Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Performance Enhancing Drugs
Hello all---sorry that i have not posted this sooner---have been fighting through some health issues while attempting to slog through the beginning of spring practice here in south carolina---nonetheless---have graded your mid-term writing assignements---they are on their way to dr. stoll today via fast mail---you will have them in your possession next tuesday---for the most part---well well done---this blog (#4) will be followed by another early next week---keeping us on track to finish the 10 blog assignements due this semester---check out the following link---http://www.jstor.org/pss/356178---this willconnect you to a one page abstract written by Thomas H. Murphy in 1983---more than 25 years ago about 'The Coercive Power of Drugs in Sport'---Murphy was certainly ahead of his time!---he raises some interesting questions---Is this kind of drug use unethical?---Should we think of it (drug use---performance enhancing and recreational) as an expression of liberty?---Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis?---In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?---blog on about these topics---make sure you hit them all---10 points for this one---please submit by midnight on monday april 6---the day the university of north carolina should lose the national championship game!
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Is this kind of drug use unethical?---Should we think of it (drug use---performance enhancing and recreational) as an expression of liberty?---Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis?---In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article by Thomas H. Murphy, I was honestly disappointed. I don’t agree with performance enhancing drugs at all but when you start identifying coffee as a performance enhancing drug then you have gone way too far. Many of the drugs that he listed should not be considered unethical. If we start considering coffee as a performance enhancing drug because it keeps you awake when an athlete has had a long traveling trip, or didn’t sleep very well the night before then we should start considering all food, especially carbohydrates a performance enhancing drug because it gives you energy too!
I definitely think that drug use recreationally is an expression of liberty because it’s a way for athletes to remove themselves from the seemingly endless pressures of being an athlete. This reason is heightened even more for professional athletes because it shows that regardless of their incredible accomplishments, they are still human like anyone else and can relax and enjoy a few drinks or even a joint when they aren’t competing.
Using these drugs should not be used during competition however because that is not an expression of liberty, but an expression of irresponsibility. Therefore circumstances in sport should not affect our moral analysis. Athletes are humans too so sure they will make mistakes, so it doesn’t matter if other people may analyze their actions as moral or immoral, athletes have the same rights to doing drugs as anyone else is. Of course the expression of liberty doesn’t come into play when these drugs are abused.
Liberty should not give way when other important values are threatened because those values can be grazed like I said earlier by using drugs occasionally, however those values should not become abused by either using drugs for competition or overusing them until they become an addiction. The good of all is not in peril if Michael Phelps chooses to smoke a bong at a frat party. That incident actually gave parents of swimmers an opportunity to talk about drugs with their kids in a realistic manner. Instead of telling their kids lies like “don’t do drugs, or you won’t be as good as Michael Phelps.” Kids were able to see the consequences of Michael’s actions without in a way that helps them learn from his mistakes but also have the freedom of making their own choices. Proving that drugs aren’t always wrong or immoral.
-Is this kind of drug use unethical?---Should we think of it (drug use---performance enhancing and recreational) as an expression of liberty?---Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis?---In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?-
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the essay by Thomas H. Murphy, I have come to the conclusion that I disagree with Murphy. I think that to a point drugs are okay to use. Everyone needs something, a drink, or a little relief from their stressful lives. I think that athletes are under a lot of pressure, yet they are the ones that get more punishment for doing something such as taking a hit from a bong at a party.
Although I think that to some extent drugs are okay, I do disagree with the use of performance enhancers. Especially those that are abused such as steroids, etc. By saying that coffee is a drug and such is a little bit far fetched. You have to draw the line somewhere. If it isn't harming anyone's health personally or others then it should be okay. Coffee keeps people on task, wakes them up, etc. Drugs such as steroids builds muscles fast and in the wrong way with many side effects; it harms individuals and others.
To an extent i think that the use of drugs can be considered a part of liberty. People have the right to choose what they want to put in their bodies. If they want to drink coffee let them drink coffee, if they want to drink let them drink. This all goes well up until this freedom is abused. Using constantly as an addiction or enhancement is abusing the power of freedom and potentially ruining lives. Also they should not be used during the competition or training. It seems to impair the athletes ability and I believe that they should be clean and fresh while performing.
