Philosophy

Abstract

Sport and philosophy appear, at first glance, to be unrelated. However, upon further examination, the connections between the two are evident. Both sport and philosophy can be traced back to ancient Greece, where initial thoughts and concepts were being challenged and developed. Prominent philosophers, such as Plato and Aristotle, wrote historically about the concepts of sport and play, while modern philosophers, such as Nietzsche, discussed sport as a metaphor for viewing the world. Despite the close links, sport had been largely dismissed as a philosophical body. However, as sport evolved so did the desire to study it from a philosophical perspective. Issues within the sporting world have further fuelled the debate on right and wrong, and have questioned current sport ideals. As a result, a philosophical approach to studying sport may lead to a stronger understanding of sport in itself, and a greater identification of what sport should be.