Holism and the Cultivation of Excellence in Sports and Performance

Holism and the Cultivation of Excellence in Sports and Performance is a multi-methodological (value theory, phenomenology, conceptual analysis) and cross-cultural examination (pragmatism, Japanese and Chinese philosophy) of how we flourish holistically through performative endeavors, such as sports, martial and performing arts, as members of communities that foster the cultivation of our abilities as lifelong quests for human excellence. This book was previously published as a special issue of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy.

Jesús Ilundáin-Agurruza is Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Linfield College. In 2013-2015 he served as president of the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport (IAPS). His research and publications focus on and integrate sport philosophy, East Asian philosophy (especially Japanese), phenomenology, and philosophy of mind. He has recently published Cycling-Philosophy for Everyone: A Philosophical Tour the Force (2010).

Preface. Introduction. Skillful Striving: Holism and the Cultivation of Excellence in Sports and Performative Endeavors. 1. Nothing New Under the Sun-Holism and the Pursuit of Excellence. 2. William James-Pragmatic Pioneer. 3. John Dewey-Experiential Maverick. 4. José Ortega y Gasset: Exuberant Steed. 5. Zhuangzi-Playful wanderer. 6. Waking Up From The Cognitivist Dream-The Computational View of the Mind and High Performance. 7. Riding The Wind-Consummate Performance, Phenomenology, and Skillful Fluency. 8. Fractured Action-Choking in Sport and its Lessons for Excellence. 9. Reflections on a Katana- The Japanese Pursuit of Performative Mastery. 10. Everything Mysterious Under the Moon-Social Practices and Situated Epilogue. Appendix. Much Ado About Nothing.