Episode 83. Exercise
Western philosophy started… at the gym. In episode 83 of Overthink, Ellie and David tackle the philosophy of workouts, from Plato’s days as a wrestler to the modern loneliness of a solitary bench press. As they discuss the role of exercise — which the Greeks called gymnastics — in building bodies and training souls, they consider the ancient Olympics, the cravings for health and beauty that guide us through what David calls the "Protestant work-out ethic," and Jean Baudrillard's thoughts about the Americans' passion for jogging.
Overthink is a philosophy podcast hosted by your new favorite professors, Ellie Anderson (Pomona College) and David Peña-Guzmán (San Francisco State University). Check out our episodes for deep dives into concepts such as existential anxiety, empathy, and gaslighting.
Works Discussed
Jean Baudrillard, America
Mark Greif, “Against Exercise”
Drew Hyland, Philosophy of Sport
Plato, The Republic, The Laws, and Euthyphro
Heather Reid, Introduction to the Philosophy of Sport
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, and “The Government of Poland”
Sabrina Strings, Fearing the Black Body
Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
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