Phenomenological Approaches to Sport

The study of sport is often thought of simply in terms of the sport sciences. This book explains how a phenomenological approach is capable of revealing the nature and meanings of sport in ways that are beyond the reach of the sciences and how the very concepts required by sport science stand in need of philosophical explanation. The book has a 'didactic' intention, seeking to present and discuss ideas and tools developed in the phenomenological tradition in order to illuminate issues in sport, in such a way as to be understandable for those without any previous knowledge or background.

There are clear and straightforward accounts of the ideas of central thinkers, such as Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Patocka, and applications of central ideas to the analysis of particular issues, such as the nature of risk sports, the feint in football, the problem of the instant replay, the role of the sport psychologist, the idea of 'bodily perception', and the concept of 'transhumanism' in relation to performance enhancement.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Sport, Ethics and Philosophy.

Irena Martinkova is Lecturer in Philosophy of Sport at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University in Prague. She is currently on the Executive Board of the European Association for the Philosophy of Sport. Her principal interests are in phenomenology, conceptions of human being and the human body, Eastern thinking, and Olympism. Recent publications have been on instrumentality, time, harmony, and kalokagathia.

Jim Parry was Head of the Department of Philosophy, University of Leeds, England, and is now Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University in Prague. He is currently Chair of the British Philosophy of Sport Association. His principal interests are in political philosophy, sports ethics and Olympic education. Recent publications have been on peacekeeping, pain, ethos in sport, coaching ethics and the Youth Olympic Games.