ABSTRACT
The author addresses different matters of design in sport. Individual sports suggest that aesthetic norms govern game design, which fits what Mumford calls ‘the aesthetic hypothesis’. The appeal of soccer is partly explained in terms of game rules qua artificial constraints and the hands being the outward physiological badge of human distinction. Kretchmar’s E game/T game distinction is discussed in light of Mumford’s critique. It is proposed that, in Kant’s terminology, purposive sports exhibit dependent beauty, whereas aesthetic sports exhibit free beauty. Other designs and frames are also discussed, including weather, venue architecture, and the media.
