Natural ethics refers to the common sense ethics that guides us on how to carry out ourselves in our day today life. Natural ethics guides humans to choose the moral side of life over the immoral ones. The principles of natural ethics tend to have a relationship with the ethics on eating as described in the book, “The Way We Eat, Why Our Food Choices Matter” by Peter Singer and Jim Mason. As is presented in this paper, the principles of natural ethics apply to the ethical suggestions of eating as suggested by Peter Singer. Specifically, they apply on the ethics of using animals as a source of food, the impacts that food we eat has on the environment as well as the impact that the food we eat has on food crisis worldwide.
To begin with, is the law of natural ethics talking about making decisions on courses of action. As natural ethics law puts it, one must consider the results of a particular action before getting to decide on choosing it as a course of action. In this specific note, natural ethics dictates that one evaluates the possible pleasures or pain that executing that particular action is likely to bring about. Additionally, this natural ethics principle guides people to make informed decisions on whether o stop or continue with a specific action upon seeing some traces of outcome, and the decision to continue or stop in this case is guided by natural ethics. According to Peter Singer ethical discussions, we should be conscious of the effects that our food puts to the environment. Ethically, we should not concentrate on food production without thinking of the negative effects that it poses to the environment ( Boyle, 2017). On the issue of using animals as a source of food, Singers suggests that it is unethical to treat animals with cruelty because we are looking for food. The sweetness of food or the level at which we enjoy eating should not be a justification to subject animals to suffering (Singer and Mason, 2006).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Natural ethics are also based on the principle that whatever is in question should be a natural thing. According to this particular natural law of ethics, ethics is drawn when the subject of discussion is natural and not convention. Peter Singer regards it unethical to eat food that is not naturally acquired and such which has certain elements of being artificial. Singer insists on consumption of foods that are free from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and such which lack the natural nature. Very many campaigns have been done by non-governmental organizations which tend to push for the removal of genetically modified foods and allow the people to choose from a wide range of natural foods. Genetically modified foods are such foods that have been boosted by the induction of certain genes to make them look better. Such kind of foods is regarded to be unnatural because they have been altered and changed into new forms that are not natural anymore. The ethical suggestion of Peter Singer is that people should avoid unnatural foods as much as possible.
In summary, almost all the principles of natural ethics conform to the ethical suggestions of Peter Singer on what we should eat. Indeed, we should consider the impact of drawing our food on a particular source without evaluation on the possible consequences that it must have on other people and the environment. The ethical element of having a natural activity or resources that are natural. Peter Singer notes the importance of sticking to the consumption of natural foods and not genetically modified. It is pretty clear that natural ethics law was applied by Singer in his suggestions.
References
Boyle, J. (2017). Natural law and the ethics of traditions. In Thomas Aquinas (pp. 157-184). Routledge.
Singer, P., Mason, J., & Adamson, R. (2006). The way we eat: Why our food choices matter . Emmaus, PA: Rodale.
