The Phenomenology and the Philosophy of Running

Introduction.- 1: Running as phenomenal and bodily inquiry of the self.- 2: The philosophical basis of running.- 2.1: The groundwork of Maurice Merleau-Ponty's philosophy.- 2.2: Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of the body.- 2.3: Martin Heidegger's fundamental ontological philosophy.- 3: Long-distance running as the subject of study.- 4: Running as a way of life.- 5: Viewpoints to a long-distance runner.- 5.1: The "they", authentic being and inauthentic being.- 5.2: The authenticity and inauthenticity of running.- 5.3: Running as "care".- 5.4: The prerequisites of physical exercise.- 5.5: The uncovering and the covering of the world for a runner.- 5.6: The distant is far and near.- 5.7: Repetition.- 5.8: Running, false devotion, fanaticism and dependence.- 5.9: Ready-to-hand and present-at-hand as the dimensions of human relation with the world.- 5.10: The world as present.- 6: The world is running.- 6.1: Running experiences.- 6.2: The Buddhist marathon monks of Mount Hiei.- 7: Experiential cores.- 7.1: Disappearance of the contradiction between the subject and object.- 7.2: Calming down of the mind, quietness.- 7.3: Attunement.- 7.4: Presence.- 7.5: Power.- 7.6: Joy.- 7.7: Devotion, gratitude.- 7.8: True self, enlightenment, Absolute.- 8: Going beyond the reason and the wisdom of the body.- 8.1: Running as meditative thinking.- 8.2: The call of conscience.- 8.3: Active-passive process.- Conclusion.- Literature.

Tapio Koski (born 1958), M.Sc., Lic.Phil. and PhD., has specialized in the philosophy of sports and Oriental physical education. Koski has published three monographs in Finland as well as a number of scientific articles and other human interest articles. He runs and has: run four marathons, a first-degree karate black belt, practiced taijiquan for 20 years and has been doing rinzai zen meditation since 1987.