropologists, biologists, neuroscientists, and others, Severson discusses what the moral life actually looked like for hunter-gatherer bands in the late Pleistocene epoch and argues that the championing of group success that was the epitome of their morality is the epitome of modern sports, as well. With fascinating analogies and anecdotes from football, basketball, tennis, cycling, and more, A Moral Theory of Sports offers a unique interpretation of human nature and our love affair with sports.

Contents:

The joy of running

Bullying, teasing, and the birth of conscience

The land of pretend

Coaches and referees

Imitation, ritual, and transcendence

Excellence without end

Neuroscience, mirroring, and complementarity

Fandom: why we watch and care so much

Cockfighting, gambling, and villages

Situationism and the dynamics of misbehavior

Whither the future?

On moral psychology and ethics.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Severson, Richard James, 1955- author. Moral theory of sports

ISBN:

9781538128862

1538128861

OCLC:

1084691304