From Homo Sportivus: relation with the nature, culture and technique

Abstract

To understand the nowadays sport it is necessary, at first, to be aware of the philosophical thinking of the Ancients, namely the ideals, principles and values inherent to transcendence, meaning and salvation of life. Secondly, it is necessary to understand the scope of the relation between culture and nature on the shape of a Man and his body, established by Illuminism, Humanism and Modernity, deserving prominence Rousseau, Kant, Pestalozzi and Humboldt. It is there where Homo Sportivus takes his roots, an evolution of Homo Gymnasticus and Homo Olympicus projected by Coubertin. Thirdly, we should understand the "world's technization", invoked by Heidegger, proper of the generalized competition environment called "globalization". The progress, the knowledge, the techniques and the nature domain, which used to serve superior and exterior ideals, have gone from the means to the ends' category. This also prompts us to recreate a Humanism adapted to the demands of our time.