INTRODUCTION TO ETHICSINTRODUCTION TO ETHICS

Why Study Ethics?Why Study Ethics?

• Ethical dilemmas cannot be avoided– “That’s cheating” vs. “no, its not!”– “That’s a violation of rules!” vs. “but everyone is doing it!”– “That’s bad coaching!” vs. No, it isn't!”

• For example the following statement poses an ethical question:Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing (Henry Russell, 1950)

If your are not, first your last.Second place is a first place loser.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZRYiOa5lM8

• Your team will either argue PRO or CON the above statement.

• Four PRO teams versus four CON teams & Judges• Arguments either PRO or CON need to include:

1. Introduction of the argument –Opening Statement- explain what you will prove to your audience

2. List Proof- supporting evidence- show the facts3. Rebuttal – Prepare counter arguments – On your feet response4. Final Summary- closing argument- connects all the dots for your

audience5. ONLY 2 MINUTES PER ARGUMENT!

ETHICS DEFINITIONETHICS DEFINITION• Moral principles that guide a persons or groups behavior• Derived from the Greek word - ethike.

– Means the science of morals and character. • Is a sub-discipline of philosophy.• Often used interchangeably with such words as morals, values,

and norms by lay people.• Ethics is concerned with issues of right and wrong in the context

of human conduct. • However, it is also concerned with what is good and bad, and

what is authentic and non-authentic.

Ethics, Morals and ValuesEthics, Morals and Values

• Values are our fundamental beliefs.– honesty, integrity, compassion, courage, honor,

responsibility, patriotism, respect

• Morals are values which we attribute to a system of beliefs.– Religion, political system, culture

• Ethics is about our actions and decisions.– When consistent with our beliefs or the beliefs of a

society

CATEGORIES OF ETHICSCATEGORIES OF ETHICS

• Methaethics – Concentrates on the logic, coherence, and presuppositions of ethical theory (philosophy)

• Applied ethics – Is more concerned with examining behavior in terms of right and wrong, good or bad, authentic and inauthentic. – You, as potential, future sport leader, will

usually employ applied ethics.

ETHICS ETHICS (Crosset and Hums, 1998)(Crosset and Hums, 1998)

• Defined ethics as study of values that guide decision making.

• Ethical dilemma - practical conflict of more or less equally compelling obligations.

Tim Tebow

MORALSMORALS

• A study of human behavior as a consequence of beliefs about what is right or wrong, or good or bad.

• Ethics is the study of moral problems– Ethics seeks to discover how one ought to act– Judgments of specific behaviors

• These two terms are often used synonymously, but are not the same.

VALUESVALUES

• Values are deeply held views that serve to motivate and guide our behavior. – Values are enduring and often help set the life we follow. – Usually has a positive connotation.

• Lumpkin, Stoll, and Beller (2003) define individual values as something you think is worthwhile.

VALUESVALUES

• Four moral values surface in almost every major religious text (Lumpkin et al, 2003):1. Justice2. Honesty3. Responsibility4. Beneficence – Not doing harm;

Doing good.5. Faithfulness

Dealing with Moral Questions Dealing with Moral Questions (Billington ,1988)(Billington ,1988)

• No one can avoid dealing with moral questions.• You can live without being concerned with others.

– But as long as you live with another person or alongside others, then you will encounter moral issues and need to make ethical decisions.

• Ethical decisions offer no final answers.– Some ethical theories may be shown to be more

reasonable and correct than others– But to offer a completely satisfactory answer to a moral

problem is too ambitious a goal.– The “answer” may change over time.

Choice & MoralityChoice & Morality(Billington ,1988)(Billington ,1988)

• Choice is a central element of morality.

• If someone is forced to act in a certain manner, it may be possible not to hold that person completely accountable for their actions.

• Trying to avoid a moral problem is also a choice.

• Deontology• Teleology• Existentialism

DeontologyDeontology

• Rule-based approach that focuses on obligation and duty.

• Behavior that is based upon what is right and wrong.

• The attention is on the act itself, so this approach is non-consequentialist.

• Is it legal?

TeleologyTeleology

• Behavior based on what is good.• An approach that focuses on the

consequences of the action. • Measures the amount of goodness or

badness that may arise from behavior. • More concerned about assessing the

consequences of a particular action than examining the act itself.

• “Is it good for the sport?”

ExistentialismExistentialism

• Behavior based upon what is authentic and inauthentic.

• Authenticity refers to how true someone is to himself or herself.

• Attention is directed solely on the individual.

• Integrity and genuineness are other factors that must be considered in judging each individual act.

• “Is it authentic?”

MORAL REASONING MORAL REASONING • The process in which an individual tries to determine the difference

between what is right and what is wrong in a personal situation.

(Kohlberg, 1958)

Three General Criteria of Good Moral Three General Criteria of Good Moral Reasoning Reasoning (SIMON, 1991)(SIMON, 1991)

• Must remain impartial.• Must be systematically

consistent.• Must be analyzed together

with particular cases to reveal the extent of their moral worth.

WHY BE ETHICAL? WHY BE ETHICAL? (Malloy, Ross, & Zakus, 2003)(Malloy, Ross, & Zakus, 2003)

• Human interaction– If we persist with our immoral

actions, most people will not associate with us.

• Refusal to obey rules– Chaos results if individuals or

organizations disobey all rules, especially since they agreed to them.

• Goodness is preferable to evil– Behaving ethically advances

the notion of fairness.

Tina Harding vs Nancy Kerrigan (1994)

RENDERING MORAL JUDGMENTRENDERING MORAL JUDGMENT

• Engaging in ethics pertains to judging humans in terms of ends or goals attained and the means used to achieve them.

• This approach includes an examination of the relationship between the means and the ends.

AGENT ACCOUNTABILITYAGENT ACCOUNTABILITY

• People are accountable for their actions.• Each person is technically identified as an agent,

which implies that individual has free will and power to act. – This enables each individual to choose which action to

do.• Agents are accountable for actions done

intentionally but not those that are accidental.

Five Steps for Rendering Ethical Five Steps for Rendering Ethical Judgement-MODEL 1 Judgement-MODEL 1 (Malloy, Ross, & Zakus, (Malloy, Ross, & Zakus,

2003)2003)

1. Obtain and clarify all the pertinent facts of the case or incident.

2. Identify and enunciate the ethical maxim to be used (deontology, teleology, and existenialism).

a. Teleological – is it right?b. Deontological – is it good?c. Existential – is it authentic?

3. Time – You can look at the time before the incident, the time of the incident, and the consequences that resulted due to the incident.

4. Identify and discuss extenuating circumstances.5. Render judgment – Only after all the facts have

been considered and you have employed the appropriate ethical maxim(s).

YOU MAKE THE CALL YOU MAKE THE CALL

• Should revenue-producing college athletes be compensated in addition to their scholarship?

• Should an athlete’s character be considered for induction into the Hall of Fame?

YOU MAKE THE CALLYOU MAKE THE CALL

• Should student athletes have to satisfy academic standards in order to compete?

• Should youth baseball coaches teach pitchers to throw inside to intimidate or sometimes beam batters?

YOU MAKE THE CALL YOU MAKE THE CALL

• Should the use of andro tarnish the accomplishments Mark McGwire’s record breaking home run season?

How about if he had used steroids?

• Is it okay to try to injure another team’s star player so long as this attempt falls within the rules of the game?