Free Solo Climbing and the Value of Self-Sufficiency

Free Solo
128-133

Is it a sport? 

1. On Suits's view--(a) pre-lusory goal, (b) limits on the means, (c) obstacles set up in the way of the goal, (d) obstacles accepted because of lusory attitude....+4 more
2. On Huizinga's play account

If it's a sport, what is its value?

1. Hurka: achievement
2. Tasioulas: play

Is "free solo" climbing an especially great achievement?  Ebert and Robertson: Yes!

1. (S) "Other things being equal, the more self-sufficiently a mountaineering objective is achieved, the better the achievement" (p. 94)
2. Another way of saying (S): If two mountaineering expeditions are otherwise just alike, the more self-sufficient of the two is the greater achievement
3. "Self-sufficiency is a good making or value enhancing feature of mountaineering" (p. 97). 

Why is self-sufficiency value enhancing? Ebert and Robertson:

1. more committing, more adventurous
2. especially constitutive of mountaineering

APPLICATIONS

1. Alex Honnold's free solo climb of El Capitan (most self-sufficient--how self-sufficient was it?)
2. Conrad Anker & Co's first ascent of Meru
3. Woody Hartman's guided ascent of Everest (least self-sufficient)

What does (S) say about which achievement is best?

1. Honnold free solo climbs El Capitan
2. Honnold climbs El Capitan with equipment and other climbers

1. Conrad Anker climbs Meru alone, with equipment
2. Conrad Anker climbs Meru in a team of three, with equipment 

OBJECTIONS 

Objection #1 Always good?  How can self-sufficiency always be good, considering that someone can be so self-sufficient that they're foolhardy?





Jean-Christophe Lafaille



Objection #2 How to compare when other things aren't equal?

Objection #3  Isn't there value in being part of a team?

Objection #4 Doesn't valuing self-sufficiency devalue the achievements of people who simply can't climb without guides, such as blind climber Erik Weihenmayer?

Objection #5 It would be absurd to say that every climber should climb without equipment and guides.

Objection #6 Then what are you saying?

"mountaineers should at least aspire to climb self-sufficiently" (p. 104)

"climb as self-sufficiently as you can" (p. 104)