Scott Kretchmar on Philosophy of Play

The 2017 Schmitt Russell Research Lecture, presented by R. Scott Kretchmar, professor emeritus of exercise and sport science, will occur at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1 in the Bennett Pierce Living Center (110 Henderson Building). The lecture will be preceded by a reception, which is open to all, at 3:30 p.m. His talk is titled “Why Useless Play is so Useful.”

Scott Kretchmar joined the exercise and sport science (kinesiology) department in 1984, bringing to Penn State his expertise and research in the philosophy of sport, a discipline he helped found and nurture for nearly five decades. His dedication to the humanistic values of play and physical activity led him to the study of practical applications of the field to public life, specifically in the realm of “growing good playgrounds.” Scott “argues that both the nature of play and its value require cross-disciplinary research. [He] will propose a ‘systems view of play’, that is – a holistic account of how play affects everything from our cells to our hopes and dreams.”

Please plan to join us November 1 to hear a truly remarkable colleague discuss the fascinating topic of why useless play is so useful.

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