In KineSophy’s thirteen years, I’ve written extensively about the many benefits of exercise, interviewed leaders in the growing belief that physical activity is a form of medicine, and shared the latest research on how exercise benefits a host of health conditions. Most Americans understand that physical activity is beneficial. Yet … Read more
Last month, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. 106 professional athletes competed for the top prize in their sport. And over 123 million Americans sat on their couches and watched them do it while stuffing their faces with 1.45 billion chicken wings, 11.3 … Read more
Last month, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy tweeted (X-ed?), “The College Board should add a physical fitness section to the SAT, instead of just math and reading sections. This could mirror the “Presidential Fitness Test” – consisting of a 1-mile run, pull-ups, sit-ups, shuttle run, etc… This is a pro-merit … Read more
I started KineSophy ten years ago to explore connections between health, fitness, sports, society and philosophy. During that decade, I have looked at issues ranging from the many non-physical benefits of exercise to the myriad ways health and sports impact climate change (and vice versa). But these connections are dynamic, … Read more
Bill Hayes is the author of Sweat: A History of Exercise, Insomniac City, and How New York Breaks Your Heart, a collection of his street photography, among other books. He is a recipient of the New York City Book Award for How We Live Now: Scenes from the Pandemic, and a Guggenheim Fellowship in … Read more
Note: this article is the second of a two-part series on alternative therapies like acupuncture and cupping. You can read Part 1 here: Acupuncture and Cupping – Part 1: Ancient Medicine or Pseudoscience? In Part 1 of this series, I considered the claim that acupuncture and cupping are extreme and … Read more
Note: this article is the first of a two-part series on acupuncture and cupping. You can read Part 2 here: Acupuncture and Cupping – Part 2: Alternative Therapies and the Placebo Effect. At this point, you have likely heard of acupuncture and cupping. Acupuncture was practiced in Asia at least … Read more
Throughout the past fourteen-plus months, we have seen consistent recommendations to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Yet other health practices with strong evidence of reducing COVID-19 severity have received far less publicity. So what are the most effective public health measures for mitigating COVID-19? And what role should governments take … Read more
The current COVID-19 pandemic has again raised the outdated association between illness and morality. Whether through blaming victims or asserting their own health and moral superiority, many have suggested that those who contract the virus deserve their fate. I draw on previous KineSophy articles on health, fitness and virtue to … Read more
Like so many issues discussed on KineSophy, the COVID-19 pandemic affects us all in myriad spheres of life, from health to social interactions to economics to ethics. Faced with illness, the loss of a job, loneliness and fear, many people are struggling just to make it through the next day … Read more