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Kinesiology, Sport Studies and Physical Education
7-11-2014
Utilitarian Moral Theory: Parallels between a Sport
Organization and Society
Robert C. Schneider
The College at Brockport, [email protected]
Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/pes_confpres
Part of the Kinesiology Commons, and the Sports Sciences Commons
Recommended Citation
Schneider, Robert C., "Utilitarian Moral Theory: Parallels between a Sport Organization and Society" (2014). Kinesiology, Sport
Studies and Physical Education Presentations and Papers. Paper 9.
http://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/pes_confpres/9
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Utilitarian Moral Theory: Parallels between a
Sport Organization and Society
Dr. Robert C. Schneider
Sport Management Program Director
Friday, July 11th, 8:30; (8:30-10:00 Session)
Venue: Qiu De Ba Gymnasium
Room: 151
Utilitarian Moral Theory: Parallels between a
Sport Organization and Society
• Continued Calling: Sport Organization & Society
Morality (Required for Healthy Function)
• Transfer Utilitarian Based Sport Organ.
Behaviors to Society
• Stake Highest in Society
Utilitarian Moral Theory as a Guide
• Sport Organization & Societal Policy Guided by:
Mill’s Greatest Happiness Principle
Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus
Hume’s View on Sentiment
Utilitarianism = Most Happiness =
Morally Good (Mill, 1863; Bentham,
1789/1961)
John Stuart Mill
Jeremy Bentham
David Hume
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Mill’s Greatest Happiness Principle
“Actions are right in proportion as
they tend to promote happiness, wrong as
they tend to produce the reverse of
happiness” (Mill, 1863/1969, p. 36).
Right
Wrong
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Mill’s Greatest Happiness Principle
• “The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals
‘utility’ or the “greatest happiness principle” holds that
actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote
happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse
of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure and
the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain and the
[dep]privation of pleasure.” (Mill, 1863/1969, p. 36)
• Burton (1962) stated: “That is useful which, taking all
times and all persons into consideration, leaves a
balance of happiness; and, – the creation of the largest
possible balance of happiness…”
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Jeremy Bentham
“Nature has placed mankind under two
sovereign masters, pain and pleasure…”
(Bentham, p. 17)
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David Hume
“Passion Drives Reason…”
Innovation Stirring:
Passion, Sentiments, Feelings?
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Ethical Grounding for Betterment,
Sustainability, and Improved Society
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Reciprocal Learning: Sport Organ. & Society
Not a Solution: A Tool to Improve
Sport Organization Easily Dissected
Utilitarian Based Insights (Collective
Happiness)Transferred to Society
Ethical Grounding for Betterment,
Sustainability, and Improved Society (cont’d)
• Utilitarian Grounded Societies Support
Cooperative International Goal Achievement
• Societal Goal = Happiness; International
Cooperation
• Morally Global Society Requires Cooperation
Societal/World Challenges
Identifying Commonalities among
Cultural Differences
• Tolerance & Sensitivity: A Step Toward
Utilitarian Moral Good
• Putting Aside Race, Religion, Attitudes…
Sport: For Winning
Society: For Global Good?
Identifying Commonalities among
Cultural Differences
• Utilitarian Moral Good Fostered
through Creation of Commonalities (sport)
• Sport: Brings People & Nations Together
• e.g., World Cup, Tour de France, Olympics
Identifying Commonalities among
Cultural Differences
• Overcoming Overt and Subconscious
Cultural Biases?
• Common Core Moral Values Among Diversity
• Can common sport experiences help?
– e.g., Final Four Commonality; NBA
• Globalization: Merging of Culturally Different
Societies
• Sport: Merges Culturally Different Athletes
Sensitivity and Tolerance
Supported by Education
• Utilitarianism in Society: Tolerance of Cultural
Differences
• End Goal: Humanities ‘Want’ of Happiness
• Globalization: Understanding Societies Beyond
One’s Own (Brodin, 2010)
Sensitivity and Tolerance
Supported by Education (cont’d)
Achieving through:
Disciplined Behavior
Subconscious Selfish Desires Put Aside
Softening of Differences: Immersion Into
Different Culture (Redden, 2010) e.g.,
Internships Abroad
Education
Transitioning Commonalities into
Tolerance to Cultural Differences
• Immersion into Different Cultures Require:
• Open Mindedness
• Contemplation of Similarities and
Dissimilarities (Leung, Maddux, Galinsky, Chiu, & 2008)
• Team Sports: Emerges Persons Beyond
Isolated States
– Reduce Isolated States through Common Goals
Transitioning Commonalities into
Tolerance to Cultural Differences (cont’d)
• Within and Across Societies, Identify
Commonalities
• Fully Removing Cultural Differences: Naive
• Giving Up Cultural Identity Contradicts
Utilitarianism
• Leadership Cannot Force
Yesterday’s Panel Discussion
• Going Outside of Discipline (Remove
Isolationism)
• Theme of Cooperation Among 4 Universities
• “Mingling” Different Cultures
“Why We Need Social Theory to Understand
Sport Mega Events” (Keynote, Susan Brownell)
Some Notes:
OLYMPIC GAMES (Huge Party) (Hosting Platform)
• Disseminating Chinese Culture
• Cross Cultural Communications
 Bilateral Meeting Between Leadership
 Closer to World Peace (a Format)
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Heads of Multinational Corporate Leaders
Entertainment & Hospitality Industry
Politics
Rituals and Social Solidarity
Shared Members in Community
Global community requires global rituals and symbols forging
national identities into global identities.
Leading with Beauchamp’s (1982) Common
Sense, Habits, and Past Experience
• Arriving Most Happiness:
– common sense, habits, and past experiences –
choose actions eliciting most happiness
(Beauchamp, 1982)
• Societal Utilitarianism:
– respect common core values of peoples,
understanding past experiences; choose actions
Realistic Moral Expectations
• Wholesale Attitude or Cultural Changes:
Unrealistic
• Extreme Changes: Unhappiness
• Disingenuous Compromise: Unhappiness
• Utilitarianism: Consciousness of Compromise
and Happiness
Realistic Moral Expectations
• Recall: Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus
• Respect (not necessarily accept) Cultural
Differences
• Attitudes, Beliefs, Customs, Religions
• Respectfully Tolerate One Another’s Cultural
Differences
References (Incomplete)
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Beauchamp, T.L. (1982). Mill and utilitarian theories (pp. 71-106). In T.L. Beauchamp,
Philosophical ethics: An introduction to moral philosophy. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Bentham, J. (1789/1961). An introduction to the principles of morals and legislation. In
Utilitarianism (pp. 7-398). Garden City, NY: Doubleday.
Brodin, J. (2010). Education for global competencies. Journal of Studies in International
Education, 14(5), 569-584. doi:10.1177/1028315309343616
Leung, A.K., Maddux, W.W., Galinsky, A.D., & Chiu, C. (2008). Multicultural experience
enhances creativity: The when and how. American Psychologist, 63(3), 169-181. doi:10.1037/0003066x.63.3.169
Mill, J.S. (1863/1969). Utilitarianism. In J.M. Smith & E. Sosa (Eds.), Mill’s Utilitarianism
(pp. 31-88). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Redden, E. (2010, July 13). Academic outcomes of study abroad. Inside Higher Education.
Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/07/13/abroad
Reimers, F. M. (2009). Global competency. Harvard International Review, 30(4), 24-27.
Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
END
Utilitarian Moral Theory: Parallels between a
Sport Organization and Society
Robert C. Schneider
The College at Brockport, State University of New York