Freedom Matters

Mind, Body and a Bike – James Hibbard

Aug 4, 2022

James Hibbard, former professional cyclist and philosophy PhD, discusses his journey as an athlete, the connection between cycling and philosophy, and how elite sport prepares you for life.

34:45

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James Hibbard

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Quick takeaways

Cycling provides a way to connect with the body and experience embodiment beyond rational thinking and language.

Embracing Friedrich Nietzsche's ideas can counteract the abstract and detached nature of modern life, fostering a deeper sense of purpose and connection.

Deep dives

The Value of Cycling and Embodiment

James Hibbard, a former professional cyclist, discusses the importance of cycling as a way to connect with one's body and experience a sense of embodiment. He shares how cycling helped him realize that there are aspects of life that are beyond rational thinking and cannot be fully captured or articulated in language. Hibbard emphasizes the value of engaging in something without expecting any specific result or achievement, highlighting the importance of engaging with our bodily existence in the world.

Introduction

2min

James' Love Affair with Cycling

6min

Reflections on Pushing Physical Limits

19min

Exploring Pointlessness, Purpose, and Understanding Self through Sports and Philosophy

3min

Reconnecting with Other Layers of Being and Challenging Rationality

2min

Engaging in Activities Without Expecting Results and Dealing with Rejection

3min

James Hamilton Hibbard is a Northern California-based writer and former professional cyclist who studied philosophy at the PhD-level.

His philosophical memoir, THE ART OF CYCLING: Philosophy, Meaning, and a Life on Two Wheels (Quercus/ Hachette Australia), explores questions of embodiment and meaning in our increasingly detached and virtual society, and was shortlisted for The Sunday Times 2022 British Sports Book of the Year, Cycling.

In this conversation we discuss:

- His journey as a professional athlete
- His views on the history of philosophy and the guidance that it brings
- How his experience cycling has helped him to understand philosophy better
- How elite sport prepares you for life

A former UCI professional road cyclist with the Shaklee and HealthNet teams, and member of the United States National Team, James has written extensively on the sport of cycling for outlets including velonews.com and cyclingnews.com and has been selected for writing residencies and received grants from Tin House and PEN America.

James is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz and worked on his Ph.D in philosophy at DePaul University.

You can find out more about James at: jameshamiltonhibbard.com

To order the book: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/james-hibbard/the-art-of-cycling/9781529410273/

Host and Producer: Georgie Powell https://www.sentientdigitalconsulting.com/

Music and audio production: Toccare https://spoti.fi/3bN4eqO