Reflections on Play, Sport, and Culture: Introduction to the Play Field Theory

The psychological dependence of humanity on playing is huge. Its nature and functional utility are unclear. These linked yet contradictory issues have created the intrigue that has fed philosophical thought for more than two hundred years. During this period, philosophy transferred many of the subjects of its analysis to the aegis of the humanities that it spawned. Each of them pays close attention to human play and studies it with its own methods of theoretical and experimental research. Thus, what was once a general philosophical comprehension of human play has branched out into different directions, definitions, and theories. This new book represents a renewed general view of human play. The unique quality of the volume lies in its fairly rare interdisciplinary methodology, encompassing a broad spectrum of the humanities: philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and the history of play, and behavioral analysis of playing, which have been done by the author. As a result, the volume ends with the proposition of a new general approach to human play that is named by the author “play field theory”. Such an approach makes reflections on play, sport, and culture a source for all scholars studying play, by widening their knowledge through both a new general view and their familiarization with notions from neighboring fields and disciplines.

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Reflections on Play, Sport, and Culture: Introduction to the Play Field Theory

The psychological dependence of humanity on playing is huge. Its nature and functional utility are unclear. These linked yet contradictory issues have created the intrigue that has fed philosophical thought for more than two hundred years. During this period, philosophy transferred many of the subjects of its analysis to the aegis of the humanities that it spawned. Each of them pays close attention to human play and studies it with its own methods of theoretical and experimental research. Thus, what was once a general philosophical comprehension of human play has branched out into different directions, definitions, and theories. This new book represents a renewed general view of human play. The unique quality of the volume lies in its fairly rare interdisciplinary methodology, encompassing a broad spectrum of the humanities: philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and the history of play, and behavioral analysis of playing, which have been done by the author. As a result, the volume ends with the proposition of a new general approach to human play that is named by the author “play field theory”. Such an approach makes reflections on play, sport, and culture a source for all scholars studying play, by widening their knowledge through both a new general view and their familiarization with notions from neighboring fields and disciplines.

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Reflections on Play, Sport, and Culture: Introduction to the Play Field Theory

Reflections on Play, Sport, and Culture: Introduction to the Play Field Theory

by Felix Lebed
Reflections on Play, Sport, and Culture: Introduction to the Play Field Theory

Reflections on Play, Sport, and Culture: Introduction to the Play Field Theory

by Felix Lebed

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$61.99 
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Overview

The psychological dependence of humanity on playing is huge. Its nature and functional utility are unclear. These linked yet contradictory issues have created the intrigue that has fed philosophical thought for more than two hundred years. During this period, philosophy transferred many of the subjects of its analysis to the aegis of the humanities that it spawned. Each of them pays close attention to human play and studies it with its own methods of theoretical and experimental research. Thus, what was once a general philosophical comprehension of human play has branched out into different directions, definitions, and theories. This new book represents a renewed general view of human play. The unique quality of the volume lies in its fairly rare interdisciplinary methodology, encompassing a broad spectrum of the humanities: philosophy, anthropology, sociology, and the history of play, and behavioral analysis of playing, which have been done by the author. As a result, the volume ends with the proposition of a new general approach to human play that is named by the author “play field theory”. Such an approach makes reflections on play, sport, and culture a source for all scholars studying play, by widening their knowledge through both a new general view and their familiarization with notions from neighboring fields and disciplines.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781032480794
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Publication date: 06/26/2025
Series: Routledge Research in Sport, Culture and Society
Pages: 286
Product dimensions: 5.44(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Felix Lebed, Ph.D., is Head of the M.Ed. degree program in the Physical Education Department at Kaye Academic College of Education, Israel.

Table of Contents

Part I: The idea of play

 

Chapter 1: “Slow-moving” Philosophy of Play

Usefulness of Play before Philosophical Comprehension 

First Steps Toward Philosophy: Functionalism as a Key for Explanations of Human Play

Bibliography

 

Chapter 2: Principal Definability of Play

Introduction

Play, Games, and Sports in the English Language (a Cultural-anthropological View)

Reflection of Human Play in Different Languages in the 20th  and 21st Centuries

The Wittgensteinian Obstacle

Bibliography

 

Chapter 3: Definition of Play as Escape

   Introduction

   Qualitative Content Analysis of Philosophical Ideas about Human Play

   Discussion

   Bibliography

 

Chapter 4: Sport is Play Too

Introduction

The Diversity of the Concept of Sport in English Cultural Tradition

Is Physical Activity Necessary and Sufficient for a Definition of Sport?

Sport as Play and Game

Officialization and Unproductiveness as Necessary Characteristics of Sport

Bibliography

 

Part II: “Contemplation” of Play and Games Playing

Introduction to Part II

 

Chapter 5: Games’ Typologies 

Common and Unique in Games Humans Play

Typologies of Games by Aims and Forms of Playing

Three-measure Taxonomy of Games and Sports 

Bibliography

 

Chapter 6: Ways Moving from Games to Sports

Introduction         

Crystallization

Inventing Games by Developing and Adopting Original Ideas

“Natural selection”

Bibliography

 

Chapter 7: Key Characteristics of an Invasive Game

Mutually Active Conflict between Sides

"Perturbation" and a Personal Space-time in Invasive Games

Bibliography

 

Part III: Play and Society

Introduction to Part III

 

Chapter 8. Social Person in Play

Introduction

"Being There": Kinds of Human Play in Different Behavioral Environments

Personal vs. Individual Play

Emergent Indeterminacy: Hidden Flows of Small Groups Playing

Wanted Suspense: Large Groups Playing

Conclusions

Bibliography        

 

Chapter 9. Masses in Play

Introduction

Play and Social Communication in Ancient Sacral Ritual

Play in Sacral Mysteries

Festival vs. Carnival Play in the Grandstands

Summary

Bibliography

 

Chapter 10. Sports Spectators and Fans in Play

Accepted Typologies of Sport Spectators

New Typology of Sport Spectators as “players”: Empirical Research

Appendix: Questionnaire for Spectators and Fans

Bibliography

 

Chapter 11: Professional Sport in Symbiosis with Fans

Introduction

From play to Meta-sport

Dialectics in the Transformations of Professional Sport

Bibliography

 

Afterword: Introduction to the Play Field Theory (PFT)

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