Download or read book The Virtue of Playfulness written by boomer trujillo and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-04-29 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book argues that in order for people to live well, they must develop a virtue of playfulness. Inspired by Aristotle, the book draws on work from philosophy, classics, history, biology, psychology, and media studies to understand the place of play and playfulness in a good life. Many philosophers have written about play, from Presocratics such as Heraclitus to contemporary philosophers such as Bernard Suits. Some champion play as the most crucial value in life. Others deride it and warn strongly against it. This book evaluates the research on how play and playfulness bear on living a good life and becoming a good person. Its main argument is that in order to understand play as an action, we must understand playfulness as a virtue in the lives of good people. The author develops a theory of playfulness from an Aristotelian perspective. Like Aristotle sees the virtues as necessary for a happy life, the author argues that playfulness is necessary for living well. And just as Aristotle offers multifaceted characterizations of core virtues, the author argues that playfulness includes aspects of seriousness, creativity, humility, optimism, and sociality. Playful people take play seriously, learn new skills, overcome failure, strive for success, and keep others in mind. As a result, playful people have a better shot at living well. The Virtue of Playfulness is an accessible, empirically informed, and detailed treatment of the philosophy of playfulness. It will appeal to scholars and students in philosophy and related disciplines who are interested in virtue ethics, moral psychology, philosophy of games, philosophy of sport, and ancient philosophy.
Download or read book Social Virtue Epistemology written by Mark Alfano and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2022-07-29 with total page 620 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of 19 chapters, all appearing in print here for the first time and written by an international team of established and emerging scholars, explores the place of intellectual virtues and vices in a social world. Relevant virtues include open-mindedness, curiosity, intellectual courage, diligence in inquiry, and the like. Relevant vices include dogmatism, need for immediate certainty, and gullibility and the like. The chapters are divided into four key sections: Foundational Issues; Individual Virtues; Collective Virtues; and Methods and Measurements. And the chapters explore the most salient questions in this areas of research, including: How are individual intellectual virtues and vices affected by their social contexts? Does being in touch with other open-minded people make us more open-minded? Conversely, does connection to other dogmatic people make us more dogmatic? Can groups possess virtues and vices distinct from those of their members? For instance, could a group of dogmatic individuals operate in an open-minded way despite the vices of its members? Each chapter receives commentary from two other authors in the volume, and each original author then replies to these commentaries. Together, the authors form part of a collective conversation about how we can know about what we know. In so doing, they not only theorize but enact social virtue epistemology.
Download or read book Producing Pleasure in the Contemporary University written by Stewart Riddle and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-10-10 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Academics working in contemporary universities are experiencing unprecedented and unsustainable pressure in an environment of hyper-performativity, metrics and accountability. From this perspective, the university produces multiple tensions and moments of crises, where it seems that there is limited space left for the intrinsic enjoyment arising from scholarly practices. This book offers a global perspective on how pleasure is central to the endeavours of academics working in the contemporary university, with contributors evaluating the opportunities for the strategic refusal of the quantifying, stultifying and stupefying delimiters of what is possible for academic production. The aim of this book is to open up spaces for conversation, reflection and thought, in order to think, to be and to do differently – pleasurably. Contributors rupture the bounds of what is permissible and possible within their daily lives, habits and practices. As such, this book addresses increasingly significant questions. What are some of the multiple and different ways that we can reclaim pleasure and enhance the durations and intensities of our passions, desires and becomings within the contemporary university? How might these aspirations be realised? What are the spaces for the pleasurable production of research that might be opened up? How might we reconfigure the neoliberal university to be a place of more affect, where desire, laughter and joy join with the work that we seek to undertake and the communities whom we serve?
