Is chess a sport? Ending the debate

this has just caused more debate...

Are we really "debating"...???
     Sure, one can 'believe' that chess is a sport, just as someone can 'believe' pretty much whatever they want...
      Wanna 'believe' that coffee causes cancer?  Wanna believe in the boogie man? 

No doubt, indeed, you can 'believe' that humans are no more than a virus(bacteria) on earth that is being evolved, mutated and cultured by a higher intelligence...

Go ahead! Just believe that humans are being evolved into robots that can reproduce... why?  Well, it depends on what you believe...

Perhaps to create extra plastic?  Ya know... for some VERY small reasons amongst higher intelligences that make humans look about as smart as earthworms...  

You can't just tell people what to 'believe'... Of course, that is unless there is a set order of rules and laws that fully contradict said belief...  
In this case(that someone believes something that isn't actually reality), you are dealing with one of two things.
1. An ignorant person

2. A delusional person...

Is sex a sport?

Does it really make a difference? Just enjoy

Chess is a logical system, based on pattern recognition. 

False.

But now the P.S. sections...

P.S. chess is a sport

Well the chess is a sport belief relies on the definition of 'sport'. This really is the crux of the matter. We could probably agree on what qualifies as 'cancer' and if coffee causes it. Even if we didn't agree, we could AGREE it wasn't because of linguistics. So 'Belief'. Well yes, but it's possible to maintain my definition of sport as the one I choose to use. This is the thing. Some terms are quite fluidic in their usage.

The question : Does 'God' exist is the same kind of question. Well it depends on what you mean by 'God'. I can frame a definition to have a 'no' or 'yes' answer.

If God is an old man in the clouds throwing down thunderbolts then 'no'

If God defined as the Universe itself, then 'yes'.

Back to 'Chess is a sport'. So much for philosophy, OK if people's definition of sport is something that requires physical movement or even substantial physical exertion to take part. If that's your definition, then that's fine.

I choose to define chess as a sport because it needs the exertion of a mental organ the brain. OK IF YOUR DEFINITION DOESN'T COVER THIS. I DON'T CARE ! Brain work is tiring and unfortunately just as in 'moving definitions' of sport, the younger person is clearly favoured on AVERAGE, because skill and experience can only match youthfulness up to a point. When I'm over the board my brain is beating against my opponents. Sometimes I need a drink of water so to not become dehydrated - just like footballers playing a  in a hot country. Mental stamina rather than a life times learning often beats experience, otherwise Kasparov would still be world champion!

That's not how an 'activity' qualifies as a sport...

An activity can't be a sport unless the human skeleton gets involved...  The physical body.  Like when you throw a football, or a baseball.

A sport is 'honed' in the physical body, chess is honed only in the mind...

So you are the Master of the Universe who arbitrates on what individuals should accept as a definition ?

What don't you understand about what we are are free to define for ourselves. Especially in such a subjective area as what qualifies as 'sport' ?

Everybody has their own definitions. Jeez! You don't need 59 pages of comments to tell somebody that everybody has their own definition of "sport". Nobody is right and nobody is wrong.

yes it is

I'm glad somebody agrees.

If someone asks you a question, and you reply "no", is it ok with you if they have their own definition of what no means? For example, a stranger asks if he can have your car (not borrow it, but have it) and you reply "no". Everyone has their own definitions right? Maybe for him no is a word used by people who are always joking, it really means affirmative or accepting. Like you said, "nobody is right and nobody is wrong" so you cannot hold it against him if he takes your car after you said no. You consented to it.

It's probably a good idea to use words according to how they are defined. People who believe chess is a sport are probably just allergic to dictionaries.

No, I just read a dictionary...

You say 'to mate toe' and I say 'tom art toe'. 

So the dictionary (like the bible) is the final arbiter of what definitions we might use. I'm sorry, but allowing for obvious less abstract things like 'tree' and 'water', as has been noted 'sport' will be defined by different people and dictionaries differently. Your use of a dictionary, presumably THE DICTIONARY of your religious zeal is the only dictionary. People write books including bibles and dictionaries. They are guides rather than two dimensional fundamentalist tools.

@Ziggy_Zugzwang

You are very creative, I suggest using your creative energies to study reality unbiasedly...