Heidegger and Sport

Humans act in a number of different ways. Whether a habitual activity that seems automatic, or a skilled activity that requires more explicit focus, bodily movements are occurring to reach some goal. What seems to be lost in the shuffle sometimes is human use of and interaction with objects. Dribbling a basketball, throwing the baseball to home plate from a glove, or handing the baton to the anchor in a relay for example are ways that people use objects in sports. This utilization of available objects lends itself to Heidegger’s ready-to-hand concept. Readiness-to-hand is crucial to understanding human action and the nature of athletic agency.

Heidegger sees human being and then objects either in relation to human activity or in terms of worldly existence. Heidegger also believes humans act with purpose, but more to show care and concern for others and for objects. Heidegger focuses on acting to develop relationship and harmony between humans and non-humans. This becomes important when looking at sport. For athletic agency is an exemplar of being in the world.

Heidegger makes a point of making sure there is an understanding of phenomenology. Studying the method, or a way of doing philosophy, seems important because it gives a descriptive technique of how things look through every individual’s own eyes and mind. Heidegger states that “what we are seeking is Being. And we have formally defined ‘phenomenon’ in the phenomenological sense as that which shows itself as Being and as a structure of Being” (91). Furthermore, “Worldhood is an ontological concept,” and stands for the structure of one of the “constitutive items of Being-in-the-world. But we know Being-in-the-world as a way in which Dasein’s character is defined existenti...

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...referring or assigning oneself circumspective1y, which in turn is based upon one’s previously understanding significance.

Readiness-to-hand is thus a vital component to how humans interact with the world. Dealings and being can be reflected in athletic agency. Much of sport depends on being able to take other entities of the world and harness their usefulness, like a basketball to score points, pads to help protect football players, or clubs so golfers can hit a ball 300 yards. A goal could not be scored without a soccer ball, nor could spectators enjoy the glory of a grand slam without a baseball bat. Heidegger’s formulation of readiness-to-hand plays a large role in highlighting human capacity to act and excel. Without the chance to find, make, and use equipment, the human experience would be implausibly changed.

Works Cited

Heidegger. Being and Time.