Download or read book Humor and Laughter Playfulness and Cheerfulness Upsides and Downsides to a Life of Lightness written by Willibald Ruch and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2019-08-12 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The emergence of Positive Psychology has highlighted the importance of studying the good life and how to attain it. Positive life outcomes, such as well-being, thriving, flourishing, and happiness were discussed and investigated. Among them, different orientations to happiness were identified, such as a life of pleasure, life of meaning, and life of engagement. Other outcomes, such as subjective and objective fulfillment in life or societal recognition have been less studied. Among the characteristics that facilitate positive outcomes, the VIA-classification of strength and virtues distinguishes 24 strengths with humor/playfulness being one of them. Only a small segment of humor entered the definition of humor as character strengths, namely the parts that contain some “goodness”. Humor as a character strength facilitates a lot of positive outcomes, such as positive emotions and positive relationships, and there is a “lightness” accompanying humor/playfulness. The field is broader though and transcends the definition of humor as used in positive psychology, in at least two ways. First, there is actually a family of overlapping but still distinct concepts with different research traditions. We include next to humor (and types of humor), also laughter, playfulness, and cheerfulness. We think that more research is needed on how they do overlap and what makes them distinct. Second, while positive psychology is interested in the goodness of we do want to stress that there is the need to study the non-virtuous parts as well. That is, laughter may not only be expressing amusement but scorn directed at people, humor may be benevolent but there is also sarcasm, and playfulness may elicit positive emotions but also risk-prone and immature types of behavior. Therefore, the aim of this Research Topic was to collect current perspectives on humor, playfulness, laughter, and cheerfulness in both adults and children, to study their full diversity but also interrelations and overlapping features, to introduce new instruments or ways for their assessment in future studies, and to study their causes and consequences in a variety of life domains. We encouraged studies on differences due to gender or nationality, the embodiment in different groups (e.g., class clowns, psychiatric patients), or whether or not they can be trained. We also welcomed contributions from adjacent disciplines (e.g., education, leisure studies, or therapy/counseling) and different regions of the earth. The outcome is a set of 33 manuscripts from altogether 101 authors. Not all areas are covered and not all aims were met; while we made progress there is much left to do. In this sense, the merging of these topics may be the first milestone but like every milestone, it only marks the beginning of a long journey.
Download or read book Living with Nietzsche written by Robert C. Solomon and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2003-08-21 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most popular and controversial philosophers of the last 150 years. Narcissistic, idiosyncratic, hyperbolic, irreverent--never has a philosopher been appropriated, deconstructed, and scrutinized by such a disparate array of groups, movements, and schools of thought. Adored by many for his passionate ideas and iconoclastic style, he is also vilified for his lack of rigor, apparent cruelty, and disdain for moral decency. In Living with Nietzsche, Solomon suggests that we read Nietzsche from a very different point of view, as a provocative writer who means to transform the way we view our lives. This means taking Nietzsche personally. Rather than focus on the "true" Nietzsche or trying to determine "what Nietzsche really meant" by his seemingly random and often contradictory pronouncements about "the Big Questions" of philosophy, Solomon reminds us that Nietzsche is not a philosopher of abstract ideas but rather of the dazzling personal insight, the provocative challenge, the incisive personal probe. He does not try to reveal the eternal verities but he does powerfully affect his readers, goading them to see themselves in new and different ways. It is Nietzsche's compelling invitation to self-scrutiny that fascinates us, engages us, and guides us to a "rich inner life." Ultimately, Solomon argues, Nietzsche is an example as well as a promulgator of "passionate inwardness," a life distinguished by its rich passions, exquisite taste, and a sense of personal elegance and excellence.
Download or read book Play Philosophy and Performance written by Malcolm MacLean and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-02-15 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Play, Philosophy and Performance is a cutting-edge collection of essays exploring the philosophy of play. It showcases the most innovative, interdisciplinary work in the rapidly developing field of Play Studies. How we play, and the relation of play to the human condition, is becoming increasingly recognised as a field of scholarly inquiry as well as a significant element of social practice, public policy and socio-cultural understanding. Drawing on approaches ranging through morality and ethics, language and the nature of reality, aesthetics, digital culture and gaming, and written by an international group of emerging and established scholars, this book examines how our performance at play describes, shapes and influences our performance as human beings. This is essential reading for anybody with an interest in leisure, education, childhood, gaming, the arts, playwork or many branches of philosophical enquiry.
Download or read book A Theology of Play written by Kevin M. Gushiken and published by Kregel Publications. This book was released on 2024-06-25 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: God encourages you to experience great joy in following Jesus God has given humans freedom and permission to play--to fully enjoy life's moments as he intended, with no ulterior motive. The Christian life without play becomes malformed, and believers can miss aspects of the abundant life Jesus came to give. In A Theology of Play, Kevin Gushiken builds a case for getting serious about play as a vital element of being a Christian. "Play," he writes, "is not merely an activity but a way of living." Gushiken explores play from various biblical and theological lenses: - How an identity grounded in God's good creation invites us to play - The connection between play and the biblical concept of Sabbath - Why past hurts don't have to keep us from enjoying the present - Releasing false guilt and shame to find true freedom to Play - How to play in the midst of difficulty and pain Ultimately, knowing and enjoying God brings freedom and pleasure. A Theology of Play helps Christian believers identify barriers to play in their day-to-day lives and offers faithful guidance in recapturing play within the rhythms of life.