I think that by athletes being caught using drugs and such only shows people that athletes are people too and they make mistakes just like everyone else. It is nice though because younger people that are easily influenced can see the consequences first hand with out having to go through it all themselves. Also it gives parents a time and reason to bring up the talk about drug use. So I don't think that it really affects our moral analysis unless there is no conversation of what is happening and why. For example a child who has a family that doesn't care. He or she will end up thinking it's okay since the athletes are doing it too and getting away with it. Also still performing so well. I think that as long as this type of stuff is talked about them then then the use of drugs in athletes and normal everyday people is not necessarily immoral.
Is this kind of drug use unethical? Should we think of it as an expression of liberty? Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis? In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?
ReplyDeleteIn Thomas H. Murphy article he makes some good points about performance enhancing drugs. However, he also makes a claim that coffee and just regular caffeine is a performance-enhancing drug because it can keep the athlete more awake during competition. I do not believe that performance-enhancing drugs have a place in professional sports. But when coffee and those types of things start getting named as performance enhancing drugs, their needs to be a reevaluation on what performance enhancing drugs do.
Using some drugs recreationally is showing liberty. Any kind of occasional drug use can be viewed as a form of liberty because it is a breaking away from regular life. With all the things that athletes have to deal with I can understand them wanting to use some recreational drugs occasionally, away from competition. The use of that drug can give them a release and take them away from their daily grind.
I do think that liberty should give way when the good of everything is in peril. Professional athletes have responsibility to be great athletes and since they are in the public eye they need to be good role models too. Staci talked about Michael Phelps he is a great swimmer and his use of recreational drugs can be a good stepping stone for parents to talk to their kids. The only problem with that is the younger swimmers that view Phelps as a god and go and try weed because their role model did and maybe it will make them faster like Phelps. I feel that athletes in the public eye should and will have some of their liberties taken away for the good of sport and the younger people that look up to that sport.
In H. Murphy article it saying about performance enhancing drugs. I disagree with him because athletes are people and they should use some kind of drink to come down and get out of stress.There is no place for performance enhancing drugs. I do not agree that coffee can be enhancing drug when it has nothing to do with drugs. I think it is ok for athletes to drink coffee. Yes it keeps them not being sleepy but it is not bad.
ReplyDeleteEnhancing drugs are using for dulling pain, lower stress, reducing weight, or even sometimes hiding other drugs.The most popular enhancing drugs is for building muscle mass. I think it is absolutely ok if athletes will drink coffee but not using some kind of drugs. In my opinion athlete should not use drugs because it is cheating and that means he/she is not strong enough to compete with drugs.I think that athletes who are famous and who are on the eye of a lot of people should not use drugs because their fans think that they are the best and so they do not want their athletes to get caught. Also athletes should not use drugs because children in their sports watching them and they want to become the same famous and so if famous athletes will use drugs then children will think it is ok to use drugs if we want to become famous too
In Thomas.Murray article it is saying that Coke, Coffe and alcohol is a enhancing drugs which I do not agree with. Yes may be it is a bad thing to drink coffee but it is not as bad as smoke marihuana or taking some kind of narcotics. Athletes are people too and they want to relax when they are not perfoming. I think it is ok to drink coffee or Coke. I think that expression of liberty,because it helps athletes to get out of their own sport and it helps athelete to relax and not being ahlete. Athlete are people too and they should get some kind of rest to continue their career. It is impossible for pro athlete to perform all the time and not to take rest and take couple of drinks. Sometimes athletes can make mistakes and take some kind of strong drugs but everybody can do that ehy atheletes can not do that? On the other hand I think it is not good for pro athlete to take drugs first of all it is bad for his/her health and it is also can be bad for his/her career if somebody finds out.
ReplyDeleteThomas Murray discusses caffiene and alcohol as performance enhancing drugs. Alcohol may make you more charismatic or socially comfortable however it is still a depressent and depresses the muscular and nervous systems abilities causing poor performance. For the case of caffiene, it is such a mild stimulant that its effects aren't linked to anything more than hightened alertness which is mild at best in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of drug use can't be considered unethical when it is legal in the ways it is being used. Performance enhancing drugs such as steroids however are recognized by law as illegal to posess without a prescription. Doing illegal drugs is not an expression of liberty at all.
Sport is held to a higher standard than say professional wrestling. The reason is America in particular, takes great pride in their sports and don't want anything to tarnish the great competition that fuels a country through times like 9/11. Liberty can be pushed aside when it comes to things like national security, or the good for the whole, but this is a slippery slope when the liberties taken away don't solve any of the issues they were suppossed to. It is important to keep the purity we have left in sports and work on rebuilding the culture that surrounds it to push out the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs. The playing field must be kept equal in sports.
