Philosophy Looks at Chess

by Benjamin Hale

Chess, the ancient strategy game, meets the latest, cutting-edge philosophy in this unique book. When 12 philosophers weigh in on one of the world's oldest and most beloved pastimes, the results are often surprising. Philosophical concepts as varied as phenomenology and determinism share the page with a treatise on hip-hop chess tactics and the question of whether Garry Kasparov is, in fact, a cyborg. Putting forth a remarkable array of different views on chess from philosophers with varied chess-proficiency, Philosophy Looks at Chess is an engaging read for chess adherents and the philosophically inclined alike.

Genres: Chess, Philosophy

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2008

Reviews

[Ashton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably more of a three-star anthology, but had to dock a star for this little postmodern nugget:

"The game, then, played between two players is not simply a series of the most correct moves, but a narrative of conflict seeking to debunk the personal novella of the chess player to an anecdotal myth and raise the tale of one author to the most compelling story that captures not only one's opponent, but the audience, the community, and the social group that makes the performance possible."

Yikes.

[Clifton Franklund]

An interesting collection of chess-related pieces.