Essay on The Ethics of Performance Enhancing Drug Use in...

As Approached from Virtue Ethics and Utilitarian Perspectives Since the 1990’s, Major League Baseball has been tainted by the â€Å"steroid era,† with over 127 players admitting to or being charged for performance-enhancing drug usage. As records have been shattered, books have been published, and players have confessed to their exploits, these drugs have made society question the legitimacy of America’s favorite pastime. One of the game’s greatest, Hank Aaron, set the all time homerun record in 1974. Thirty-three years later, Barry Bonds tied this record, and shortly after was indicted for lying under oath about his alleged use of steroids in the BALCO scandal. An example of two monumental milestones, both affected by the use of illegal†¦show more content†¦Aristotle claims that some goods are external and are never valued for themselves, but for the things that come from it. For example, fame, wealth, status, and power are all external goods t hat may come from using steroids in baseball competition. Players strive for these external goods from their use of steroids, when they focus on specific aspects of the game that are purely an end gain and goal. For example, when a player like Manny Ramirez uses steroids to advance his game to a level where he can gain fame and wealth from exceptional play, he is focusing only on external goods. If he had played baseball naturally, without illegal enhancement, he would have been playing to show his commitment, dedication, and integrity. The goods that are recognized as a part of the practice of baseball, and not merely an end, are internal goods of the soul, which humans should be striving to live in accordance with. Alastair MacIntyre expanded upon Aristotle’s work with internal and external goods, and went on to claim that internal goods raise the level of everyone who is competing in the game. When players play with virtue, integrity, and honesty, the game of baseball and all who participate advance in the practice. Yet with external goods, the scene shifts to a zero-sum game, where there is only so much of the good to go around. With steroid usage, only so much recognition forShow MoreRelatedPED in Sports Essay1644 Words   |  7 Pages PED in Sports Performance enhancing drugs have been a longstanding problem in sports. It not only deteriorates the honesty of the game, but also can have broader social affects that one may not even realize. The use of performance enhancing drugs is especially apparent in Major League Baseball. This problem can be traced back to the 1980’s when baseball was facing one of its first â€Å"dark periods†. During the 1980’s Major League Baseball was experiencing a home run drought. Home run totals wereRead MoreDoping And Performance Enhancing Drugs1262 Words   |  6 Pagesathletes who have had their reputations tarnished by using performance enhancing drugs (sometimes shortened to PEDs). In his interview with Opera Winfrey, Armstrong stated that â€Å"I didn t view [doping] [as cheating]. I viewed it as a level playing field† (Lance). With this statement, Armstrong is declaring that many professional cyclists and other professional athletes engage in illegal doping in ord er to improve their performances. These drugs can be useful for their ability to decrease recovery timeRead MoreSteroids And Other Performance Enhancing Drugs1678 Words   |  7 PagesSteroids and other performance enhancing drugs have been banned from Major League Baseball since 1991; however, this law was not strictly enforced by the Major League Baseball Players Association (Anabolic Steroids). The MLBPA to date has become much more involved in the issue of PED use in the MLB, and they do test many of the players for traces of steroids. Few players are caught each year, but when a big name pops up, the whole debacle headlines newspapers, constantly talked about on sports networksRead MoreWhy Performance-Enhancing Drugs Are Ruining Sports Essay1174 Words   |  5 Pagesathletes alike: performance-enhancing drugs. These drugs come in substances, chemical agents and are used in medical procedures which provide the user with an advantage in athletic performance (Encarta, 2007.) These drugs have been a very dark shadow over sports since they came into athletics. Recently, the Tour de France and Major League Baseball have seen major cases in which star athletes in their sports have been questioned if those drugs had been used. These types of drugs are bad for sportsRead MoreEssay on Steroids in Baseball1012 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Steroids in Baseball† nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Today in the United States, millions and millions of kids, teens, and adults watch and play in the sport of baseball. It is probably the number one sport looked upon and what is happening to it is a bit discouraging. Players have started â€Å"cheating† by using steroids to help them play stronger and better. They are in league where you have to be the best at what you do to play, and if your using drugs to cheat yourRead MoreA Letter to the Minister of Sports in Singapore863 Words   |  3 Pagescompetitive athletes cant just use their natural God-given strengths and talent and hence, eliminate the tedious reports of cheating in sports. This letter delves into the issues that officials and team administrators deal with vis-à  -vis banned substances, and takes the position that society urgently must find solutions for cheating in sports. I hope you have time to give consideration to the materials presented herein. The Literature on the Problems Related to Illegal Drug use in Sports Stephen RileyRead MoreSteroid Use in Baseball: a Social Injustice?1823 Words   |  8 PagesSteroid Use in Baseball: A Social Injustice? In the year of 1998 the sport of baseball ruled the landscape of the sports world as people all over the country were watching Mark Mcgwire and Sammy Sosa race towards the single-season home run record. Major League Baseball, the ruling body of professional baseball in the United States, was all too thrilled with their newfound popularity and growing revenues. The game of baseball had long been considered â€Å"the† American pastime, but entering the 98’ seasonRead MoreFairness and Purity: Why American Baseball Players Should Know Better1927 Words   |  8 PagesAmerican Baseball Players Should Know Better Max P. Farhi Keuka College February 2013 Fairness and Purity: Why American Baseball Players Should Know Better Reading the recent articles â€Å"We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals† by William Moller, and â€Å"Cheating and CHEATING† by Joe Posnanski, I found occasion to consider the use of steroids in baseball for the first time. In these essays, Moller and Posnanski tapped into the running commentary about performance-enhancing substancesRead MoreSteroid Use in Sports1732 Words   |  7 PagesAround an astonishing ten to fifteen percent of professional athletes use illegal steroids which are also known as performance enhancing drugs. These substances which are banned in professional sports aren’t just any type of steroid or drug. They are called anabolic steroids or performance enhancing drugs, and they are synthetically produced substances of male testosterone hormones. The use of these illegal steroids has garnered a lot of publicity within the world of sports over the past few yearsRead MoreSteroids Good Or Bad?1816 Words   |  8 PagesNovember 12 , 2015 Steroids Good or Bad? Have you ever wondered if performance enhancing drugs (P.E.D.s) are actually benefiting sports? Some people say that yes they are, because it helps athletes perform better. Others say no, and think it may eventually ruin the game. Even though professional sports do have rules against using them, that won’t stop the athletes from using them. In my opinion to the topic are performance enhancing drugs benefiting sports? My answer is NO, the side effects can harm