Ones moral character can be determined by virtue ethics. The virtue ethics of someone’s character can as well be based on how they behave under certain circumstances. In sport, moral character is related to many aspects including cheating. Laws and rules are also based on this theory. Everyone needs to obey the same set of rules to have a good moral character. So does breaking these rules make a person immoral? Virtue ethics essentially focuses on creating a morally good character. Also, these moral decisions are said to make you a happier, well-lived, person. Without virtue ethics, ones ethical behavior would be difficult to determine.
We can determine the moral character of an individual based on their virtue ethics. “Which action should I choose?” is often a question we subconsciously ask ourselves. But does this mean we will make the right choice? Do I always make the right choice? Does that make me have a bad moral character? Virtues in relation to moral character however can differ by the situation. For example, in sport there are numerous situations where morals come into play. But the decisions in which they make decide where they are morally characterized. Can a good moral character be obtained without good virtues?
The notion of moral character in relation to cheating in a sport can be determined by the circumstance. When the word “cheat” appears, we automatically think “bad”. Athletes have strength, size, agility, as well as commitment, selflessness, adaptability and teamwork, but do they have the moral character to stay fair in sport? The idea of athletes intentionally harming opponents against the “do no harm” principle seems to be immoral, but it is understood by people that it is part of the sport, whereas ...
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...moral strength of a human being’s will in fulfilling his duty.” Immanuel Kant’s definition of virtue is at odds end with Aristotle’s classical view in many respects. Many other views are also just as similar. Are these virtues, which make up moral character, a determinant of the kind of person you are? Kant argued that a virtue such as will is a disposition. Rather than a “second nature”, we do not train ourselves to act and feel certain ways. When cheating is involved, our will is a large factor involved. Does this mean people are predisposed to be cheaters? Ultimately, we can get to know someone and make a decision about what kind of person they are. From competitive to “would never harm a fly”, people are different on all sorts of levels. From virtues people posses to moral character of each individual, cheating in sport is based on this at the most basic level.
Virtue ethics is an approach that “deemphasizes rules, consequences and particular acts and places the focus on the kind of person who is acting” (Garrett, 2005). A person’s character is the totality of his character traits. Our character traits can be goo...
Ogien defines “character broadly speaking, [as] a certain way of acting or feeling that is consistent, that is, stable over time and unvarying from one situation to the next” (Ogien 123). For Aristotle, “virtue, is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean…relative to us, this being determined by…that principle by which the man of practical wisdom would determine…and acquired by repetition” (Aristotle 124, 129). Mark Timmons, a moral philosopher, also makes a slight distinction between character and virtue by defining virtue as “(1) a relatively fixed trait of character (2) typically involving dispositions to think, feel, and act in certain ways in certain circumstance, and (3) is a primary basis for judging the overall moral goodness or worth of persons” (Timmons 212). Additionally, bioethicists Tom Beauchamp and James Childress define virtue in terms of “a trait of character that is socially valuable and a moral virtue [as] a trait of character that is morally valuable” (Beauchamp 31). My reason for going through the ways in which different philosophers have defined virtue is to (1) show that Ogien critiques virtue ethics without correctly representing the term virtue in the theory or defining virtue at all and (2) to show that among moral philosophers (at least read for this week) there is commonality in defining virtue in some way or another as a fixed character. (3) Just because a person possesses a certain character trait that does not mean that that person is virtuous and (4) in regard to the Milgram experiments, there is no way to determine the virtuous character of the subjects involved based solely on this one experiment alone. Virtuous character requires consistency of a particular character trait. Virtue is not a one-time act or an act on occasion. From the point-of-view of virtue ethics, we can only “take as a sign of states of character the pleasure or
...en when tough situations are presented to a person. Motivation from peers, educational leaders, or other members of society may help those that should learn to behave ethically, but the bottom line is following one’s inner code of ethics, which constitutes character.
Cheating is a big deal in any situation. But when it comes to sports, it is one of the worst things to do because it diminishes the pureness of the game.
When discussing why sports matter and the influence it has had over the course of history, many controversial issues have been whether or not sports have taught us to cultivate discipline. Sheed explains that sports can play an important role in the lives of people by helping them discover who they are and where they want to be. The lesson of sports goes deeper than just practicing or playing a game, they help build characteristics that will prepare you for many obstacles in life. Sheed mentions that sports were created and put into schools to teach discipline, patience, and honesty to male students. He continues to point out that sports are very competitive and that sportsmanship and discipline does not matter anymore, but instead the very need to win. In “Why Sports Matter,” Wilfrid Sheed, contends that “sports did not only outlaw cheating but drilled its participants to detect and despise it in each other”. This was a crucial lesson taught to a nation based on transactions.
According to Aristotle, there are two types of virtue. These are: intellectual and moral virtue. Intellectual virtue stems from growth and teaching. In order to be intellectually virtuous one must have a great amount of experience and have allocated a great amount of time in studying whatever task it is they are looking to be virtuous in. On the other hand, moral virtue is given birth through habit. It is not an object that we are just born with it. Moral virtue originates from constant repetition.
