Philosophy of Physical Activity Education (Including Educational Sport)
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eBook Philosophy of Physical Activity Education (Including Educational Sport) by EARLEPh.D., F. LL.D., ZEIGLER D.Sc. PHILOSOPHY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EDUCATION (INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL SPORT) Earle F. Zeigler Ph.D., LL.D., D.Sc., FAAKPE Faculty of Kinesiology The University of Western Ontario London, Canada (This version is as an e-book) 1 PLEASE LEAVE THIS PAGE EMPTY FOR PUBLICATION DATA 2 DEDICATION This book is dedicated to the following men and women with whom I worked very closely in this aspect of our work at one time or another from 1956 on while employed at The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; the University of Illinois, U-C; and The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada: Susan Cooke, (Western Ontario, CA); John A. Daly (Illinois, U-C); Francis W. Keenan, (Illinois, U-C); Robert G. Osterhoudt (Illinois, U-C); George Patrick (Illinois, U-C); Kathleen Pearson (Illinois, U-C); Sean Seaman (Western Ontario, CA; Danny Rosenberg (Western Ontario, CA); Debra Shogan (Western Ontario, CA); Peter Spencer-Kraus (Illinois, UC) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In the mid-1960s, Dr. Paul Weiss, Heffer Professor of Philosophy, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, offered wise words of counsel to me on numerous occasions, as did Prof. Dr. Hans Lenk, a "world scholar" from the University of Karlsruhe, Germany, who has been a friend and colleague for whom I have the greatest of admiration. Dr. Warren Fraleigh, SUNY at Brockport, and Dr. Scott Kretchmar. of The Pennsylvania State University have been colleagues, scholars, and friends who haven't forgotten their roots in the physical education profession. Dr. Bob Osterhoudt, Arizona State Universoty, a doctoral student of mine at Illinois (U-C) in the 1960s, developed as a truly fine, "world-class" scholar in physical activity education (including sport philosophy). Dr. Pat Galasso, University of Windsor, has been a close friend and a respected, and scholarly colleague in this area, as well as an earlier fellow dean, and national leader in Canada. We have shared much together. Dr. Joy DeSensi, University of Tennessee, and Dr. Danny Rosenberg, Brock University, Canada, have been valued colleagues and friends with whom I have shared similar scholarly interests. I am proud that Dr.Harold VanderZwaag, my first doctoral student in the philosophical aspects of the field at Michigan in the late 1950s, went on to professional and scholarly eminence. 3 CONTENTS/CONCEPTUAL INDEX PAGE DEDICATION 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3 CONTENTS/CONCEPTUAL INDEX 4 PREFACE 11 PROLOGUE 17 The Decision to Enter the Field 17 The Role of the Counselor 17 Inadequate Philosophic Orientation 18 The Present Situation 19 The Need to Determine a Professional Philosophy 20 Where Do We Go from Here? 25 CHAPTER PART I: INTRODUCTION 1. ORIENTATION TO THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY 26 Questions and Answers 28 Philosophy of History 29 Toynbee’s Philosophy of History 32 Civilization's Pattern of Growth 32 Themes of Action 32 Breakdown of Civilization 32 Characteristics of the Universal State 33 Progress of Civilizations 33 Western Civilization’s Status 34. Speculation About the Future 34 2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EDUCATION: THE PRESENT SITUATION 36 The International Scene 36 Findings and Discussion 39 Recent Interesting Developments 42 North America 45 The Situation in Physical Activity Education and Educational Sport 46 A Call for Reunification 48 Steps to Be Taken 50 Table 1.1 Developmental Physical Activity in Sport, Exercise and Related Expressive Movement 52 4 PART II. PHILOSOPHIC ASPECTS 3. ORIENTATION TO PHILOSOPHY (Section A) 54 Role of the Philosopher 54 The Various Aims of Philosophy 55 The Branches of Philosophy 55 Historical Background 56 The Separation of Philosophy from Science 56 Philosophical Tendencies in the Western World 57 Methods Involved in Philosophizing 59 Conflicting Views about Philosophy 59 Selected Comparisons 61 Philosophy Contrasted with Science 61 The Decline of Philosophy 61 Philosophy Contrasted with Art 62 Philosophy Contrasted with Religion 63 Philosophy Contrasted with Education 63 Selected Definitions of Terms Used 64 Metaphysics 64 Epistemology 65 Logic 66 Axiology 67 Background of the Philosophy of Naturalism 68 Summary of (Naive)Naturalism in Philosophy 72 Idealism 72 Metaphysics 72 The Nature of the Human 73 The Nature of Being 73 The Universe Is Basically Spiritual 73 Monism or Pluralism 74 The Problem of Evil 74 Freedom of Will 75 Epistemology 75 Other Idealistic Theories of Knowledge 75 Horne’s Idealistic Principles 76 Logic 77 Thinking Critically 79 Axiology 80 The World Has Moral Order 80 Realism 82 Metaphysics 82 A Pattern May Be Discerned 83 5 Mind Has Bodily Existence 