PHILOSOPHY OF SPORT OR PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTION ON SPORT

The main task of my presentation is to initiate the discussion about the contemporary position, as well as the current formal and merit situation of philosophy of sport. It is interesting to answer the following question: if we can say, that, at the present time, we have a mature, competent and independent scientific discipline or that we are involved with something like philosophical reflections on sport, which will become, in the future, an independent philosophical discipline? I am of the opinion, that the philosophy of sport has only initiated some process of structuralisation, of posing and solving manifold problems, of forming various viewpoints characteristic for authors of various education and different research preferences. It has also initiated building from the foundations and shaping of the methodological instruments which would be suitable for a new branch of philosophy aspiring for autonomy. The main burden of exploratory projects and their realisation lies on the shoulders of the philosophers in the strict sense of the word exploring various manifestations and aspects of sport. The philosophy of sport is working on defining itself and working out its own properties and forms of research. An important opportunity for it is constituted by a co-operation with other branches of philosophy (and not only of philosophy) aimed at the utilision of already worked out and tested patterns enabling the philosophy of sport to formulate its own language, coherent code, category of notions and specific detailed methodology in order to describe and explain sources, contents and senses characteristic for the practical and theoretical manifestations and properties of sport. However, until this stage of the forming of a new discipline is finished, we will face philosophical reflections on sport rather than the philosophy of sport.