Cyborg Sport

Exploring some of the most controversial issues in contemporary sport such as doping, advances in sports equipment technology, and the genetic engineering of athletes, it is often argued that such technological innovations are pushing us away from the 'natural' and towards the 'artificial', and that this is inherently 'bad' for sport. Eassom considers these ideas, assessing what is meant by 'naturalness' in the sporting context and locating the debate in the broader context of humankind's relationship with technology. His basic argument is structured around two main concepts - 'primate play', or sport as a natural encounter with ritualized physical activity, and 'cyborg sport', a view which sees technological progress as an inherent element of the development of contemporary sport.

Eassom's eclectic approach draws on both philosophy and social theory to provide an innovative cultural critique of the meaning and significance of sport in contemporary society.