Download or read book Common Callings and Ordinary Virtues written by Brent Waters and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2022-05-17 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Every day, we do commonplace things and interact with ordinary people without giving them much thought. This volume offers a theological guide to thinking Christianly about the ordinary nature of everyday life. Leading ethicist Brent Waters shows that the activities and relationships we think of as mundane are actually expressions of love of neighbor that are vitally important to our wellbeing. We live out the Christian gospel in the contexts that define us and in the routine chores, practices, activities, and social settings that give ordinary life meaning. It is in those contexts that we discover what we were created for, to be, and to become.
Download or read book Play in the Age of Goethe written by Edgar Landgraf and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2020-08-14 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We are inundated with game play today. Digital devices offer opportunities to play almost anywhere and anytime. No matter our age, gender, social, cultural, or educational background—we play. Play in the Age of Goethe: Theories, Narratives, and Practices of Play around 1800 is the first book-length work to explore how the modern discourse of play was first shaped during this pivotal period (approximately 1770-1830). The eleven chapters illuminate critical developments in the philosophy, pedagogy, psychology, politics, and poetics of play as evident in the work of major authors of the period including Lessing, Goethe, Kant, Schiller, Pestalozzi, Jacobi, Tieck, Jean Paul, Schleiermacher, and Fröbel. While drawing on more recent theories of play by thinkers such as Jean Piaget, Donald Winnicott, Jost Trier, Gregory Bateson, Jacques Derrida, Thomas Henricks, and Patrick Jagoda, the volume shows the debates around play in German letters of this period to be far richer and more complex than previously thought, as well as more relevant for our current engagement with play. Indeed, modern debates about what constitutes good rather than bad practices of play can be traced to these foundational discourses. Published by Bucknell University Press. Distributed worldwide by Rutgers University Press.
Download or read book Playful Philosophy and Serious Sophistry written by Georgia Sermamoglou-Soulmaidi and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2014-08-29 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an interpretation of Plato’s Euthydemus as a unified piece of literature, taking into account both its dramatic and its philosophical aspects. It aims to do justice to a major Platonic work which has so far received comparatively little treatment. Except for the sections of the dialogue in which Socrates presents an argument on the pursuit of eudaimonia, the Euthydemus seems to have been largely ignored. The reason for this is that much of the work’s philosophical import lies hidden underneath a veil of riotous comedy. This book shows how a reading of the dialogue as a whole, rather than a limited focus on the Socratic scenes, sheds light on the work’s central philosophical questions. It argues the Euthydemus points not only to the differences between Socrates and the sophists, but also to actual and alleged similarities between them. The framing scenes comment precisely on this aspect of the internal dialogue, with Crito still lumping together philosophy and eristic shortly before his discussion with Socrates comes to an end. Hence the question that permeates the Euthydemus is raised afresh at the end of the dialogue: what is properly to be termed philosophy?
Download or read book Playfulness in Coaching written by Stephanie Wheeler and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-07-24 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What do we mean by playfulness? Playfulness and play are no longer seen as only of benefit to children’s learning and development, but are being used increasingly for coaching adults in the context of serious challenges and issues. Benefits include better communication, understanding, self-awareness, relationship-building, creativity, ideation and innovation in a business environment. This book is the first to introduce and expand on the idea of playfulness as an approach in coaching. Playfulness in Coaching fully explains the serious role of playfulness and provides the why and the how for new and experienced coaches. Using case studies throughout, the book takes a broad and evidence-led look at the relevant areas of playfulness in coaching: contracting, developing insights, forming direct communications, how to prime the coach and the client for playfulness, identifying and overcoming barriers, assessing risks, and closing a session. It is packed with theory, research, stories from practice, ideas and inspiration for understanding and applying playfulness in life and work. This will be an invaluable resource for coaches, particularly those with experience who are moving towards intermediate and mastery level. The book has been written with coaches working with corporate clients in mind, particularly in the context of challenges in a VUCA environment. It will also be relevant to HR and Learning and Development managers who source coaches for organisations and oversee internal coaches, as well as managers-as-coaches, life coaches and mental health professionals.
