Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is “brain degeneration likely caused by repeated head traumas.”[6] Repetitive head impacts (RHIs) can cumulatively lead to CTE and early death, even though no single RHI results in a concussion. [29] Julie Mack, What Parents Need to Know about Football, Concussions and Head Injuries, mlive.com, Nov. 24, 2019, at https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/11/what-parents-need-to-know-about-football-and-head-injuries.html (quoting neuroscientist Julie Stamm). [46] Robert F. Heary et al., Is Youth Football Safe? Do you think these critiques are counterbalanced by the fact that the riches that are often lavished upon NFL players go disproportionately to African-Americans as well? The ability to hold a piece of history untouched by time has resulted in a number of scientific discoveries and advances such as feathers on a non-avian dinosaur dated 99 million years ago and the biosynthesis of gene clusters for novel antibiotics. [56] Professor Goldberg argues that “there is little evidence that such incremental changes [e.g., in tackling techniques] have a substantial risk-reducing effect.”[57]. [30] Julie M. Stamm et al., Age of First Exposure to Football and Later-life Cognitive Impairment in Former NFL Players, Neurology, 84(11): 1114-1120 (2015). Two-level utilitarianism is a utilitarian theory of ethics developed by R. M. Hare. [32] Matt Ventresca & Mary G. McDonald, Forces of Impact: Critically Examining Sport’s “Concussion Crisis,” in Sociolcultural Examinations of Sports Concussions (Ventresca & McDonald, eds., 2019). [16] Kevin M. Guskiewicz et al., Recurrent Concussion and Risk of Depression in Retired Professional Football Players, Medicine & Science in Sports & Leisure, 39(6): 903-909 (2007). In the wake of the recent pandemic, Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy said “In my opinion, if we have to bring our players back, test them. So, we just need to kind of put it in context.”. [70] Nicholas Dixon, Boxing, Paternalism, and Legal Moralism, Social Theory and Practice, 27(2): 323-344 (2001). b. 5. All people—all happiness and all misery—count equally, in the eyes of utilitarians. If you were a university scientist, how would you decide whether it is ethical for you to buy amber from Myanmar? Do you think this an ethical issue or just a policy issue? 1. The goal of reducing personal harm while increasing happiness is something that every person pursues at some point in their life. Over the last ten years, more than one billion dollars in legal revenue has been generated from the mining and sale of amber. And for the same reason, a helmet alone will not prevent CTE.”[55] Furthermore, while the NFL has banned helmet-to-helmet hits, these are neither the only nor the most common cause of concussions. It's a theory of normative ethics that asks whether a specific action is good or bad, moral or immoral. How do we answer that question? This article was published in The International Journal of Ethics (1890-1938), which is continued by Ethics (1938-present). [8] Such proteins develop in tangles that slowly strangle neurons and, consequently, inhibit brain function.[9]. Is your opinion altered by the fact that the scientist quoted above is the neurologist for the Michigan State University football team? [89] Mariana Brussoni et al., Risky Play and Children’s Safety: Balancing Priorities for Optimal Child Development, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 9:3134-3148 (2012). Its prevalence is unknown, and the neuropathological diagnostic criteria are no more than preliminary. Would you prevent kids under 14 from playing tackle football? [27] Bryan R. Cobb et al., Head Impact Exposure in Youth Football: Elementary School Ages 9-12 Years and the Effect of Practice Structure, Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 41: 2463-2473 (2013). A political issue? [50] Ken Belson, Judge Approves Deal in N.F.L. [67] Adam M. Finkel & Kevin F. Bieniek, How Public Helath Science Evaluates Evidence, Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 25(3): 564-589 (2019). And new knowledge about brain injuries have caused many people to call football immoral[2] and to advocate its abolition. An NFL player who plays 24 games increases the likelihood of premature death by 16%. Utilitarian Model (Ethic) Concept Utilitarian model is an ethic model for decision taking that tries to evaluate the effect of certain decisions and behaviors about others. Modern philosophers have made several changes in the theory in order for the theory to fit and address the changing needs of the society. Some people accuse the media (and others) of hysterically overhyping the dangers of tackle football to the brain. Do you think that the NFL would make more safety-related changes if white players dominated rosters? 30 videos - one minute each - relate recent scandals in the news and give ethical insights. [79] Peter Benson, Big Football: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Culture and Color of Injury in America’s Most Popular Sport, Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 41(4): 307-334 (2017); Daniel Goldberg, What Does the Precautionary Principle Demand of Us? The co-chair of the NFL’s Health and Safety Advisory Committee has said that the committee thinks helmets are part of the culture and tradition and will not be outlawed in the foreseeable future. [24] Michael W. Collins et al., Adolescent Sports Concussion, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 19(2): 247-269 (2008); Mark R. Lovell et al., Recover from Mild Concussion in High School Athletes, Journal of Neurosurgery, 98(2): 296-301 (2003). [64] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precautionary_principle. Myanmar is a small southeast Asian country that contains about 130 diverse ethnic groups recognized by the government. [31] Christie Aschwanden, Football’s Concussion Crisis is Awash with Pseudoscience, Wired.com, Oct. 2, 2019. [78] David Gee, Doubt is Their Product: How Industry’s Assault on science Threatens Your Health, Journal of Public Health Policy, 29(4): 474-479 (2008). Part I History of Ethics. [85] Michael Cunningham, Player Safety Takes Back Seat as NCAA Rushes to Allow Campus Workouts, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, May 22, 2020 (quoting Huma). It is a form of consequentialism. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that says that the right thing to do in any situation is whatever will “do the most good” (that is, whatever will produce the best outcomes) taking into consideration the interests of all concerned parties. If option A will create more happiness (or less misery) overall than option B, then option A is ethically correct. [Reporting a concussion] doesn’t make you weak, it means you’re strong.” On the other hand, President Trump has stated that rule changes to diminish head injuries are “ruining the game.”, One scientist said: “Don’t forget there’s risk in everything we do. A study of former NFL players found that those who began playing football before age 12 tended to show greater later-life cognitive impairments as compared to those who began after age 12. What the majority of people in that society believes is important will drive decisions. Daniel Goldberg observes that “there is also a crucial social and political question that is not simply a function of that empirical evidence base: to what risks is it acceptable to expose youths and adolescents?”. There are many problems with this, and first and foremost I feel that Kant is trying to place a one-dimensional theory of ethics on a three-dimensional world full of unexpected incidents. The notion of utilitarianism became a moral philosophy in the 17 th century and originated from the efforts of Western politicians to develop an ethical framework that would promote political liberalism (Robertson & Walter, 2007). If subconcussive blows are the cause of C.T.E., how much impact is too much? [10] David W. Lawrence et al., Descriptive Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Injuries and Concussions in the National Football League, 2021-2014, Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015:3(5):2325967115583653. Why or why not? Do you see parallels between the debate as to whether to begin playing football again in the wake of the pandemic and the debate as to whether to abolish or reform football in light of the evidence on brain trauma? Comparing consequences can be hard, so some philosophers say that we can’t truly make utilitarian decisions. [58] Daniel Engber, Concussion Lies, Slate, Dec. 21, 2015, at https://slate.com/culture/2015/12/the-truth-about-will-smiths-concussion-and-bennet-omalu.html; Kevin Lomangino, Journalists Drop the Ball on Big Concussion/CTE Story, HEALTHNEWSREVIEW.ORG, Jan. 19, 2018, at https://www.healthnewsreview.org/2018/01/sports-desks-drop-the-ball-on-big-concussion-story/; [59] Matt Ventresca, The Curious Case of CTE: Mediating Materialities of Traumatic Brain Injury, Communication & Sport, 7(2): 135-156 (2019). Explain. A study of 3,904 Wisconsin men found no significant harmful association between playing football in high school and cognitive impairment or depression later in life. Myanmar classifies amber as a gemstone, not a fossil, so it can be legally removed from the country, unlike fossils that have restrictions on removal. In terms of ethical theories, the importance of utilitarianism theory is critical to see that how things are sorted out in this concept. This hostile takeover of the profitable Kachin amber mines ensures that amber purchases from researchers and private collectors will help fund the government side of the Myanmar ethnic civil war. A rights-based perspective might say that it is wrong to hire children to do difficult labour, such as working in a factory or in a cotton field. Deontological and utilitarian ethics: a brief introduction in the context of disorders of consciousness . [32] Many researchers in the area recently published an article saying: Contrary to common perception, the clinical syndrome of CTE has not yet been fully defined. Given the obvious conflict of interest, the studies have been criticized on that ground. By creating a society which places more value on actions that bring happiness, we could create a place where there is more common ground to be found. It is observed that there are some basic principles attached with this theory. So, utilitarianism provides a basis for criticizing business behaviours that cause harm to anyone at all. It is a universal concept that all of us can understand. [2] Steve Almond, Is It Immoral to Watch the Super Bowl?, New York Times, Jan. 24, 2014; Pamela R. Sailors, Personal Foul: An Evaluation of the Moral Status of Football, Journal of the Philosophy of Sport, 42(2): 269-286 (2015). Explain. [33] William Stewart et al., Primum Non Nocere: A Call for Balance When Reporting on CTE, Lancet Neurology, 18:231-232 (2019). However, in 2017 the Myanmar government dropped leaflets from helicopters informing the population in northern Kachin that civilians and Kachin militants who remain in the region will be considered hostile opposition to the government military forces. Football rules intentionally create high speed collisions between human beings, making such injuries inevitable and the sport controversial. Thus, they are disproportionately exposed to concussions and