The Ideal of the Stoic Sportsman

Journal of the Philosophy of Sport 31 (2):196-211 (2004)
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Abstract

Philosophers of sport have debated whether supporting one team over others is commendable or morally suspect. We show how Stoicism sheds light on this controversy. Several caricature views of Stoic sportsmanship are studied. Stoics learn how to enjoy the blessings that come their way without mistakenly judging challenges to be hardships that detract from their happiness. Stoic sportsmen celebrate the successes of their teams while exercising the virtues of patience, endurance, loyalty, and appreciation of athletic excellence when their teams flounder. The Stoic ideal is not to be an indifferent, disinterested spectator, but rather a calm, polite, and engaged sportsman.

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Author Profiles

William Stephens
Creighton University
Randolph Feezell
Creighton University

Citations of this work

The interplay between resentment, motivation, and performance.Myisha Cherry - 2019 - Journal of the Philosophy of Sport 46 (2):147-161.
Athletic imagery as an educational tool in Epictetus.Michael Tremblay - 2021 - Journal of the Philosophy of Sport 49 (1):68-82.
A stoic critique of contemporary sport.Michael W. Austin - 2020 - Journal of the Philosophy of Sport 47 (3):330-343.

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References found in this work

The View From Nowhere.Thomas Nagel - 1986 - New York: Oxford University Press.
The morality of happiness.Julia Annas - 1993 - New York: Oxford University Press.
The passions.Robert C. Solomon (ed.) - 1976 - Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Press.
Alienation, consequentialism, and the demands of morality.Peter Railton - 1984 - Philosophy and Public Affairs 13 (2):134-171.

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