Olympics and Philosophy

Peter Hufnagel is known on the Hill for his passion for sharing literary history as well as athletics with students. He has taught in the English department since 2005 and has coached cross-country, lacrosse, and cycling. Hufnagel partnered with University of Virginia English professor, Paul Cantor, to explore the ancient Greek roots of the Olympic Games and their philosophy. In their essay, Hufnagel and Cantor begin by showing how the Olympic Games help us to better understand ancient Greek philosophy, and how that philosophy helps us to understand the Olympics. And the center of this understanding is the concept of thumos, the kind of spirited anger characteristic of Homer’s Achilles, which can be fruitfully channeled through competitive activities like philosophy and athletics. The essay was published in The Olympics and Philosophy.

Hufnagel commented: “At Miller school, there is no line between academics and athletics when it comes to educating students. As teachers, we often are coaches in the classroom and teachers in athletics. This essay shows that ancient Greek philosophy, a subject that is traditionally considered academic, and ancient Greek athletics have a lot in common—something we see in action every day at Miller School.”

Whether teaching or coaching, Hufnagel has a spirited approach, and he always aims to inspire students to excel in both athletics and academics.