Skill: A Philosophy of Practice

Skill: A Philosophy of Practice

Introduction

You might be wondering how a philosopher could write knowledgeably about skill, especially physical skill. Aren’t philosophers clumsy, ill-coordinated, awkward brainiacs with their head in the clouds? They may be skilled in their brains, but not in their bodies. And there is a good deal of truth in this stereotype. But in my case the stereotype falls flat, because I happen to have a wide range of skills: tennis, table tennis, squash, badminton, gymnastics, trampoline, pole vault, discus, kayak surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, skimboarding, skiing, ice skating, football, cricket, basketball, knife throwing, archery, Frisby, mountain biking, swimming, diving, skateboarding, rollerblading, motorcycling, bowling, pinball, darts, billiards, drumming, guitar, harmonica, and singing. Granted, I am by no means an expert in all these areas, but I have put in the time and effort necessary to learn them, distributed over many years (I am 76). As a child, I was heavily into competitive card flicking, marbles, and conkers, as well as the usual tree climbing and fighting (“Judo”). I have led an active physical life in addition to a scholarly one. I have acquired a good many bodily skills. I also teach these skills. So yes, don’t worry, I am amply qualified to write on the subject of skill.

Friends sometimes say I am like James Bond in this respect—multi-skilled. As a matter of fact, I am a keen student of agent 007, making a study of his character and lifestyle. He certainly has a great many skills, but our skills don’t overlap much (though we both knife throw). Perhaps he has a slight edge over me, but then he is a fictional character and I am not. I doubt he is much of a pole vaulter (I held the school record). He is probably better at shaking martinis than I am (smoking too). I have never seen him play tennis (though I have seen him play golf, quite well), but I suspect he would be no match for me–it takes a lot of time and practice, and the smoking and drinking don’t help. Other historical figures suggest themselves: Odysseus and Achilles leap to mind. The former was known as a highly skilled archer and expert problem-solver; the latter was the most accomplished warrior in the ancient world. I wouldn’t be surprised if James Bond was modeled on this illustrious pair, consciously or unconsciously. Then we have Jesus the skilled miracle-working carpenter and nimble David of David and Goliath fame. Not to mention assorted famous footballers, boxers, and ten-pin bowlers. I might also mention the popularity of skill-centered TV shows, particularly dancing and singing competitions. Evidently, the general public has a thirst for skilled performance of various kinds (I myself quite enjoy these shows). In this short book, I will explore the subject of skill in some depth from a philosophical as well as a practical point of view. We do well to understand and appreciate skill better and bring it into our daily lives. You have heard about the joy of sex (not much about its sorrow); this will be a book about the joy of skill, its meaning and value. The Karma Sutra of skill, so to speak.[1]

[1] I discuss the subject from a number of angles, from the abstract and profound to the practical and particular. There is fair amount of autobiographical detail combined with analytical philosophy. Dedicated readers may wish to study it alongside my The Making of a Philosopher and Sport. Skill has long been a preoccupation of mine, now turned into a condensed-soup monograph.