The Olympics and Philosophy is now available in physical and Kindle formats. The book is divided into 6 parts: The Ideal Olympian,
Ancient Heritage, Modern Ideals, Ethical Issues, Race and Gender Issues,
and Political Power. The chapters include Olympic figures Jesse Owens,
Emil Zatopek, Tommie Smith, John Carlos, and Wilma Rudolph and
philosophers Jane English, Aristotle, and Edmund Husserl, among others.
There are discussions of Olympic boxing, soccer/football, women's beach
volleyball, and various athletic events.
From the publisher's description:
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.
