Anthropology of Sport

The fundamental change in the conception of human nature takes place during the transition from antiquity to modern times. The main feature of the ‘classical’ view of human nature is its teleological character: we only know completely what something is when we know what it is in its final perfection. This is diametrically opposed to the axiom that dominates our modern scientific culture: we understand what something is when we know what it is made of and how it came to be. Therefore, the ultimate goal of the ‘classical’ view is the perfection of human being, while the ultimate goal of the ‘modern’ view is the preservation of oneself. Since sport is fundamentally dependent on human beings, two conceptions of sport can be distinguished on the basis of this distinction. ‘Classical’ sport can be characterised as idealistic but demanding, while ‘modern’ sport can be characterised as realistic and pragmatic. The first concept is based on a teleological understanding of human nature. Accordingly, sport is understood as a means to fulfil the human being and to achieve perfection, virtue. The basic idea is similar to the theories that see sport as an important means of human education. On the other hand, the modern view of sport sees the ultimate goal of sport not in the perfection of the human being, but in self-preservation. This can be seen in the activities that see the goal of sport as maintaining health, regulating body weight or balancing a stressful lifestyle. Both views can be recognised today, but the question arises: should one of these two views of sport take precedence with regard to the future development of human beings?