Damon Young Photo: Raymond Taudin Chabot, visualcultures.org
In his recent book, How to Think About Exercise, Australian philosopher and author Damon Young takes a philosophical approach to the question of why we should exercise, arguing that fitness improves both our bodies and our minds.
He decided to investigate the topic because whenever he went off for a run or to do some weight training, people would be astonished - assuming that because his job is about thinking, he would not be focussed on the physical. But he argues focussing on the physical is just as good for the mind as it is for the body.
Damon Young has also written about the relationships between authors and their gardens, and why we crave distraction.
He talks to Kathryn Ryan ahead of his upcoming visit to the Christchurch Writers Festival.
