Physical literacy philosophical foundations

Durden-Myers, L ORCID: 0000-0001-7705-1138 (2026) 'Physical literacy philosophical foundations.' In: Durden-Myers, L, ed. Routledge handbook of physical literacy. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 113-120. ISBN 9781032703336 (Forthcoming)

Abstract

Physical literacy has gained renewed attention over the past three decades, particularly through Whitehead's reconceptualisation of the concept as central to lifelong health, wellbeing, and human flourishing. While widely adopted across research, policy, and practice, its philosophical foundations that include monism, existentialism, phenomenology, and embodiment are often overlooked or diluted, risking a reductionist interpretation that undermines its holistic intent. This chapter examines these four philosophical schools of thought, elucidating their individual contributions and highlighting the congruencies that collectively frame physical literacy as a deeply humanistic and relational construct. Monism affirms the indivisibility of mind and body; existentialism situates movement as a vehicle for authentic self-creation; phenomenology underscores the uniqueness of lived experience; and embodiment anchors cognition, perception, and meaning-making in the moving body. Together, these perspectives present physical literacy as far more than a set of competencies, revealing it as an existential practice that integrates physical, cognitive, affective, and social dimensions of human existence. The chapter calls for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to engage meaningfully with these philosophical principles to preserve the conceptual integrity of physical literacy and to harness its transformative potential for enriching individual lives and nurturing societal wellbeing.

Item Type:	Book Chapter or Section
Divisions:	School of Education
Related URLs:	https://www.routledge.com/Routledge-Hand...
Date Deposited:	17 Apr 2026 16:14
Last Modified:	17 Apr 2026 16:14
URN:	https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/17703

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