play and sport 10/24/20151 play and its meaning why we love it so.... sharon kay stoll, ph.d. center...

Play and Sport04/20/23 1

Play and its MeaningPlay and its Meaning

Why we love it so....Why we love it so....

Sharon Kay Stoll, Ph.D.Sharon Kay Stoll, Ph.D.

Center for ETHICS*Center for ETHICS*

University of IdahoUniversity of Idaho


Play by Drew Hyland...................Play by Drew Hyland...................

Play is one of those phenomena Play is one of those phenomena where we again and again where we again and again achieve that sense of totality, achieve that sense of totality, that intimation of that intimation of complement...ground in the very complement...ground in the very stance of play itself which I have stance of play itself which I have called responsive openness.called responsive openness.

Dr. Hyland played basketball at Princeton with Bill Bradley


Play by Jonathan Levy...............Play by Jonathan Levy...............

Play is necessary to affirm our lives. It is Play is necessary to affirm our lives. It is through experiencing play that we through experiencing play that we answer the puzzle of our existence, to be answer the puzzle of our existence, to be free, and therefore to know play (know free, and therefore to know play (know oneself) means to realize the supreme oneself) means to realize the supreme importance and utter significance of our importance and utter significance of our existence.existence.


Play by Michael Novak.....Play by Michael Novak.....

The basic reality of all human life is The basic reality of all human life is play, games, and sport. These are the play, games, and sport. These are the realities for which the basic realities for which the basic metaphors for all that is important in metaphors for all that is important in the rest of life are drawn.the rest of life are drawn.

Wrote Joy of Sport, important voice of social issues -


Novak continued..........Novak continued..........

Work, politics, history are illusory, Work, politics, history are illusory, misleading, and false. Being, beauty, misleading, and false. Being, beauty, truth, excellence, transcendence --- these truth, excellence, transcendence --- these words, grown in the soil of play wither in words, grown in the soil of play wither in the sand of work. Art, prayer, worship, the sand of work. Art, prayer, worship, love, civilization...these thrive on the field love, civilization...these thrive on the field of play...of play....Joy of Sport.Joy of Sport


Play by David Roochnik.......Play by David Roochnik.......

Play is a Mode of Being... A way of Play is a Mode of Being... A way of confronting oneself..of approaching and confronting oneself..of approaching and extending to the world.extending to the world.

Philosopher, Boston University


Play....literal MeaningPlay....literal Meaning


Paedeia.....Paedeia.....

Of or relating to a child...child like play, Of or relating to a child...child like play, having no purpose other than play..having no purpose other than play..


Ludus....Ludus....

Structured Play...having the elements of Structured Play...having the elements of rules and limits.......rules and limits.......


Play as defined Play as defined by ..Huizinga.......by ..Huizinga.......

Free and VoluntaryFree and Voluntary Spatially and temporally Spatially and temporally

separateseparate Uncertain in its outcomeUncertain in its outcome Unproductive in a utilitarian Unproductive in a utilitarian

sensesense Has a make believe quality of Has a make believe quality of

ordinary life.ordinary life.


CompetitionNonc ompetition

Games

Ex pres s iv eEf f or t & Shape

Ex erc is e/Danc e

Competitiv eNonc ompetitiv e

Spor t

L u d u s

P a e d e ia

P la yA Diagram...


A thletic s

Agon

AleaIlin ix

Competition

M imicry

Noncompetition

Games-Sport

NoncompetitiveCompetitive

Expressive

Exercise/Dance

Lud us

P aed eia

P layA Diagram...


Terminology.....according to Terminology.....according to Carolyn Thomas ....Carolyn Thomas ....

Nike - The winged goddess of victoryNike - The winged goddess of victory Agon - Struggle, the contest...two or more Agon - Struggle, the contest...two or more

struggling. The difference is in the struggling. The difference is in the contesting rather than the testing in contesting rather than the testing in competition against a standard or object.competition against a standard or object.

Sport - Sporten, to divert, to take away from.Sport - Sporten, to divert, to take away from. Games - gamen (f), pleasure or amusement.Games - gamen (f), pleasure or amusement.


Terminology....more...Terminology....more...

Agon - struggle of opponents...Agon - struggle of opponents... Alea - (f), the game of chance...not knowing Alea - (f), the game of chance...not knowing

the ending, taking the chancethe ending, taking the chance Ilinix - (g) seeking disequilibrium...Ilinix - (g) seeking disequilibrium... Mimicry - (f) imitation...seeking the state Mimicry - (f) imitation...seeking the state

of pretending.of pretending.


