Climbing - Philosophy for Everyone

EditorStephen E. Schmid is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Rock County. His doctoral work was in philosophy of mind and his current research focuses on motivation in sport and education. Schmid has been playing in the mountains and on rock for more than 20 years. Series EditorFritz Allhoff is an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Western Michigan University, as well as a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University’s Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics. In addition to editing the Philosophy for Everyone series, Allhoff is the volume editor or co-editor for several titles, including Wine & Philosophy (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007), Whiskey & Philosophy (with Marcus P. Adams, Wiley, 2009), and Food & Philosophy (with Dave Monroe, Wiley-Blackwell, 2007).

“This book has enabled me to better understand the passion for exploring rocky heights.  …There is a common twine that goes the whole length in Climbing, namely the love each of these authors and the editor have for climbing.  If practices flourish primarily because of the dedication and commitment of the communities involved with them, one thing is clear, climbing is a very healthy practice in spite of and thanks to its beautifully inspiring risks, and Climbing is a great contribution to the climbing and philosophical communities.”  (Sport, Ethics and Philosophy, 28 February 2012)"This nonetheless should not serve as a negative commentary on what proves to be a most thoughtful and engaging collection of articles that serve to intellectualize what is thought by many to be a purely adrenaline-fueled endeavor . . If you think, however, that there is no reason for anyone else to climb or that climbing is silly or pointless or just plain crazy, this book just might make you think again." (Aethlon, 1 January 2011)"The book is a pretty in-depth look at various issues, centring around risk, ethics and other issues. It also includes essays that challenge commonly accepted views of climbing and climbing ethics." (The Philosopher's Eye, 2010)"Read carefully within the four themed sections; the essays provoke an intellectual frisson rarely elicited by modern climbing literature." (Climbing.com, 2010)"[Climbing - Philosophy for Everyone: Because It's There] proves to be a most thoughtful and engaging collection of articles that serve to intellectualize what is thought by many to be a purely adrenaline-fueled endeavor." (aethlon, January 2011"If you're interested in why we climb and take risks for what many consider a frivolous activity, then add this book to your holiday gift list. It will provide lots of entertaining reading and spark interesting conversations around the nightly campfire." (About.com, 11 December 2010)"The authors are both climbers and academics (almost all in philosophy), so the essays ring with rigor and authenticity..... the essays provoke an intellectual frisson rarely elicited by modern climbing literature." (Climbing Magazine, October 2010)"This has to be the best book I have read on the subject of climbing. Most of the essays are written by seasoned climbers and ... are varied and interesting. Many of the questions put forth are of the moral and ethical reasons for climbing, and they also address many other aspects of the climbing game. The novice climber can definitely benefit from reading this book also as it explores several topics that are not easily found in a text about climbing. I believe that this book will enable all who read it to consider deeply what it is that they are doing while they are climbing and as a result be able to be better climbers not only to the climbing community but will understand their inner motivations about their own climbing." (OregonLive.com, August 2010)

• Foreword ixHans FlorineAcknowledgments xiiiStephen E. SchmidPhilosophizing into the Void: An Introduction to Climbing – Philosophy for Everyone 1Stephen E. SchmidPart I Tying In: Why Risk Climbing 111 Climbing and the Stoic Conception of Freedom 13Kevin Krein2 Risk and Reward: Is Climbing Worth It? 24Paul Charlton3 Why Climb? 37Joe Fitschen4 Jokers on the Mountain: In Defense of Gratuitous Risk 49Heidi Howkins LockwoodPart II Quest for the Summit: Cultivating the Climber 655 High Aspirations: Climbing and Self-Cultivation 67Brian Treanor6 More than Meets the “I”: Values of Dangerous Sport 81Pam R. Sailors7 Mountaineering and the Value of Self-Sufficiency 93Philip A. Ebert and Simon Robertson8 It Ain’t Fast Food: An Authentic Climbing Experience 106Ben Levey9 Zen and the Art of Climbing 117Eric SwanPart III Cutting the Rope: Climbing Ethics 13110 Freedom and Individualism on the Rocks 133Dane Scott11 Hold Manufacturing: Why You May Be Wrong About What’s Right 145William Ramsey12 The Ethics of Free Soloing 158Marcus Agnafors13 Making Mountains Out of Heaps: Environmental Protection One Stone at a Time 169Dale MurrayPart IV Mixed Climbing: Philosophy on Varied Terrain 18114 From Route Finding to Redpointing: Climbing Culture as a Gift Economy 183Debora Halbert15 Are You Experienced? What You Don’t Know About Your Climbing Experience 195Stephen M. Downes16 What is a Climbing Grade Anyway? 206Richard G. Graziano17 The Beauty of a Climb 218Gunnar KarlsenClimbing Glossary 230Notes on Contributors 237