Introduction

human nature as a promising concept to make sense of the spirit of sport

Pieter Bonte

Jan Tolleneer

Sigrid Sterckx

Paul Schotsmans

pp. 1-18

in: Jan Tolleneer, Sigrid Sterckx, Pieter Bonte (eds), Athleticenhancement, human nature and ethics, Berlin, Springer, 2013

Abstract

Should sport revolve around natural talent or should athletes be allowed to enhance their bodies with biotech? As many commentators have noted, it seems that the contemporary doping debate is in urgent need of more in-depth investigations of these issues. Ultimately, the most vexing problems posed by doping do not seem to be about health or fair play – although doping clearly does pose momentous problems on those fronts too. But if some forms of doping would be made available in an adequately healthy and fair way, they would probably still cause much concern – concern about doping itself would persist, no matter how much its circumstances would be tidied up.