Transhumanism and the transformation of the experience and spectacle in the art of boxing

Brady, Gerard James (2018) Transhumanism and the transformation of the experience and spectacle in the art of boxing. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Going beyond the biological and physiological limitations imposed on us by the human body is something which the human race has strived to do throughout its history. There is something about our human nature that compels us to strive for improvement and enhancement in our physical and mental performance, and to stretch ever further the boundaries of human accomplishment. Nowhere can a stronger desire for enhanced performance be found than in the realm of competitive sport and, it is certainly arguable that, there are very few sports that can rival the competitiveness, endurance and physical exertion involved in the sport of boxing.
Transhumanism is borne of this desire for continuous improvement and the refusal to resign ourselves to the restrictions placed on us by our natural biological constitution and environment, enhancing human capabilities and capacities by way of new and emergent technologies. With regard to sport, transhumanism could provide us with the ability to train longer, run, swim or cycle faster, jump higher, throw further and, in the case of boxing, punch harder. However, it is not restricted or confined to the enhancement of our physical powers, but could equally-well serve to improve our psychological capacities and alter the way in which we perceive and experience the world. In this way transhumanism could be employed to change the content of experience.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Transhumanism, phenomenology, boxing, combat sports.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General); B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BJ Ethics
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Information Studies
• Supervisor's Name: Stuart, Dr. Susan A.J. and South, Dr. Alex
• Date of Award: 2018
• Depositing User: Mr Gerard James Brady
• Unique ID: glathesis:2018-9005
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 15 May 2018 15:10
• Last Modified: 12 Jun 2018 15:08
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/9005