Colin Kaepernick's Use Of Virtue Ethics In Professional Sports

As San Francisco grew quiet, thousands of people rose, and a single player remains seated igniting a roar of debate regarding the ethics of his decision. On August 27, the 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick remain seated during the national anthem and the virtue ethics theory can be applied to determine virtuosity of his actions. While some applauded his attempt to support racial inequality, others attacked his show of disrespect by attacking his morals. Virtue ethics theory will guide the discussion by looking to focus on his telos, virtue, and happiness. Aristotle virtue ethics theory, asserts that everyone has one common telos, or goal in life, to reach happiness. Although a final telos never ends, it can be compared by evaluating who

The NFL released a statement in reaction stating that he disregarded "an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we are offered as its citizens.” not only does this disregard interacting with respect and honor, two virtues explicitly identified by Aristotle, but he put his job at risk. According to virtue ethics, in order to live well one has to figure out how to live in society, by angry a portion of society, he disregards living well, his function put this tell us at risk and acts in

Kaepernick said in an interview "to me, this is bigger than football…”, implying that his prioritized telos is creating widespread awareness for the black lives matter cause. It is important to acknowledge he is not the first one to refuse to stand up for the national anthem, other athletes have done. important to acknowledge he is not the first one to refuse to stand up for the national anthem, other athletes have done. The 49ers even stated that "players are encouraged, but not required to stand up” for the national anthem. even stated that "players are encouraged, but not required to stand up. In today's society, to get national attention for a cause, as Kaepernick did, are unethical and unvirtuous actions, such as the riots in North Carolina currently, that are sensationalized by the