The document discusses teleological and deontological theories of ethics as applied to sport, with teleological theories focusing on outcomes and deontological theories on duties and rules. Utilitarianism and egoism are presented as teleological examples, while Kantian ethics and the golden rule represent deontological approaches. The document analyzes how these ethical theories can provide frameworks for evaluating different aspects of sport.

1. Teleological and Deontological Theories of
Ethics
Section I: Part B

2. Malloy (2003)

 “The cause of any behavior is a result of
values, purposes, and ethical knowledge or
ignorance. These three components and their
interrelation have received relatively little attention
in the debate to improve the state of sport. In other
sectors, such as business, health, and law, the role of
ethics has been much more thoroughly examined”
 WHY?

3. Review and Some New

 Ethics: “what we should do in a situation”
 Values: provide a background, result from a group,
and explain “why we do what we do”
 Values can be:
 Instrumental: useful in conjunction with other values
 Terminal: an end itself
 Ex: parents value teamwork in sport (instrumental)
b/c it develops social interaction skills important for
their child’s career (instrumental), which leads to a
happier life (terminal).

4. Teleological Ethics

 Greek words:
 “telos” (end) and “logos” (science)
 Theory of morality; derives duty or moral obligation
from what is desirable as an end to be achieved
 Ends-oriented ethical inquiry
 Actions are morally good if their outcome is good
 “No harm, no foul” or school budget and sports

5. Teleological Theories

 Egoism: fulfillment of individualistic desires
 What makes you happy?
 Don’t deny one’s own interests
 Player’s salaries, where to move a franchise, what to
charge for admission
 Utilitarianism
 The only good worth pursuing is pleasure or
happiness
 Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) tried to “qualify”
pleasure/happiness

6. More on
Utilitarianism…

 Utilitarian- ethical decisions based on a projected
outcome that would bring about the most happiness
for the greatest number of people
 Exemplified by John Stuart Mill’s idea of utility:
 Some “pleasures” are superior to others
 an action is right providing it maximizes human
welfare.
 Happiness is good, utilitarianism is democratic
 Pursue “higher” pleasures (i.e. knowledge)
 Sport example: Title IX correct or incorrect?

7. Teleologies: graphical
review


8. A Teleological,
Hypothetical Example

 The United States’ reputation in international
basketball has declined over recent years
 As a result, patriotism (reflected in sport) has also
declined
 Hypothetically: Carmello Anthony throws an elbow
to prevent a dunk by the Spanish team (which
changes momentum).
 His “foul” helped win the game (a means to an
end), but was considered bad, within the context and
spirit of the game.

9. Deontological Ethics

 Ethical theories that maintain the moral rightness or
wrongness of an action depends on its “intrinsic”
qualities and not on its consequences.
 Places an emphasis on the relationship between duty
and the morality of human actions.
 Focuses on logic and ethics

10. “Deon” means duty

 Good things are not done because they produce
good results (teleological ethics).
 Example: good sportsmanship after a game.
 You, theoretically, congratulate opposing players on
their effort and how they played the game.
 You don’t do this because you want everyone to like
you.
 Other examples in sport?
 Duke Lacrosse Sexual Assault Case

11. More Deontological
Theories

 “The Golden Rule”
 One of the oldest ideas
 Predates Christianity
 Treat others how you would like to be treated.
 Focuses on altruism (selfless actions)
 Kantian Ethics
 1724-1804
 Moral behavior should lead to beneficial consequences
for humanity

12. Kant: Universality

 Applied to all persons at all times
 Based on two accepted moral principles:
 1) moral judgments must be based on universal rules
that are applied to all persons equally
 2) people must always be treated with “respect”
 Kant’s “categorical imperatives”: duties are
independent of consequences

13. Categorical Imperatives

 Most of us live by rules much of the time.
 Hinman, 2006
 Some of these are what Kant called Categorical
Imperatives
 unconditional commands that are binding on
everyone at all times.
 Example: “Always tell the truth”

14. Kant: in a “nutshell”

 Kant saw that morality must be fair and
evenhanded
 equality
 The Kantian path offers a certain kind of moral
safety in an uncertain world.
 Heavily applied in “business” ethics and “medical”
ethics courses
 How useful is this in the sport management
industry?

15. Deontologies: a graphical review
 Deontologies
“Golden
Kant
Rule”
Equality & Categorical
Altruism
Respect Imperatives

16. Metaethics: the last
word!

 Loosely associated with deontologies.
 They explain normative views (which argue what is
good and right)
 They include:
 Theories of justice
 Egalitarianism: equality and justice
 Libertarianism: fair rules and procedures
 How can Metaethics be applied to sport?
 MLB payrolls and NFL salary cap

17. Metaethics…
 Metaethics
Libertarianism Egalitarianism

18. Ethical Relativism

 Ethical Relativism is provides useful insights such as:
 The need for tolerance and understanding
 The fact of moral diversity
 We should not pass judgment on practices in other
cultures when we don’t understand them
 Sometimes reasonable people may differ on what’s
morally acceptable

19. Ethical Relativism

Diversity
Judgment
Tolerance (Cultural
Relativism)
Ethical
Relativism

20. Further Thought…

 Let’s look at the role that intimidation, competition,
and sportsmanship play in sport.
 How would teleologists view:
 Intimidation
 Competition
 sportsmanship
 Which is a bigger influence: money or morality?
 SportBusiness Journal (2007)