Hockey and Philosophy

by Normand Baillargeon (Editor), Scott Irving (Translator), Christian Boissinot (Editor)

Does hockey provide a better understanding of the differences between Canadian and Québécois nationalisms? Is there a fundamental relationship between the hockey arena and the political arena? What have we lost as a society in abolishing the tie game? Are salaries in the NHL really that outrageous? Is hockey more art than sport? Should hockey players be banned from using performance-enhancing drugs at all costs? Do goalies suffer from angst? Does our national sport have its own mythology and metaphysics? Do hockey brawls reflect our true human nature more than we would care to admit? And what would it be like if the great philosophers were to face off on the ice? A team of philosophy and hockey buffs go deep with these fascinating questions and many others in this examination of a worshipped sport elevated to something akin to a cult. Accessibly written and peppered with humour, the essays in this book will charm specialists, sports fans, and everyone in between. Whether you’re a fan of Richard, Gretzky, Crosby, Plato, Kant, or Kierkegaard, you’re invited to be a spectator at this very special meeting of minds!

280 pages, Paperback

Published November 19, 2015

About the author

Teacher at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) in Education Sciences, he has written many essays on Philosophy. His most famous work is Petit cours d'autodéfense intellectuelle.

Reviews

[Cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shocking mixture of being actually interesting and genuinely funny.
Best chapters where the ones that really focused on a specific aspect of the game, like the chapter “Eulogy for the Tie Game” which argues for the morality of a tie, or the chapter “Kierkegaard and the Art of Goaltending” which was was absurd but kind of moving, though maybe I’m biased because I love goalies.