Foreword ix
Hans Florine

Acknowledgments xiii
Stephen E. Schmid

Philosophizing into the Void: An Introduction to Climbing - Philosophy for Everyone 1
Stephen E. Schmid

Part I Tying In: Why Risk Climbing 11

1 Climbing and the Stoic Conception of Freedom 13
Kevin Krein

2 Risk and Reward: Is Climbing Worth It? 24
Paul Charlton

3 Why Climb? 37
Joe Fitschen

4 Jokers on the Mountain: In Defense of Gratuitous Risk 49
Heidi Howkins Lockwood

Part II Quest for the Summit: Cultivating the Climber 65

5 High Aspirations: Climbing and Self-Cultivation 67
Brian Treanor

6 More than Meets the "I": Values of Dangerous Sport 81
Pam R. Sailors

7 Mountaineering and the Value of Self-Sufficiency 93
Philip A. Ebert and Simon Robertson

8 It Ain't Fast Food: An Authentic Climbing Experience 106
Ben Levey

9 Zen and the Art of Climbing 117
Eric Swan

Part III Cutting the Rope: Climbing Ethics 131

10 Freedom and Individualism on the Rocks 133
Dane Scott

11 Hold Manufacturing: Why You May Be Wrong About What's Right 145
William Ramsey

12 The Ethics of Free Soloing 158
Marcus Agnafors

13 Making Mountains Out of Heaps: Environmental Protection One Stone at a Time 169
Dale Murray

Part IV Mixed Climbing: Philosophy on Varied Terrain 181

14 From Route Finding to Redpointing: Climbing Culture as a Gift Economy 183
Debora Halbert

15 Are You Experienced? What You Don't Know About Your Climbing Experience 195
Stephen M. Downes

16 What is a Climbing Grade Anyway? 206
Richard G. Graziano

17 The Beauty of a Climb 218
Gunnar Karlsen

Climbing Glossary 230

Notes on Contributors 237