Genetically modified foods between ethics and public policy

Assya Pascalev

Genetically modified foods between ethics and public policy

In: Ethics and the politics of food

Author:

Assya Pascalev

Assya Pascalev Department of Philosophy, 226 Locke Hall, Howard University, 2441 6 ^thStreet, NW, Washington DC 20024, USA, apascal2003@yahoo.com

Search for other papers by Assya Pascalev in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed

Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 149–153

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086865758_025

Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

€42.00€35.00 excl. VAT

Add to Cart

Redeem Access Token

The paper explores the question: What ethical principles should inform a morally sound policy on genetically modified foods (hereafter GMF)? It focuses on the debate in the USA and on the widely held doctrine of political liberalism and its principle of liberal neutrality. A policy based on liberal neutrality requires policy makers not to favor any particular position and to remain neutral between those who support and those who oppose GMF. This paper advances the view that political liberalism cannot provide an adequate framework for policy decisions concerning GMF because political neutrality cannot protect adequately the interests, rights and values of those who oppose GMF on religious, moral or metaphysical grounds. Such individuals are left with few alternatives and have to pay a huge price to live in conformity with their values. Liberal neutrality ultimately favors the status quo, which erodes the personal integrity and freedom of choice of those who oppose GMF. A positive action to protect those who object GMF is morally required from policy makers and is grounded in the values of personal integrity, freedom of choice and in the principle of autonomy. They provide normative justification for rejecting GMF and, minimally, for positive societal actions and policy measures including not only mandatory labeling but also subsidies for organic farming and non-GMF. To allow for a genuine co-existence of diverse views and ways of life, policies should be set to guarantee that those opposing GMF have access to non-GMF, which access is not too burdensome and costly.

Citation Info

Save
Cite
Email this content

Share link with colleague or librarian

You can email a link to this page to a colleague or librarian:
Email this content
or copy the link directly:

https://brill.edhh.ma/abstract/book/9789086865758/BP000025.xml
The link was not copied. Your current browser may not support copying via this button.

Link copied successfully

Collapse
Expand

Ethics and the politics of food

Preprints of the 6th Congress of the European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics

E-Book ISBN:: 9789086865758

Publisher:: Wageningen Academic

Print Publication Date:: 10 Oct 2006

Subjects
- Life Sciences

Metrics

	All Time	Past 365 days	Past 30 Days
Abstract Views	105	36	11
Full Text Views	5	0	0
PDF Views & Downloads	2	0	0

African Studies	Education	Media Studies
American Studies	History	Middle East and Islamic Studies
Ancient Near East and Egypt	Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	Musicology
Art History	International Law	Philosophy
Asian Studies	International Relations	Religious Studies
Biblical Studies	Jewish Studies	Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Biology	Languages and Linguistics	Social Sciences
Book History and Cartography	Life Sciences	Theology and World Christianity
Classical Studies	Literature and Cultural Studies

Subjects

Authors

Open Access

Product Information

Company

Contact

Genetically modified foods between ethics and public policy

Citation Info

Share link with colleague or librarian

Ethics and the politics of food

Preprints of the 6th Congress of the European Society for Agricultural and Food Ethics

Table of Contents

Metrics

Metrics