ABSTRACT

This article examines whether boxing, despite – or perhaps because – its destructive potential can be an arena for the formation of selfhood. Based on Honneth’s theory of recognition (1995), I suggest that boxing can be an arena for recognition in the form of love and therefore essential for the construction of selfhood. My central thesis is that boxing can cultivate love, trust, and knowledge in and of oneself- elements crucial to the formation of selfhood. By taking a closer look at the three forms of boxing – basic conditioning, sparring, and the boxing match (competition) – I suggest that these different ways of practice have different potential for cultivating these elements. I conclude that due to contextual and internal factors, the boxing match does not fulfil its potential. However, sparring can provide relationships of care that results in regimes of self-care; trust in oneself and others, as well as self-knowledge; all building blocks in the construction of selfhood. I round off with a suggestion to modify the boxing match in order to enhance its potential for realizing both play and selfhood.

摘要

本文研究了拳击，尽管有（或可能是因为）其具有破坏性的潜力，但它是否可以成为形成自我的舞台。根据霍内斯（Honneth）的认可理论（1995），我认为拳击可以以爱的形式成为认可的舞台，因此对构建自我至关重要。我的中心论点是拳击可以培养对自我形成至关重要的自我要素中的爱，信任和知识。通过仔细研究拳击的三种形式–基本条件，陪练和拳击比赛（竞争）–我建议这些不同的练习方式具有培养这些元素的潜力。我的结论是，由于上下文和内部因素的影响，拳击比赛无法发挥其潜力。然而，陪练可以提供照顾关系，从而形成自我照顾制度；信任自己和他人，以及自我知识；所有构建自我的基础。最后，我建议修改拳击比赛，以增强其实现比赛和自我的潜力。