An Ethical Analysis of the Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sport Assignment

An Ethical Analysis of the Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sport - Assignment Example This paper illustrates that John Mill introduced ‘utilitarianism’, a consequentialistic theory that sees good behavior or actions as those that generate the ‘greatest good for the greatest number of people’. This theory supports the knowledge about the outcomes of actions and of abiding by norms or standards encouraging these principles. Utilitarianism largely argues that the morally correct decision is the decision that generates the greatest good. There are numerous ways to explain this overall argument. One aspect worth mentioning is that the perspective is a kind of consequentialism, which states that the correct action is viewed wholly in relation to the outcomes generated. There are two forms of utilitarianism-- act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. The difference between these two lies in how or where they are used. Act utilitarianism is used in the process of choosing a specific action under a given situation, whereas rule utilitarianism is use d in the selection of a cluster of guidelines, which are consequently exercised to choose a particular action in a given situation. Act utilitarianism argues that an action or behavior becomes morally correct when it generates the most good for most people, whereas rule utilitarianism claims that the moral rightness of a decision relies on the rightness of the guidelines that enable it to attain the highest good. Act utilitarianism is the conviction that it is fine to violate a rule so long as it creates a higher good, whereas rule utilitarianism argues that even if a principle cannot generate a higher good, violating it will not either. Rule utilitarianism is a reaction to several of the main criticisms against act utilitarianism.