The Philosophy of Walking (Book)

The Philosophy of Walking, written by French thinker and philosopher Frédéric Gros, was first published in Turkish on 3 February 2017 by Kolektif Kitap. The work is 192 pages long. The book moves walking beyond the category of mere physical activity and examines it in the context of thought freedom and individual emancipation.

In the introduction Gros begins by placing walking beyond the classification of “sport”: he finds the goal oriented structured nature of sport with its emphasis on ranking and competition to be contrary to the essence of walking. The book explores the walking practices of thinkers and writers such as Nietzsche Rousseau Thoreau Kant and Rimbaud: Nietzsche’s long forest walks Rousseau’s generation of thought in nature Kant’s regular city strolls and Thoreau’s solitary walks immersed in nature. Through these examples the relationship between walking and thought creativity is examined. The book defines walking as an escape from the mental prisons of habitual patterns and argues that each step taken in walking brings one closer to freedom. It also describes walking as an act that facilitates mental purification existential awareness and a slowing down in opposition to the pace of public life.

• The book is structured by section and thinker: each section examines the relationship between a specific thinker or writer and walking.
• The first section is titled “Walking Is Not Sport” and establishes the distinction of walking.
• It has an anthology format: philosophical quotations and brief intellectual anecdotes appear between the texts. The writing flows with both analytical and intuitive qualities.

• The work transforms walking from a physical activity into a “philosophical practice” thereby attributing intellectual value to everyday actions.
• Through walking it opens a space for reflection on contemporary issues such as the speed of social life individual freedom and inner tranquility.
• Within the framework of body-mind relations walking is enriched through the examples of various thinkers with concepts such as solitude ritual and relationship with nature.
• The book serves as an intellectual guide for readers interested in philosophy or seeking to slow down in urban environments.