As Thomas H. Murphy mentioned in the article about coffee as performance anhancing drugs, I disagree with him because it is not a drug. Steroids is a drug that is illegal and creates health problems.
ReplyDeleteAthletes have the right to use performance enhancement substance which includes milk and gatorade because these are accessible and harmless to athletes. Steroids on ther other hand is illegal because the law bans the usage of steroids. If the athlete breaks to law and uses steroids, they will be irresponsible for their own health.
In conclusion, athletes have the liberty to be who they want to be. If they decide to take illegal drugs, then their athletic career is over but if they decide to continue to be a well trained athlete, they should train hard in practice everyday improve their physical, mental, and emotional game to become the athlete they want to be.
Murray talks about caffeine as a performance enhancer. Although it can be hazardous to your well-being and sometimes your health when using it to stay awake for long periods of time, I do not consider it a performance enhancer for athletes. If an athlete wants to down a pot of coffee or a big gulp before a game then they have the right to do so. It won't aide in their playing ability and it won't give them an advantage over other players. It may, however, make them feel sick.
ReplyDeleteAlcohol is another substance I do not consider a performance enhancer. It is a depressant and impairs your vision and slows your movements/reflexes.
Drugs on the playing field are unethical because they are enhancing the user(s) ability that they did not work hard for. They give the user(s) an illegal upper hand. There is a reason drugs are banned from sports.
I think drug use recreationally is an expression of liberty because there is so much pressure to be number one these days. They are looked at by millions of people every day and judged on their ability to perform, so when they are out of the public eye and away from any cameras they may want to relax with a drink.
Performance enhancers on the field are unethical and I feel it is a short cut, (or easy way out), to be better than they were without the hard work and dedication to their sport.
-Is this kind of drug use unethical?---Should we think of it (drug use---performance enhancing and recreational) as an expression of liberty?---Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis?---In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?-
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the essay by Thomas H. Murphy, I necessary don’t agree with his thoughts, because it is so easy to take drugs today without knowledge that you are taking, by saying that coffee is a drug and today probable coffee is one the most popular drink worldwide. By means of all benefices that coffee can keeps people on task, wakes them up, etc. I think that coffee could not be considered to a steroid for athletes, because this cannot build muscles or make you stronger. I think that we are living in one world where everyone have the right to and liberty to be who they want to be. As an athlete we all know that drugs are illegal and can cause to you so many issues such as physical and mentally. However to have a athletic career is more then choose the right decision and continue to be a well trained, focus in practice and every day improve such as physical, mental, and emotional parts of the game to become a athlete they want to be, instead being addict in drugs, choosing the short cut to be successful athlete.
After reading the article by Thomas H. Murphy. I have mixed feelings about what performance enhancing drugs really are. I also am a little confused about recreational drug use. Although I may have mixed feelings or am a little confused I believe that Athletes should be held accountable for both performance enhancing and recreational. College Level athletes are especially the role models to today’s youth. And it is not a very good example by recreational use or performance enhancing. I do disagree with caffeine being a performance enhancing drug. And even if it is it is not putting out a bad example. This is true because the kids that are watching what athletes do witness there parents drink coffee everyday and don’t think it is a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteI think that Athletes should never use recreational drugs because they have so many eyes watching them. Being an athlete requires the ability to give up things that “regular people” do. So if you want to smoke some pot, just wait a couple years.
Is this kind of drug use unethical?---Should we think of it (drug use---performance enhancing and recreational) as an expression of liberty?---Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis?---In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article by Thomas Murphy I had mixed thought on what he was saying. I could care less if someone is taking performance enhancing drugs and is hitting hundreds of homeruns. When he says that coffee should be considered a performance enhancer because it gives you energy. I disagree with that. So anything that gives you energy is a drug? What about when you eat certain foods? Then everything should be considered a drug that gives you energy. I think that recreational drug use is a personal choice of expression and liberty. Also to escape from the everyday pressures of being a student athlete. Even professinal athletes use them, and it shows that no matter how old or how good you are at your sport, there are still pressures. Of coarse you should never be using drugs during competition, because that would be considered irresponsible. But like anyone else athletes make mistakes, and are not perfect. A good example of making mistakes is the latest issues with Michael Phelps. He could be considered one of the greatest atheltes of all time, and recently a photo was realeased of him smoking out of a bong. This shows me that everyone makes mistakes, and you learn from them and move on. Another reason this was good was because parents can tell their kids that this is what smoking can lead to. Your reputation and leagacy could be tarnished by one little mistake.
