O valor do Tai Chi Chuan na preservação da inteligência corpóreo-motora de pessoas idosas: uma leitura fenomenológica

Abstract

The gradual aging process of the Brazilian and global population is a contemporary demographic phenomenon that has led to constant changes in the processes of social intervention in the areas of health and education. In the specific field of physical education, the role of physical activity adapted to this population has emerged as a valuable measure to minimize any damage to motor skills. Among the contents offered for this purpose, there are some that are quite common, such as dance and gymnastic exercises, and others that are less frequent, such as Tai Chi Chuan. Thus, the aim of this master's dissertation is to outline a phenomenological investigation concerning the value given by elderly regular practitioners of Tai Chi Chuan to the preservation of their sensory-motricity as an intelligible dimension. The specific objectives are: 1) to describe the historical process of Tai Chi Chuan's entry into Brazil; 2) to categorize values as objects of investigation in Philosophical Axiology; 3) to review the concept of Corporeal-Motor Intelligence; 4) to present the discourses of elderly Tai Chi Chuan practitioners on the relevance of this martial art to their existence. In methodological terms, this study consists of descriptive and exploratory research using qualitative methods consistent with ethnomethodology. Ethnomethodology was applied in this study through two integrated strategies: 1) direct observation of class sessions; 2) semi-structured interviews. Eight sessions of Tai Chi Chuan classes were observed, in which an amount of twelve students took part per class. The classes took place between September 30, 2022 and December 2022, lasting a hundred days. The program takes place regularly at the following locations: SESC Tijuca and Praça Vanhargem, Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. The information obtained through observation was recorded in a field diary. Twelve students were interviewed, aged between 60 and 87. The interviews and field diary registers were later analyzed based on their most recurrent semantic and syntactic marks. To this, the technique of speech analysis was used, based on the assumption that speeches are textual manifestations (a set of statements coming from someone in a position) that are simultaneously heterogeneous (they express someone's potential and the conditions under which the text is produced) and homogeneous (they verbalize personal experiences). As for the results, two linguistic marks stood out: Tai Chi Chuan as Peace and Tai Chi Chuan as Healing. In conclusion, for the subjects of the study, Tai Chi Chuan has attributes of values that are considered vital, spiritual, subjective, final, absolute, diffuse, transcendent, metaphysical, achievable, finalistic and pleasurable. It is therefore a polysemic activity