The Phenomenology of Play

Eugen Finks deep engagement with the phenomenon of play saw him transcend his two towering mentors, Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger, to become a crucial figure in early 20th-century phenomenology. The Phenomenology of Play draws on Finks concept of play to build a picture of his philosophy, from its foundations to its applications. The books three sections focus on the building blocks of Finks phenomenology of play, how his work maps onto the broader history of philosophy, and finally how his writing can be applied to contexts from education and care to politics and religion. This rich account of Finks contribution to theories of play demonstrates its immense value and fundamental importance to human existence. Relating Finks work to that of his contemporaries and predecessors like Husserl, Heidegger, Schiller, Gadamer, Nietzsche and Sartre shows the range and importance of his ideas to modern European thought. The Phenomenology of Play also features newly translated material including notes from conversations between Fink and Heidegger, and Finks own essay Mask and Cothurnus on ancient theatre which shed new light on his philosophical enquiries.