Performance enhancement drugs shouldn't be a part of sports period! I'm against any drug that enhances perform, but coffee doesn't get my attention when enhancement drugs are discussed. If coffee is ever labeled as an enhancement drug then our nation will be in serious trouble. I disagree with his thoughts about coffee being an enhancement drug. Recreational use of a drug is a form of liberty. I agree that liberty should give way when the good of everything is in peril. Being an athlete, I know how tough and stressful it is during a season, but that still don't give me a reason to use an enhancement drug. Resting and relaxing shouldn't call for the use of drugs maybe a drink here and there to relax but, this shouldn't give you an excuse to use a drug. Athletes are in the public's eye more than a regular person(non-athlete)so we have to be cautious of what we do because it's important that we're good role model for the children who look up to us.
ReplyDeleteenhanicing your ability by taking a drug is something that i find very selfish and unethical. but yet the pressure of being an athlete are bigger than people observe from the outside. it just comes second nature when it comes to athletes wanting to win and be the best in what he or she does. so i understand when someone mind set gets a little jaded and decide to do something that is morally wrong. but its still wrong whether we decide we like it or not. so atheletes just dont do it!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading that short article I found it funny that he thought coffee was a performance enhancing drug. I mean seriously, if someone was to analyze coffee as a drug than I'm sorry but everything we eat and or drink is illegal because there is some sort of benefits to what we do eat and drink such as...coffee. As for recreational drugs I think that athletes all over have their own rights and decisions to make that call. I believe that it's totally wrong and that it isn't right at all. Destroying your opportunity as an athlete to gain that edge the easy way is pathetic. Heres my opinion on those who use rec. drugs, either you're not working hard enough or rather you're tired of being that second place finisher and can't stand the pressure so you take the easy way to the top. This sort of drug use is unethical but as for the drinking of coffee...totally not unethical.
ReplyDeleteAfter I read the essay by Thomas H.Murphy , I think, I don’t agree about his point upon drugs. I think coffee or this kind of drug in a little amount does not have a big influence in athletes performance. From my point of view it’s ok that athletes under pression athletes can drink this kind of drug in a little amount because It won’t have an influences over their performance.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I strong disagree that athletes use drug with the aim to perform better and win. There are some drugs which really create advantage over the other athletes who do not do drugs. Drug such steroid , it makes you stronger and run faster, so the use of this drugs or drugs related to steroid are unethical, because competition and sport if when people with someone seek to bring out the best in each through presenting a worthy challenge. You seek excellence together.” The real athletes who love the sport never take the wrong path to victory. Use drugs do not help us to seek our perfection instead it makes us to be a cheaters as an athlete.
There are some cases that athletes can use drug like steroids for instance when one athletes pull over his hamstring sometimes the physical therapy takes for ever to recovery the athletes, but some kid of steroids make you assimilate more proteins from the food, so it can help athletes to recover faster in these kind of injures. I think, its ok in this case athletes use drugs because the athlete is not competing, so he is not cheating by using this technique he just wants to recover faster.
I consider that sports create a giant impact on society. Sports reflect upon our society in so many different and unique ways. Before sports were a major part of society, children used to look up to their parents, and their parents would be role models for their children. As time went on this changed and sports have become so important that children look to athletes as role models. As a result, I think athlete who do drugs should have a strong punishment to avoid these kinds of problems in order to kids grow up having the right concept about ethical and moral.
Is this kind of drug use unethical?---Should we think of it (drug use---performance enhancing and recreational) as an expression of liberty?---Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis?---In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?
ReplyDeleteIn the article, I think the classification of coffee as a performance enhancing drug is an exhageration. Yes, caffine can keep you awake, but it's in coffee, energy drinks, energy shots, soda, and even candy and gum now. If we want to go so far as to say all of these are performance enhancing drugs, then i'm an addict.
Sports, for me, are about competing to the best of your physical, intelectual, and creative ability. It's the best of your abilities, not the best that science can make you. It is definitely unethical for athletes to take performance enhancing drugs, and even in for the public, recreational ones too. These athletes are the heros and role models of our youngest generations. If they care about their image, then they should realize that it is unethical to use performance enhancing or recreational drugs. This causes the special circumstance for sports.
