Practical Philosophy of Sport

Kretchmar (exercise and sport science, Pennsylvania State U.) guides student and practicing sports professionals through the process of developing a personal philosophy of sport to use as a framework for taking or arguing positions regarding the individual and social worth of sports, the role of sports medicine, and other big issues, as well as making day-to-day decisions. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

R. Scott Kretchmar, PhD, is widely regarded as one of the leading sport philosophers in the United States. He not only has taught philosophy of sport for over 25 years but also has played a key role in making it a legitimate field of scholarship and study. Dr. Kretchmar is both a founding member and a past president of the Philosophic Society for the Study of Sport. He is also a past president of the Philosophy Academy of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.

Kretchmar earned a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College in 1966 and a doctorate in physical education from the University of Southern California in 1971. He is a professor in Penn State University's Department of Exercise and Sport Science, for which he was department head from 1984 to 1989. He is also an assistant editor for the Journal of the Philosophy of Sport and an editor of the Fair Play column in Strategies. In 1989, Dr. Kretchmar was elected a Fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education.