83 Epistemology 84 Logic 85 Axiology 85 Moral Law or Natural Law 85 Pragmatism 87 Metaphysics 87 The World Is Characterized by Activity and Change 88 The World Is Still Incomplete 88 Theory of Emergent Novelty 89 The Idea of Freedom of Will 89 Epistemology 90 Some Historical Background 90 A New Theory of Mind 91 The Function of Mind 91 The Relation of Body and Mind To the Learning Process 91 Dewey’s Theory of Experimental Method 91 Logic 92 A Radical Departure from Traditional Logic 92 The Pattern of Logic 93 Axiology 94 Summary 96 Note 97 4. ORIENTATION TO PHILOSOPHY (Section B) 98 Existentialism/Phenomenology 98 Background and Status 98 Metaphysics 99 The Phenomenological Method 99 Existentialism as a Philosophy 100 The Present Situation 101 The Analytic Movement (Philosophical Analysis) 104 Background and Status 104 Logical Atomism 105 Logical Positivism 106 Ordinary Language Philosophy 107 Ethics within the Analytic Tradition 108 Summary 108 Communism (Marxism) 109 Background 109 Communism/Marxism in Perspective 111 An Emerging Postmodern Age (With Implications for the Discipline 6 of Philosophy) 114 The North American Situation 114 Significant Developments Have Transformed Our Lives 115 The World Has Three Major Trading Blocks 116 The Impact of Negative Social Forces Has Increased 118 The Problems of Megalopolis Living Have Not Been Solved 118 What Character Do We Seek for People? 119 What Happened to the Original Enlightenment Idea? 120 Technology and Life Improvement 121 Postmodernism as an Influence 121 5. ORIENTATION TO PHILOSOPHY (Section C) (Informal Logic/Critical Thinking) 124 Introduction 124 Outline of the Analysis 127 Brief Historical Background 127 Categorical Logic 130 A Syllogism Defined 130 Declarative Sentences 130 Four Possible Standard Sentences 130 Distribution 129 Syllogistic Analysis 131 Critical Thinking (Informal Logic) 134 Developing an Argument 136 Ambiguity 136 When Is an Argument Sound? 136 When Are Premises Acceptable? 138 When Are Premises Unacceptable? 139 When Is a Statement Relevant? 139 How to Assure Relevance 139 Fallacies/Inadequate Reasoning 143 Fallacies With Unacceptable Premises 144 Fallacies With Irrelevant Premises 145 Fallacies of Ambiguity 145 Material Non-Sequitur Fallacies 145 Fallacies With Insufficient Premises 146 Deductive Fallacies (Formal Fallacies) 146 Non-Deductive Fallacies (Inductive Fallacies) 147 (So-Called) Philosophical Fallacies 147 The “Naturalistic” Fallacy 147 The “Is” to “Ought” Fallacy 148 The “Confusing Relations With Things 7 or Qualities” Fallacy 148 A “Category Mistakes” Fallacy 148 Examples of Common Fallacies 149 Argument from Authority 149 Argument Grossly Distorted 149 Argument Against the Person 150 Guilt by Association Fallacy 150 The Straw Person Fallacy 150 The Black or White Fallacy 151 The Too-Quick Generalization Fallacy 151 The Appeal to Emotions Category 151 References and Bibliography 152 PART III APPLIED PHILOSOPHIC ASPECTS 6. PHILOSOPHY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EDUCATION INCLUDING EDUCATIONAL SPORT 154 The Role of Developmental Physical Activity 155 How May Physical (Activity) Education Be Described? 155 The Six Meanings of the Term "Physical (Activity) Education" 156 A Plethora of Objectives 157 Eight Common Denominators 158 Where Did These Aims and Objectives Originate? 159 The Need to Construct a Consistent Philosophy 160 Science and Technology as a Persistent Problem 162 The Philosophic Task 162 Relating Philosophical Investigation to the Profession 165 The Term "Physical Education" Has Outlived Its Usefulness 166 An Age of Change or Transition 167 Presenting a “Blurred Image” to a “Bewildered Public” 168 Understanding One's Philosophic Stance Explicitly 170 A Final Word 175 8 7. SOCIAL FORCES AND PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS IMPACTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EDUCATION AND SPORT: Problem by Problem (As a Narrative) 177 Social Forces 178 Values and Norms 178 The Influence of Politics 181 The Influence of Nationalism 184 The Influence of Economics 185 The Influence of Religion 186 The Influence of Ecology 188 Professional Concerns 191 Curriculum 191 Methods of Instruction 192 Professional Preparation 193 The Healthy Body 193 Women, Ethnic Minorities, People with Special Needs 194 Dance in Physical Activity Education 195 The Use of Leisure 196 Amateur, Semiprofessional, Professional Athletes 198 The Role of Management 199 Progress as a Concept (a social force and a professional concern) 200 8. THE USE AND ABUSE OF SPORT: AN ANALYSIS BASED ON HISTORY, CULTURAL CRITICISM, AND PHILOSOPHY 202 Historical Review of the Development of Physical Activity Education and Sport Philosophy 203 A Common Sense/Rational Thought Approach (late 1880s through early 1920s) 204 A Normative Approach to Philosophizing (mid-1920s to mid-1950s) 204 A Philosophy of Education Systems (Implications?) Approach (Mid-1950s to Mid-1970s) 206 A Theory-Building Approach 206 A Phenomenological-Existentialistic