In general, liberty should and does give way when the good of all and important values are threatened. In a state of war, the libertys of citizens have been temporarily suspended until the situation has passed. I know this doesn't directly correlate with sports, but if we decide that performance enhancing drugs is threatening the good and integrity of sport, then pasibly libertys should be taken away.
Even though athletes that use performance enhancing drugs may not fully understand the choice they have made they must realize that it is a ethical choice. by using these drugs athletes have decided to risk not only their own health but the welfare of anyone they compete with or against. an unethical decisions on the most basic level is a choice that puts personal gains ahead of the well being of others. in Thomas H. Murphey's paper "the
ReplyDeletecoercive power of drugs in sports" he likens the use of performance enhancing drugs to drinking coffee while I disagree with this extreme statement I believe that it is good way to open a discussion concerning these illegal substances. while i believe that the use of recreational drugs in some instances can be categorized as an expression of liberty but when these recreational and performance enhancing drugs are used in ignorance or for personal gain it is entirely unethical.
I feel that using drugs of any form especially in sport is unethical. The main reason I think this is that it gives the people taking these drugs an unfair advantage. Many people don't want to take any type of drug to try and compete in sport. If they allowed some athletes to take performance enhancing drugs, then it almost forces the people that dont want to take these drugs to take them in order to compete.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that drugs are illegal is not interfering with liberty. I feel that there has to be some sort of of law to make sure that people are not stepping out of line. It is not right for someone to have an unfair advantage over someone else because they decided to take an illegal supplement. The other thing that we have to be aware of is that if athletes were allowed to take performance enhancing drugs, then just normal citizens would want to be able to take performance enhancing drugs.
I would have to agree with Thomas H. Murphy for the most part. The only thing I would disagree with would be claiming that coffee and normal caffeine products are “performance enhancing.” Caffeine is a natural substance that is found in many things. It would be bogus to claim caffeine could significantly change the way you perform in a game. On the other hand, Thomas H. Murphy was very logical with his argument.
ReplyDeleteSteroids and other recreational drugs are illegal for a reason. They are proven to put your health at risk. So why do athletes want to take them? It is a part of our human nature to want to advance to the next level and perform the best of our ability. These desires are harmful as well. Even though we know steroids and other drugs are bad for our health, we still use them. Laws, in a way, save us from ourselves. The use of drugs is a form of liberty, however, that does not make them right in anyway. We have the right to do want we want with our bodies. The point is that we do not have the right when we are professional athletes or when there are laws prohibiting them. If I make the decision to become a professional athlete or participate in an activity that forbids them, then I must accept the rules and abide by them. If I want to do drugs I can, but I put myself and others at risk. Illegal performance enhancers are unnecessary when there are tons of legal alternatives that will help us accomplish our physical goals.
I dont think that sports enhancing drugs should be allowed or tolerated in any level of sports. I think that is unethical for the user and for the rest of society to whitness or experience. And about the coffee or caffeine issue, i dont really see it as a sports enhancing drug. I myself have used energy drinks and have seen people use energy drinks before games. It may give you a burst of energy and concentration for a little while, but most sports dont last 20 mins. By the end of the game it really affects the person negatively. Ive seen a lot of games lost because of people downing energy drinks before games. It may not seem like it to them, but when watching it up close and seeing what it actually does... its not good.
ReplyDeleteAs far as recreation drug use, i dont think its a good idea if you are trying to compete at the highest level of sport. but its a personal choice. But if you do use it, you arent hurting yourself and your family, but you are raelly hurting your teammates, because it takes so much away from what your body can really do and how it affects your decision making abilities.
I think that drugs can and are used as an act of liberty. However, this should be limited to recreation time and people should be responsible enough to not overuse them. Unfortunately many people are not this responsible and problems arise.
ReplyDeleteDrug use in sports in not an act of liberty, it is a method of cheating. Drugs are used in sports to enhance performance. If you are enhancing your performance with a drug, then you are not competing at the same level of competition as your competitors. No athlete should be proud of a win or success if drugs were being used. Drug use in sports is unethical and athletes that win while using drugs should stripped of their achievements.
Furthermore, sports are very stressful. Athletes are put under a lot of pressure. Therefore if they want to celebrate or relax after practice or a game, they should be able to. I think the boundary line is using drugs that will affect their level of competition.
nogen
Is this kind of drug use unethical? should we think of it drug use---performance enhancing and recreational as an expression of liberty? Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis?In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?
