Philosophy | Velosophe

Can Sports be Intellectual?

April 18, 2017 by Bernhard

I first saw the documentary Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media in high school, when I was an avid athlete. The film is a sprawling overview of Chomsky’s life, linguistics, activism, and, as the title suggests, his critical analyses of the mass media. Amongst this broad subject matter, covered through an enormous amount archival footage and interviews, one small scene stood out to me. In it, Chomsky, while giving a public lecture, makes some offhand critiques about sports. Years later, I’d […]

Categories: Ethics, Philosophy, Politics, sports • Tags: intellectualism, Noam Chomsky, sports

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Do you Believe in Mechanical Doping?

March 6, 2017 by Bernhard

About a month ago, 60 Minutes ran a segment investigating the issue of so-called “mechanical doping” in cycling. The (admittedly silly) term refers to mechanical cheating, specifically, the surreptitious placement of motors in bicycles used in professional racing. I’ll get into the specifics in a moment, but will mention as a preface that the gist of the investigation is that hidden motors have allegedly been used in the highest levels of cycling. If comment-section discussions are an indicator, it appears […]

Categories: Bicycles, Philosophy • Tags: Bayesian probability, beliefs, bikes, epistemology, mechanical doping, Quine

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The Rules of the Road are Baloney

January 2, 2017 by Bernhard

I’m going to start with the assumption that, at one time and place or another, people who bike have been chastised by people who drive for not “following the rules of the road.” I have seen and heard this grievance aired frequently. It has often been presented as an argument against increased bicycle infrastructure. It goes something like this: If cyclists want the “privilege” of using space “designed for” cars, then they must earn it by adhering strictly to the […]

Categories: Bicycles, Ethics, Philosophy, Transportation • Tags: cars, rules of the road

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Performance Enhancing Drugs and the Limits of Human Nature

June 30, 2016 by Bernhard

As far as questions of ethics in sports go, cycling has been one of the most pronounced sources of moral dilemma. While the nature and cause of these dilemmas might seem obvious, it’s worth it to briefly recite them. Sports are supposed to be fair. Fairness is typically construed to mean that no participant should have access to any means that gives them an unnatural advantage over others. Performance enhancing drugs are a widespread source of an unnatural advantage; using […]

Categories: Bicycles, Ethics, Philosophy • Tags: human nature, PEDs, performance enhancing drugs, sports

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“It’s Not Like Riding a Bike Will Change Anything”

April 7, 2016 by Bernhard

I suspect a recurring theme on this blog will be: what’s the point? My inaugural post starts by facing this existential question. In a world where free-will seems dubious, or at least impotent in the face of powers beyond one’s control, and where one’s actions appear so insignificant and futile, what of ethics? I’ve routinely encountered detractors who, while seemingly not in the midst of existential crises, have expressed doubt, if not disdain, of the personal ethical decisions of others […]

Categories: Bicycles, Environment, Ethics, Philosophy • Tags: bikes, ethics, moral philosophy

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On Bicycles and Philosophy, or, Why I Write

March 15, 2016 by Bernhard

After struggling for years to come up with a relatively focused topic to write about, I’ve finally stumbled upon one. It was actually pretty easy, I just combined my two favourite things: bicycles and philosophy. So, yeah bicycles are cool, but what’s the point of philosophy? I return to this question periodically at times of heightened cynicism. The question could be phrased even more broadly and more cynically: what’s the point? For a (ersatz) philosopher I am rather sceptical about […]

Categories: Bicycles, Ethics, Philosophy

Velosophe

Thoughts on Bikes

Category Archives: Philosophy

Can Sports be Intellectual?

Do you Believe in Mechanical Doping?

The Rules of the Road are Baloney

Performance Enhancing Drugs and the Limits of Human Nature

“It’s Not Like Riding a Bike Will Change Anything”

On Bicycles and Philosophy, or, Why I Write