Fair Play: The Ethics of Sport by Robert L. Simon
In this updated third edition, Simon (philosophy, Hamilton College) provides a philosophical analysis of the ethics of competitive athletics. A critique of moral and ethical relativism is offered in the introductory chapter in order to establish the justifiability of moral judgments made in subsequent sections. Simon defends competition against its critics as being, ideally, a mutual quest for excellence, as opposed to a mere manifestation of selfishness, and he applies internal and external hypotheses as regards the origin of sports morality to particular issues of sportsmanship and fairness. New to the third edition is an examination of genetic enhancement and sports. Other moral and ethical issues and dilemmas explored include the use of performance-enhancing drugs, gender equity in sports, the commercialization of sports, violence, collegiate athletics, and the role of sports in moral education.