Terminology...Terminology...

Competition....(L) to come together, to Competition....(L) to come together, to agree to do something...to seek or strive for agree to do something...to seek or strive for something.something.


Competition ...Competition ...

The seeking after something of value, to the exclusion of others, while following agreed upon rules.

James Keating, Philosopher

The seeking after something of value, to the exclusion of others, while following agreed upon rules.

James Keating, Philosopher


Dance, Exercise Dance, ….Dance, Exercise Dance, ….

Expressive, space, form, movementExpressive, space, form, movement Intention is toward the experience rather Intention is toward the experience rather

than the outcome.than the outcome. Performance is the keyPerformance is the key


What is Competition?What is Competition?


Games..........Games..........

A Mental Competition.....?A Mental Competition.....? Minimal Physical Acts....Minimal Physical Acts.... Rule Bound, organized, evaluative processRule Bound, organized, evaluative process Participants in direct competition....Participants in direct competition....


Games....according to SuitsGames....according to Suits

““To play a game is to attempt to achieve a To play a game is to attempt to achieve a specific state of affairs [prelusory goal], specific state of affairs [prelusory goal], using only means permitted by rules [lusory using only means permitted by rules [lusory means], where the rules prohibit use of more means], where the rules prohibit use of more efficient in favour of less efficient means efficient in favour of less efficient means [constitutive rules], and where the rules are [constitutive rules], and where the rules are accepted just because they make possible accepted just because they make possible such activity [lusory attitude]. such activity [lusory attitude]. Bernard Suits,The Bernard Suits,The

Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia, 1978.Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia, 1978.


Sport - Sporten - To DivertSport - Sporten - To Divert

Free & VoluntaryFree & Voluntary Spatially and temporally separateSpatially and temporally separate Uncertain in its outcomeUncertain in its outcome Unproductive in a utilitarian senseUnproductive in a utilitarian sense Has a make believe quality outside of ordinary lifeHas a make believe quality outside of ordinary life Governed by rulesGoverned by rules OrganizedOrganized Criteria for evaluationCriteria for evaluation


What is Competition?What is Competition?


CompetitionCompetitionCompetitionCompetition

The one quality that has made America great...motivates to be discontented with status quo and being second best.

The one quality that has made America great...motivates to be discontented with status quo and being second best.


Competition:Competition:The Expressive Function of SportThe Expressive Function of SportCompetition:Competition:The Expressive Function of SportThe Expressive Function of Sport

Distinguish Competition as it is actually carried out

from

Competition as it OUGHT to be carried

out


Competition...

A mutual quest for excellence through

challenge

Competition...

A mutual quest for excellence through

challenge

Robert Simon


"Winning for player or spectator is not simply outscoring; it is a way of talking about betterment, about making oneself, one's fellows, one's city, one's adherents, more noble because of a temporary engagement of a higher human plane of existence."

A. Bartlett Giamatti

"Winning for player or spectator is not simply outscoring; it is a way of talking about betterment, about making oneself, one's fellows, one's city, one's adherents, more noble because of a temporary engagement of a higher human plane of existence."

A. Bartlett Giamatti


Athletics - Athletics -

Free & VoluntaryFree & Voluntary Spatially and temporally separateSpatially and temporally separate Uncertain in its outcomeUncertain in its outcome Unproductive in a utilitarian senseUnproductive in a utilitarian sense Has a make believe quality outside of ordinary lifeHas a make believe quality outside of ordinary life Governed by rulesGoverned by rules OrganizedOrganized Criteria for evaluationCriteria for evaluation

Worklike qualityWorklike quality Outcomes drive importanceOutcomes drive importance


Two divergent views of competition.....


The Perception of The Perception of Sport Sport The Perception of The Perception of Sport Sport

Moral NonmoralMOTIVESMOTIVES

Good Bad

Excellent Play Win-At-All-Costs

INTENTIONSINTENTIONSGood Bad

Deceitful StrategyGood Game Strategy

ACTIONACTIONRight Wrong

Purpose: Take out of game, do physical, emotional, mental harm.

Purpose: Establish dominance through excellence

Sportsmanship Gamesmanship

play and sport 10/24/20151 play and its meaning why we love it so.... sharon kay stoll, ph.d. center...

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