The sports world has been increasingly confronted with moral issues in recent years: How do sports organizations and associations deal with transgressive behavior? Should sports policy focus on medals or on creating stories? What is the value of "fair play" if this principle excludes trans athletes? Can we call sports “healthy” if they depend on sponsorship by the fossil industry? Is the body really central to sport at a time when many former athletes confess that their bodies were seen only as manipulable tools? 

Philosophical reflection on sport can help clarify the important issues in sport. It does this by naming and critically examining images and expectations of athletes, coaches, policymakers and fans about what sport is and what sport should be. 

We are very pleased to invite you to the first meeting of the Study Group 'Philosophy & Sport' within the Dutch Research School of Philosophy (OZSW), see https://www.ozsw.nl/study-group/study-group-philosophy-of-sport/ .

This meeting will be held on Friday 24 May, 2-5 pm in Rotterdam, Campus Woudestein, Polak Building 3-18 . 

The program is as follows (moderation: Aldo Houterman):

2.00-2.30 Introductory Round

2.30-3.00 Sandra Meeuwsen, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Current Philosophy of Sport in The Netherlands and Flandres

3.00-3.15 Coffee

3.15-3.45 Alfred Archer, Tilburg University, Life Outside the Diamond is a Wrench: On Losing One’s Talents

3.45-4.30 Plenary Discussion + Future Directions and Research Possibilities

4.30-5.00 Drinks at Erasmus Paviljoen

About the speakers:

Dr. Sandra Meeuwsen leads the Erasmus Center for Sport Integrity & Transition at Erasmus School of Philosophy. She will map the current field of sport philosophy and -ethics in the Netherlands and Flanders, addressing avenues for academic growth, societal relevance and philosophical synthesis.

Dr. Alfred Archer is an Associate Professor at Tilburg University and the Chair of the British Philosophy of Sport Association. He will give a talk about the challenges that athletes face when they lose their talents, arguing that a detailed understanding of the nature of talent can help to understand more carefully the nature of talent loss, and the various challenges that arises from this.

The language of the meeting will be English, but there will also be room for questions and discussions in Dutch. You can register by simply sending an e-mail to houterman@esphil.eur.nl. We hope to welcome you on 24 May in Rotterdam!