Online philosophy tutor RSS Feeds
You are here: Mountains > Themes > Ethics of High-Risk Sports

Ethics of High-Risk Sports

Specifically philosophical questions, in the western tradition, here include:

In high-altitude mountaineering there appears to be an abandonment of normal moral considerations. For example, walking past a dying climber in order to 'bag' the summit. What justification, if any, can be given for this behaviour?

Why is personal risk taking by mountaineers more socially acceptable than, say, the personal risk involved in taking recreational drugs? Can a robust philosophical justification be given of this apparent double standard?

Top