The virtue ethics approach is a theory that suggests that people are judged via their character, not specific actions. An individual who has developed good character traits (virtues) is judged as a morally good person. An individual who has developed bad character traits (vices) is judged as a morally bad person. Most of us have a mixture or virtues and vices. There are many pros and cons linked to this approach. The pros include
One philosopher that gave a very sound explanation of morals is the Greek Aristotle who was a pioneer in a way in explaining how exactly one can be a moral person. Aristotle had a theory known as the Virtue Ethics. The Virtue Ethics provided a list of qualities that summed up what was considered virtuous, moral person. For someone to be a moral, ethical person they must have courage, temperance, liberality, magnificence, magnanimity, reasonable ambition, patience, truthfulness, wittiness, friendliness, modesty, and righteous indignation. If a person can manage to have all of these virtues they are considered moral. It is something that requires balance, however, because having too much or too little of these qualities are considered immoral. This theory revolves around specific characteristics of a person as well as an idea of balance. One weakness though is a person can stay within the guidelines of the Virtue Ethics and still commit immoral acts also this falls upon a personal interpretation. Shooting someone in the face might seem courageous to some but cowardly to others given the situation
Can cheating be an excuse for the phrase; survival of the fittest, or is it an epidemic moral corruption? Since the advent of modern competitive sport, winning has always been the bottom line. Honesty, honour and fair play have taken the backseat. The purpose of the essay May The Best Cheater Win, by Harry Bruce, is to inform how cheating has become widespread and accepted in America. Sports are an integral part of American culture and indeed an entire industry exists because of these competitive sports. The result of these competitive sports has led to the moral corruption of most athletes, as they would do anything to win. Harry Bruce discusses the distortion of right and wrong that has penetrated all levels of sports, from children's league to regional division. He confidently informs his reader that organized sports not only "offer benefits to youngsters" but "they also offer a massive program of moral corruption".
This sports study will define the negative effects of “gamesmanship” that has been encouraging unethical and immoral behavior in modern sporting culture. The difference between gamesmanship and sportsmanship will define the defense in the ethical values that are utilized in sports. Gamesmanship offers the philosophy that “winning at any cost” is the goals of sporting events, which include, cheating, bending the rules, use performance-enhancing drugs, etc/ A lack of ethical and mortal behaviors in “sportsmanship” defines the traditional focus on following rules, developing talent and skills, and moral conduct on and of the field. In modern day sports, the increasing dominance of gamesmanship defines the negative trend of performance enhancing
...n, remember that there are two types of virtues, moral and intellectual. The moral virtue as it relates to virtue in general must be an excellent making characteristic. That is, someone who is morally virtuous will be able to perform moral duties well. This illustrates how Aristotle is able to bring the notion of arête to apply to moral virtue.
The other branch of virtues is the agent-based theory which deals with rightfulness of actions.It 's from this theory that most moralists base and benchmark their actions from. The agent-based theory also puts a lot of emphasis on virtues. The virtues are determined in most cases by both any sense in common and intuitions. It’s from this that observers make judgments about admirable traits found in various
Sports are governed by sets of rules or customs and often, competition. Sports have always been a way to connect us to our past and to build optimism about the future. Sport’s a way to bond the people despite differences in race, age and gender. However, today the game that is supposed to teach character, discipline and team work is teaching cheating. And in today’s world, with fame, endorsement, drugs and so much to gain, it is not surprising that athletes are cheating in sports. Cheating in sports is not new thing; it started the day when humans first discovered athletic competitions. According to the Los Angeles Times (August 20, 2006) “More than 2,000 years before Mike Tyson bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear and was disqualified in the boxing ring, Eupolus of Thessaly, a boxer in the Olympics of 388 BC, bribed three of his opponents to take dives. Historians consider Eupolus' crime the first recorded act of cheating in sports” (Pugmire 7). We have been seeking an easier way to win. Cheating in sports, which recently has manifested in diverse forms, is more a result of increasing pressure to win from the sponsors and team management, especially in the context of sport becoming a career rather than an act of recreation. What actually constitutes cheating? When does gamesmanship stop and cheating start? And should we try to stop cheating in sports? The use of illegal drugs, huge amount of money and betting is ruining the fame of sports. Hence, cheating in sports is caused by drugs and the desire for endorsement and fame which are getting more effective in recent.
As mentioned by Thiroux & Krasemann, expresses how the establishment of virtues is based on the measurement of righteous perceptions (72). For instance, as a society we know mainly through trial and error what type of moral codes to develop. Many people undergo errors of society and we established what is common sense because of it. Therefore, virtue ethics isn’t solely on notions to project a list of rules in order to be a decent human being, but to apply these basic principles to how we feel as well (Thiroux & Krasemann, pg.78).
The usage of performance-enhancing drugs in sports is commonly known as Doping. Doping is banned worldwide in every sports administration and competitions and doping gives an unfair advantage to those using illegal substances, such as steroids to boost their performance. It also puts at stake the integrity of those athletes who do not use performance-enhancing drugs also known as “clean” athletes. In fact it seems that we’re now entering the era of performance-enhancing drugs within professional sports. Doping rids the true athletes of what they truly deserve and is wrong; because why should those who put in a hundred per cent of their effort, be outshone by individuals who are choosing to use substances to enhance their physical and mental abilities? Doping damages the sports industry as a whole because it has a serious physical and mental effects on the athletes, as well as damaging the idea of sportsmanship and it also breaks the trust of the fans, as they realise their idols are hypocrites.