ReplyDeleteI think if you have to take a drug for you to be good or for youeself to achieve goals in any sport is cheating and is unethnical, if a player has used the drug while playin the sport then he or she should be banned from the sport...
I do not think drug enhancing drugs should be tolorated on any level of sports. In my opinion athletes should work hard for what they want. Not some kind of enhancing drug. You are hurting yourself more than anything when using these drugs. I know me personally i want to feel like i accomplished something great. something I could be proud of.Not something i drank. I just dont see it being right. I want to work for everything I accomplish. Makes it feel 10 times better. For recreation drugs, it is not healthy. especially if you are a athlete. It affect you timing and even your decision making. I have seen some of the best athletes around my area become nothing because they let the recreation drugs affect them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Thomas H. Murphy for what he was saying. One thing I would disagree with him would be claiming that coffee and normal caffeine products are “performance enhancing.” Caffeine is a natural substance. It says that caffeine could significantly change the way you perform in a game. To me it doesn't because I had taken caffeeine and when it came to practice I haven't had a bad performance in practice or even during games. Other then that Thomas H. Murphy made it clear in his argument.
ReplyDeleteSteroids and other recreational drugs are illegal for a reason because it helps you to perform better and what's the worst thing about it is that it leaves bad skin when people stop using steroids. So why do athletes want to take them? It is a part of our human nature to want to advance to the next level and perform in your best. Even though we know steroids and other drugs are bad for our health, we still use them. The law save us from ourselves when we use drugs. I think we have the right to do want we want with our bodies but we do not have the right when we are athletes or when there are laws prohibiting them. If I make the decision to become a professional athlete or participate in an activity that forbids them, then I must accept the rules and to not take any steroids. If I want to do drugs I can, but I'll put my myself in danger and especially my career at risk.
Aftter reading Thomas H Murphy's paper on The Coercive Power of Drugs in Sport, I do see his point and I do think that these kinds of drug use is unethical in multiple ways. One of which is the example it shows to the sport loving people of the world which a great portion of those people are children. These athletes are role models and heros for so many people and they need to understand that. It also seem the we as society are always looking for the quick fix. How to better ourselves the fastest way possible to be successful. Performance enhancing drugs seem to be the answer for many athletes, especially at the higher levels of competition and this mindset corrupts sport in General. It all of a sudden raises the bar in a lot of sports and we see athletes doing things that naturally they couldn't. What does that do for the rest of the competition? You can either keep competing at the same leves and maybe have a greater chance of losing to these athletes or join them and start taking those drugs too. It's another reason why they are illeagal. These drugs may have a good immediate results when they are taken and I believe that is another problem. We want to be great...now! but sadly a lot of us don't bother to be concerned about the bad effects that these things can have in the future.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that we should view these substances and how we choose to use them or not use them as an expression of liberty unless the substance is illiagal. Then it is very plain. It's right or wrong. There should be concequences.
Should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril? With in the rules and laws of society and sport, there should be full liberty. None beyond that. If other important values are threatened because of things that are being done within the guidlines of the sport then there should be some rule changes made so the sport can change for the good.
Reading the article of Thomas H. Murphy, I disagree with him because it is not a drug. Steroids are illegal and can provide seriously health problem.
ReplyDeleteMost athletes have the right to use supplements that’s help to improve his/her performance, plus they also can use natural proteins such as milk, peanut butter and jelly, or another source of proteins is Gatorade because these are accessible and harmless to athletes.
On the other hand steroid is illegal because the law bans the usage of it. If the athlete use steroids he/she will break the law doing that, and they will be irresponsible for their health and they will be penalized for their action.
In conclusion, athletes have the liberty to do and be what they want. If they decide to use illegal drugs, that’s their fault and they will be penalized for that.
When Murphy talks about coffee, coke, and alcohol as a type of drug use i think this is not right except when it comes the whole alcohol thing comes up. I think that aqthletes should be held to a higher level because they are looked as role models to young people in our society.
ReplyDeleteI think if someone uses performance enhanceing drugs it is not an expression of liberty it is cheating. It doesnt matter wheather they know they are taking it or not cheating is cheating and there should be no curve in that part of athletics for anyone.
