Surfing with Sartre : An Aquatic Inquiry Into a Life of Meaning

From the bestselling author of Assholes: A Theory , a book that--in the tradition of Shopclass as Soulcraft , Barbarian Days and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance --uses the experience and the ethos of surfing to explore key concepts in philosophy. The existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once declared "the ideal limit of aquatic sports . . . is waterskiing." The avid surfer and lavishly credentialed academic philosopher Aaron James vigorously disagrees, and in Surfing with Sartre he intends to expound the thinking surfer's view of the matter, in the process elucidating such philosophical categories as freedom, being, phenomenology, morality, epistemology, and even the emerging values of what he terms "leisure capitalism." In developing his unique surfer-philosophical worldview, he draws from his own experience of surfing and from surf culture and lingo, and includes many relevant details from the lives of the philosophers, from Aristotle to Wittgenstein, with whose thought he engages. In the process, he'll speak to readers in search of personal and social meaning in our current anxious moment, by way of doing real, authentic philosophy. A Philosopher And Avid Surfer Discusses His Ideas About Freedom, Being, Phenomenology, Morality, Epistemology, And The Values Of Leisure Capitalism. The Existentialist Philosopher Jean-paul Sartre Once Declared That 'water Skiing Is The Ideal Limit Of Aquatic Sports.' The Avid Surfer And Lavishly Credentialed Academic Philosopher Aaron James Vigorously Disagrees, And In Surfing With Sartre He Expounds The Thinking Surfer's View Of The Matter, Elucidating Such Philosophical Categories As Freedom, Being, Flow, Phenomenology, Morality, Epistemology, And Even The Emerging Values Of What He Terms 'leisure Capitalism.' In Developing His Unique Surfer-philosophical Worldview, He Draws From His Own Experience Of Surfing And From Surf Culture And Lingo And Engages With Philosophers From Aristotle To Wittgenstein, Noting Many Relevant Details From Their Lives. In The Process, He Speaks To Readers In Search Of Personal And Social Meaning In Our Current Anxious Moment By Way Of Doing Real, Authentic Philosophy. In Or Out Of The Water.--jacket. This Book Is About Surfing, And Not -- Epistemology In Action -- What The Surfer Knows -- Freedom -- Control -- Metaphysics -- Flow -- Being -- Transcendence -- Political Philosophy -- Society -- Nature -- Work -- Under A Fortunate Sun. Aaron James. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. **From the bestselling author of __Assholes: A Theory__, a book that—in the tradition of __Shopclass as Soulcraft__, __Barbarian Days__ and __Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance__—uses the experience and the ethos of surfing to explore key concepts in philosophy.**The existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once declared "the ideal limit of aquatic sports . . . is waterskiing." The avid surfer and lavishly credentialed academic philosopher Aaron James vigorously disagrees, and in he intends to expound the thinking surfer's view of the matter, in the process elucidating such philosophical categories as freedom, being, phenomenology, morality, epistemology, and even the emerging values of what he terms "leisure capitalism." In developing his unique surfer-philosophical worldview, he draws from his own experience of surfing and from surf culture and lingo, and includes many relevant details from the lives of the...