Download or read book Becoming a Pastor written by Jaco J. Hamman and published by The Pilgrim Press. This book was released on 2014-05-15 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Revised and updated edition of a best-selling leadership and ministry guide! Whether you're a pastor or church leader, says Hamman, you're called to do the following for yourself: develop a deeper sense of inner security; nurture your imagination; embrace your dark side; become aware of your emotions; see others as they really are; and engage in life with a sense of playfulness. Hamman equips you to do all of this and more. Get ready for a transformation in your personal ministry and in your relationship with God—and become the best pastor you can be!
Download or read book Character Strengths and Virtues written by Christopher Peterson and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 828 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This groundbreaking handbook of character strengths and virtues is the first progress report from a prestigious group of researchers who have undertaken the systematic classification and measurement of widely valued positive traits. They approach good character in terms of separate strengths- authenticity, persistence, kindness, gratitude, hope, humor, and so on- each of which exists in degrees.
Download or read book Handbook of Positive Psychology Assessment written by Willibald Ruch and published by Hogrefe Publishing GmbH. This book was released on 2022-10-01 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn how to select the right positive psychology (PP) assessment tool for the right situation Written by internationally renowned authors Looks at well-being, traits, states, and behavior Presents the relevant psychometric properties Considers assessment challenges Recommends selection in different settings Explores new directions in PP A comprehensive guide to selecting positive psychology assessment tools This volume gives a state-of-the-art overview of assessment in the field of positive psychology, including a comprehensive survey of current theories, approaches, issues, and assessment instruments. In four sections, leading experts look at different conceptualizations of well-being and discuss specific traits, states, and behaviors. New directions in positive psychology are also explored, including measuring primal world beliefs, imagination, self-transcendent experiences, and nostalgia. Each chapter provides an introductory background to the positive psychology topic reviews the most relevant assessment instruments, and discusses the specific assessment-related challenges. Recommendations for selecting assessment tools are included for specific settings, such as school, relationships, health and clinical settings, leisure, and interventions. This book is a must for positive psychology researchers, instructors, students, and practitioners wanting to select the right positive psychology instrument for the right situation.
Download or read book The God Who Plays written by Brian Edgar and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2017-12-20 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many people would be surprised to hear that a playful attitude towards God and the world lies at the heart of Christian faith. Traditionally Christians have focused on the serious responsibilities of service, sacrifice, and commitment. But the prophets say that the future kingdom is full of people laughing and playing, which has implications for Christians who are called to live out the future kingdom in the present. Play is not trivial or secondary to work and service—only a playful way of living does justice to the seriousness of life! Play is the essential and ultimate form of relationship with God, which is why Jesus told people to learn from children. Indeed, a playful attitude is an important part of all significant relationships. This book explores grace, faith, love, worship, redemption, and the kingdom from the perspective of a playful attitude. It describes how to create a “play ethic” to match the “work ethic” and discusses play as a virtue, Aquinas’s warning against the sin of not playing enough, and Bonhoeffer’s claim that in a world of pain it is only the Christian who can truly play.
Download or read book Journal of Moral Theology Volume 7 Number 1 written by Mary Doyle Roche and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2018-01-23 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Children and Youth: Forming the Moral Life Edited by Mary M. Doyle Roche Children and Youth: Forming the Moral Life Mary M. Doyle Roche The Vice of “Virtue”: Teaching Consumer Practice in an Unjust World Cristina L.H. Traina Families in Crisis and the Need for Mercy Marcus Mescher Transgender Bodies, Catholic Schools, and a Queer Natural Law Theology of Exploration Craig A. Ford, Jr. Hooking Up, Contraception Scripts, and Catholic Social Teaching Kari-Shane Davis Zimmerman and Jason King Youth, Leisure, and Discernment in an Overscheduled Age Timothy P. Muldoon and Suzanne M. Muldoon Children’s Right to Play Mary M. Doyle Roche Review Essay Exclusion, Fragmentation, and Theft: A Survey and Synthesis of Moral Approaches to Economic Inequality David Cloutier
Download or read book Gods Games written by David L. Miller and published by Stillpoint/Athena. This book was released on 2013-08-15 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A deeply thoughtful, deeply irreverent look at the mythology of play, Gods and Games ties together Joseph Campbell's approach to myth and religion with Johan Huizinga's view of our species as Homo ludens — "Man the Game-player" — which suggests that play is a central aspect of the human spirit and human culture. "A comprehensive and clear review.... loaded with quotations both pertinent and entertaining that may be eye-openers both to traditional religionists and readers who may never have thought about play in a philosophical or religious sense." —Publishers Weekly