Neuroplasticity is the ability reorganizes itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment. One good example that I can mention is one of our brain hemisphere is damaged the other hemisphere will attempt to do of the function of the hemisphere which is damage creating a compensation in our bodies. As a result, I will definite Neuropasticity as a brain capacity to adjust to new situation in order to overcome difficulties to survive or make the obstacle easier to deal with.
ReplyDeleteThis human ability occurs most of the time to survive, however athletes with the right knowledge can use this ability to get their peak of performance. According to Mike T Nelson, the body in sport has a mechanism which protect us to death, but this mechanism is to conservative, therefore athletes can use neuroplasticity to avoid this conservative system in order to perform better.
I dont consider this ability to use neuroplasticity is unethical in sport because like Mike T Nelson said, “brain is also a organ which can be developed” if athletes develop strong lungs, strong heart why not athletes can develop strong brain to do huge improvement and take the sport to another levels. I think, this technique give another door to explore for athlete who want to get the excellence keeping the ethical and moral values in sport.
after reading this article i found that he was totally wrong about coffee as a performance inhancing drug, to put coffee, soda, and alcohol in the same catigory as other performance inhancing drugs is completly unfair. it is unfair to those athletes who do use those products because you cannot compare that to things such as steriods and other drugs.
ReplyDeleteas for being an athlete it is a stressful thing, i feel it is your choice to go out a have a beer or coffee if that be your choice of things to do for stress relief
on the other hand i feel that althetes who make that choice to take illegal drugs is totally their choice, and will have to deal with the trouble that comes to them. i feel that is a wrong thing for them to do but i also believe in free will and in the end of things as a person/ athlete you get what you deserve and or work for.
-Is this kind of drug use unethical?---Should we think of it (drug use---performance enhancing and recreational) as an expression of liberty?---Or, do the special circumstances of sport affect our moral analysis?---In particular, should liberty give way when other important values are threatened and the good of all is in peril?-
ReplyDeleteReading the article, I too have to agree that Murphy was wrong for adding in drinks being performance enhancing drugs. Everyone knows that when performance enhancing drugs are mentioned they automatically think steriods, not coffee or any other beverages. These comparisons are not fair and shouldnt even be thought under the same value.
I know that athletes have their choice of owhat rink they could take to help them relieve stress and get things off their chest but those athletes that abuse steriods or other enhancment drugs are just doing it because they cannot compete with those who are not using it. Illegal drugs being used by athletes that others see as role models or great players defeats the purpose of greatness and that for them to use it to be better and get recognition is stupid and dumb. If you dont want to put in the work and get better the right way then why even pose to be something that you are not. You work for what you want and not let something out work you because you cannot do it truthfully.
I think that recreational drug use for athletes falls into the grey area. I think that it is ultimately up the individual to choose what is right in their value system. However, athletes are also role models for many people including youth. Also, I do not think that, as the author suggests, that recreational drug use would ultimately lead to performance enhancement. PEDs, to me and outlined by many professional leagues, are reserved for steroids and synthetic compounds for the purpose of some sort of physical enhancement. There are way too many individual differences to include recreational drugs into PED classification. Coffee may help some but others may not enjoy its effects whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteRecreational and PED use is indeed an expression of liberty, but it comes with a price. I can take all the steroids in the world, but it will not make me a professional athlete. So, although you are free to put whatever you want into your body, the league may express its liberty and kick you out. This certainly brings up some questions of free will, but there are limitations when you decide to become an athlete as a profession.
Sport is a special circumstance, especially since so many people participate on some level. Whether it is recreationally, professionally, as a spectator, we are involved. So, I think whenever you have such a large group of diverse people that make up any culture, in this case the sports culture, it will affect how we decide what is moral and not. Some issues that may be unethical in some situations will be let by, while others will not, that may be acceptable in a different scenario outside of sports.
Yes, I think liberty should give way when other important values are threatened. Not everyone gets admission to certain universities, although the opportunity may be there. The integrity of the league is important just the same as integrity for universities.
Thomas Murray states that caffeine and alcohol are performance enhancing drugs. I disagree with this statement completely. As far as alcohol goes, it is actually a depressant (aka causing poor performance due to depressed nervous and muscle systems). About the only enhancement associated with alcohol is the liquid courage.Caffeine, on the other hand, although a stimulant, is so small that it basically means nothing and is rarely linked to anything more than increased alertness.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel like these can be considered as unethical because of the many legal uses. I do believe, however, that the use of steroids is unethical because they are illegal in most cases.
