Knowing the Score

June 15, 2017

Papineau's (philosophy, Kings Coll. London, UK; Philosophical Devices: Proofs, Probabilities, Possibilities, and Sets) book isn't what this reviewer would think of as a typical "philosophy of sport" book that applies ethics and philosophy to sports. Instead, the author takes the more interesting approach and uses sports to explain philosophical theories. Areas covered include athletes' ability to focus, rules of sports, teams, tribes, and values. In each chapter, the author applies several different sports to explain the various theories. One difficulty that Papineau brings up is in including sports that have a wide global appeal so that readers will understand his examples. He succeeds by using baseball, soccer, golf, and cycling along with cricket and rugby to explain topics such as game theory, logic, and morality. While the reader will be rewarded by taking in the entire work, each chapter can also be read by itself. VERDICT Papineau's very accessible and passionate work should interest sports fans and philosophers who are looking for a unique intersection of the two topics.--Scott Duimstra, Capital Area Dist. Lib., Lansing, MI

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