Transcript Why should we ban doping? If doping is wrong, WHY is it wrong

Ethical Argument Doping Control
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ethical Implications of Doping
Control.
The legal implication of
prohibition.
Enforcement- Loss of civil
rights.
Free will or Autonomy.
Part One: Ethics and
doping
Why should we ban doping?
If doping is wrong, WHY is it wrong?
Here are some possible answers:
Part one: ethics and doping
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Because drugs enhance performance
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Do they?
Anyway, so what?
Part one: ethics and doping
Because their use forces others to use
them
 No, it doesn’t!
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But, even if it does, so do intensive
training levels
Part one: ethics and doping
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Because (some) drugs allow athletes
to train harder
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But if they do, so what?
Anyway, what’s wrong with taking steps to
train harder?
Part one: ethics and doping
Because drugs are unnatural
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But approved drugs are as unnatural as
prohibited one.
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Anyway, what does “unnatural” mean
here?
Part one: ethics and doping
Because they are harmful
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Are they?
But even if they are, so what?
Part one: ethics and doping
Because they are illegal
 Is this true? (some would like sport doping
to be made
 unlawful)
 But, even if they are, is it the illegality of
the drug which
 makes it wrong to use it?
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Part one: ethics and doping
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Because they are harmful
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Are they?
But even if they are, so what?
Part two: Implications of a ban.
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It is one thing that something is wrong
and quite another to argue that it should
be banned.
Another approach is to ask: not what is
wrong with doping, but rather: what are
the dangers of introducing a ban.
Implication of a ban: Loss of
medical benefits
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(therapy versus enhancement)
What is the position if a person has a genuine
medical reason for employing a particular drug,
but it contravenes some rule?
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Cases of mistake
What is a genuine medical benefit?
Even given a genuine medical reason for use of the
drug, does it
Legitimate its use in sport?
Implications of a ban: Paternalism
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Why should we think that we can
interfere in athlete’s decisions?
1.
2.
One suggestion: in order to prevent harm to
the athlete.
Another: to prevent harm to others who
might be coerced to imitate.
Implication of a ban: Infringement
of personal rights
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Any ban would require enforcement.
Another rights issue involves the invasion
of privacy.
Thank you
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Those are some of the issues to think
about when you write your papers.