Some people find using illegal drugs ethical because it boosts there careers, really what I say is it lowers the integrity of the game. Really now you don't know if one person is great at what they do because of there tireless work effort, or they are using something on the side that is putting them way above all the competiton. All I know is really I don't think drugs in sports are ethical.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article by Thomas Murphy, I have mixed feelings about what is and what is not considered a performance enhancing drug. I do not think that in anyway caffeine should be considered a performance enhancing drug. I do believe that drugs do not have any place in sports, but when they start considering things life caffeine and stuff that drugs, that’s taking it a little far on what should be considered as performance enhancing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is unfair to the other players who have made the right by not using drugs, to lose to someone who has an unfair advantage in the competition, because he or she has chose to use steroids. It is unethical and also can be very harmful.
As far as using some drugs recreationally is showing liberty. Any kind of occasional drug use can be viewed as a form of liberty because it is a breaking away from the daily grind of life. With all the things that athletes have to deal with I can understand them wanting to use some recreational drugs occasionally, away from competition.
Recreational and performance-enhancing drug use are in fact types of expressions of liberty, however they are both extremely unethical. Any illegal substance someone tries to use that gives them a significant advantage and increase in their abilities is morally wrong and unjust. When you use drugs in competition, you are not expressing your liberty in the right way. You are instead abusing the just freedoms of your sport and spreading a negative light on those who are competing within their sport the right way.
ReplyDeleteI think that Murphy goes somwhat overboard in his distinction of coffee being a performance enhancing drug. Caffeine is consumed by millions of people every day, and it does not nearly give the same significant type of advantage that steroids do for athletes. The same with Coke products, and soft drinks, as well as alcohol. All of these can in fact decrease your ability to be the best during competition, as alcohol numbs your senses and too much sugar in soda can overload your system and make you crash.
I do not think liberty should give way when the good of all is in peril. If an athlete makes a choice to abuse their freedoms it ultimately will come back around to them in negative fashion. Baseball is a prime example. With so many cases of steroid use being found throughout the league, some of the shine of the accomplishments by baseball players has been dulled by speculation. This means that not only the careers of athletes who have admitted or tested positive for steroid use are now tainted (Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Jose Canseco, Andy Pettite to name a recent few...), but now the careers of basically every player who ever played in the steroid era come into question, and whether or not they played the game justly. This is not a proper way to express your liberty, and you do unjustice to the your sport and fellow athletes by abusing this virtue.
After I read the essay by Thomas H.Murphy , I think, I don’t agree about his point upon drugs. I think coffee or this kind of drug in a little amount does not have a big influence in athletes performance. From my point of view it’s okay that athletes under pressure can drink this kind of drug in a little amount because It won’t have an influences over their performance.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I strong disagree that athletes use drug with the aim to perform better and win. There are some drugs which really create advantage over the other athletes who do not do drugs. Drug such steroid , it makes you stronger and run faster, so the use of this drugs or drugs related to steroid are unethical, because competition and sport if when people with someone seek to bring out the best in each through presenting a worthy challenge. You seek excellence together.” The real athletes who love the sport never take the wrong path to victory. Using drugs don't help us to seek our perfection instead it makes us out to be a cheaters as an athlete.
After reading the article by Thomas H. Murphy. i think that most of the talk about performance enhancing drugs are tru to a certain point.caffine should not be considered a performance enhancing drug.on the othere hand drugs performance enhancing drugs shouldnt be tollerrated at all in sports, i fill that people who take them are selfish and have an unfair advantage.
ReplyDeleteafter reading the atricle i strongly dissagree with performance enhancing drugs there are alot of players today that do take these drugs and my question for them is why? does it really make you better.....? then my second question is do you feel like a cheater after using it?.....my reason for saying this is because im an athlete that do not use these drugs i use hard work to get me where i am today my love and passion for the game makes me not use those drugs its cheating and just not right.....an example of this is baseball for along time we believed that this was the perfect sport and now over the years its comming out that all the supposed to be good players and using this stuff....
ReplyDeleteWhen i got done reading this article i can say that in a way i agree and in a way i don't. Athletes use these drugs to give the people entertainment. But the bad thing about it is that the sport should be played all natural. There should be no need for steroids in sports. There are also many drugs out there that can also lead up to being a steroid. steroids is something that should never be part of sports!
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