other injuries that arise from the game. Which ones? The theory has been supported by politicians, economists and the general society since it teaches morals and ethics to the three sectors. So, before looking at its impartiality, it is crucial to look at the theory itself that what it aimed at. The Kachin Independence Army, which includes ethnic minorities who live in the northern Kachin and surrounding regions of Myanmar, has been in armed conflict with the Myanmar government for the restoration of minority ethnic groups’ rights. One study found no statistically significant difference between the all-cause mortality among career NFL players and NFL replacement players who played just three games during the strike of 1987. This statistic is up 61% from 2002-2007, perhaps reflecting an improvement of awareness and reporting. Utilitarian ethics makes all of us members of the same moral community. For example, assume a hospital has four people whose lives depend upon receiving organ transplants: a heart, lungs, a kidney, and a liver. A collection of one-of-a-kind videos that highlight the ethical aspects of various subjects. [74] Dave Bry, American Football is Too Dangerous, and It Should Be Abolished, The Guardian (UK), Jan. 4, 2016. How do the tau clumps relate to the clinical syndrome—do the lesions fully explain the mood and memory problems? Explain. See Bennet I. Omalu et al, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy in a National Football League Player, Neurosurgery, 57: 128-134 (2005); [9] Ann McKee et al., The Neuropathology of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Brain Pathology, 25: 350-364 (2015). The most popularly-known version of Utilitarianism is: Act so as to cause the greatest happiness for the greatest number. It is the only moral … Ethics, Population Health Policy, and Sports-Related TBI, in Sociolcultural Examinations of Sports Concussions (Matt Ventresca & Mary McDonald eds, 2020). Suicide rates among NCAA football players are the highest among all sports, but they are substantially lower than the general population age 18-22 or college students in that age range. [71] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harm_principle. This is because the practical application of the theory requires the ability to predict the long-term consequences of an action and, to predict those consequences with unfailing accuracy; past experience can, to some extent, guide future experience. These studies are broken down by football league level: Given the results of the studies above, it is not surprising that there has been a strong outcry against football. applies two sets of ethical principles - utilitarianism and rights theory - in an attempt to determine when, and in what circumstances, insider trading is ethical. No, it’s not crazy because we need to continue and budget and run money through the state of Oklahoma.”. Empirical research supports the notion that allowing children to engage in dangerous forms of play is key to their optimal development. We Know Little About the Long-term Effects of Concussions, Statnews, Sept.27, 2019. Alan Schwarz et al., N.F.L.’s Flawed Concussion Research and Ties to Tobacco Industry, New York Times, March 24, 2016. Discussion Questions on High Schools & Colleges, Discussion Questions on Youth Leagues (Under 14). Is there a case to be made for “justified harm” in any of these leagues? Utilitarians argued, for instance, in favour of rights for women and for people of various races. In one study, use of newly-designed football helmets and safe tackling techniques eliminated concussions for 20 middle school aged players for an entire season. 2. 36 short illustrated videos explain behavioral ethics concepts and basic ethics principles. [41] Ashwin L. Rao et al., Suicide in National Collegiate Athletic (NCAA) Athletes: a 9-Year Analysis of the NCAA Resolutions Database, Sports Health 7(5): 452-457 (2015). As told in the movies, a significant scientific breakthrough occurred in 2002 when an African-American neuropathologist in Pittsburgh named Bennet Omalu (played by Will Smith in the 2015 movie “Concussion”) performed an autopsy on Hall of Fame center Mike Webster. According to research by neuroscientists, “There seems to be greater consequences if you’re getting your head hit when the brain is rapidly developing [below age 12].”. By the time Sidgwick wrote, Utilitarianism had become one of the foremost ethical theories of the day. [34] Munro Cullum, Is Football Bad for the Brain? Another study found that greater RHI exposure correlated with higher levels of plasma t-tau (a biomarker for CTE) in symptomatic former NFL players as compared to the study’s control group. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism, which advocates that those actions are right which bring about the most good overall. Utilitarianism holds that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number. In many respects, it is the outlook of Scottish philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) and his writings from the mid-18th century. In business contexts, utilitarianism implies an obligation for businesses to do what they can to act in a way that maximizes happiness and minimizes suffering. 3352 (Dec. 2016). [80] Anthony E. Prior, The Slave Side of Sunday (2006). Many people who are in favor of abolishing football or significantly reforming the way it is played are pro-choice when it comes to abortion, minor drug use, and assisted suicide. Explain. Our society allows people to voluntarily choose to undertake many risky professions, including coal miners, fire jumpers, soldiers, underwater oil rig welders, and others. 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