Nietzsche and Sport: an Odd Pairing (Pt1)? Dr Yunus Tuncel - Meaningful Sport Series

Putting Nietzsche and sport together could seem like an odd pairing. However, our guest Yunus Tuncel argues that there are numerous dimensions that we find in Nietzsche’s work that can help us understand the value of sport in human life. From Nietzsche’s early writings on the Apollonian and Dionysian, to his philosophy of play and to the well-known contemplations on the overhuman, there are several inspirational elements in his work that can help us think about the role of sport in finding meaning in the world where God is Dead.   

The first part of our explorations provides an overview of Nietzsche's thought and then focuses on the Dionysian and the Apollonian forces and thinking about sport through them. Would Nietzsche think that contemporary (elite) sporting culture is going too much towards the Apollonian with our focus on quantifying and controlling everything? Nietzsche celebrated play as a spontaneous, creative and, in a good sense, purposeless and useless activity. Has sport gone too far off from play?

Dr Yunus Tuncel teaches Philosophy at The New School, New York, and in New York University’s Liberal Studies Programme. He is a co-founder of the Nietzsche Circle and a member of the Editorial Board of its journal The Agonist. Yunus is also the founder of Philomobile, which is a travel organisation offering trips to those interested in studying philosophy on the road (http://www.philomobile.com/).