Modernity, Morality, and the Logic of Competing

Abstract

The collectively irrational composite effects of athletes' self-interested choices are exemplified in the so called doping-dilemma. In top-sport this dilemma characterizes the change from local communality to global and commodified sports markets creating action systems which are predominantly success oriented. Value-rationally neutral action systems give rise to the dilemma, dutifull morality is replaced with self-interested behavior. There is no institutional practice of solving these conflicts by the actors themselves. Thus arises the weak legitimacy of the norms of the ideology of sport. The suggested solution is a contractarian approach which relies on Habermas' concepts of communicative action and discursive will-formation. However, the problem is that modem forms of life do not support the communality crucial to this solution. Specifically in top sport the problem is that self- interest is justified within the logic of competing. The rationality of competing does not support the cooperation needed for the proposed solution. The structural nature of the doping dilemma is therefore emphasized.