http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/ethicalperspectives/steriods-ethics.html
I am currently working on a essay discussing the ethical issues of the use of steroids in sports and the medical ramifications of the use of steroids. The article above is just a short essay about the use of steroids and the ethics behind their use. I felt it would serve as a good introduction to the topic for those of who have not really been following the steroid scandal in sports, particularly baseball at the moment.
Steroids in general are a very controversial topic. They are an ethical issue in both the medical field as well as in sports. Within the medical field, the issue is centered on the ethics behind creating drugs that can enhance human performance while often causing serious and severe side-effects both in the short term as well as the long term. There is also the issue here of actually creating the drugs often for the purpose of selling the to athletes and others searching for physical enhancement. Obviously, exceptions to the production of these drugs exist. These exceptions are usually found in the realm of medicine where cancer patients and others suffering from illness can receive treatment with steroids in order to help repair muscles and blood cells.
I'd really like to hear any input from anyone in the class regarding this issue or any thoughts regarding what other ethical issues may be implicit within the steroid conversation.
Friday, March 13
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I think the idea of "performance enhancement" is very interesting. Don't athletes enhance their performance all the time? Why do we find the use of steroids morally problematic, while the use of other "performance enhancements" (better training equipment, rackets, shoes, &c.) as morally neutral/permissible? I can't see how it'd come down to just side-effects (perhaps athletes using some new fancy equipment to get stronger are harming their bodies later in life).
ReplyDeleteI wonder if virtue ethics would provide an interesting lens through which to address these questions. I might try a little research on JSTOR and google scholar using "virtue ethics" and "steroids" or "enhancement" or some such as search terms.