Think about an issue of philosophical (and potentially historical) import and b) cultivate writing and critical thinking skills.
Purpose: In presenting the history of sport and physical activity, R. Scott Kretchmar et al.’s History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Activity makes clear that sport and physical activity have been meaningful and valued in different way over the course of human history. It also presents the philosophical underpinning of the meaningful sport and physical activity. The film The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young provides an interesting perspective on how and why people engage in sport and physical activity. Based on your interpretation of the textbook, the film, and three additional sources, write a reflection on the importance of physical activity that addressed how and why it is a valued and meaningful human enterprise.
The film is available to rent or purchase through through several online streaming sources such as Tubi, Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Google Play.
Skills: This assignment will help you a) think about an issue of philosophical (and potentially historical) import and b) cultivate writing and critical thinking skills.
Knowledge: The skills necessary to craft an argument, organize ideas, and write with concision are transferrable to other settings within and without academia.
Task: The documentary The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young conveys the pursuit of an extreme endurance sport. It provides evidence that such pursuit can be part of a good life. While this type of activity is not for everyone, it does convey how even challenging activities with high failure rates can be a source of meaning and significance. Your essay should address how physical activity can be a source of meaning and significance in a life most worth living.
Your reflection should be written as a persuasive essay. You can develop your argument as you see fit, so long as the reasoning is thoughtful, thorough, and nuanced. The essay should be written as a coherent narrative, with a clear opening and closing. Students should draw upon and explicitly reference examples from the film, the textbook, and additional sources in developing their ideas. Please cite any materials you use in the text itself (i.e., in a parenthetical citation) and a reference list at the end of the reflection.
Sources: The reflection should draw upon R. Scott Kretchmar et al.’s History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Activity, the film The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young and two additional sources. For information on types of sources, please review the online tutorial on finding and citing sources.
Citations: Citations should follow the APA (6th Edition) format and should be included both a) in-text and b) in a reference list/bibliography. As a general rule, whenever you quote, paraphrase, summarize, or utilize information from a source, you need to cite it in-text. For information on citing sources, please review the online tutorial on finding and citing sources.
Format: Approximately 2.5 – 3 pages in length; .doc, .docx, or .pdf; Times New Roman; 12-pt. font; double-spaced; one-inch margins.
Answer preview to think about an issue of philosophical (and potentially historical) import and b) cultivate writing and critical thinking skills.
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