- Chris MacDonald is a Toronto-based ethicist, professor, speaker and consultant.
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Category Archives: health
Energy Drinks Again — This Time, With Alcohol
I recently blogged about controversy over energy drinks, and particularly over marketing them to young people. Well, energy drinks are back in the news. And this time, they’ve got added booze. See: Caffeine and Alcohol Drink Is Potent Mix for … Continue reading
In Praise of Industrialized Food
Check out this piece, by Rachel Laudan, in the Utne Reader: In Praise of Fast Food. (It’s worth noting right up front that the title of the piece is misleading. It’s not a defense of fast food, in the McDonalds … Continue reading
Posted in agriculture, ethics, factory farms, fast food, health, industrial, junk food, labour, natural, science, values
2 Comments
A Better Factory Farm?
A few weeks ago, I asked When is a Factory Farm Not a Factory Farm? I suggested that the problem with some factory farms (including especially the ones that played a central role in the recent salmonella outbreak) is that, … Continue reading
Posted in agriculture, animal welfare, ethics, factory farms, farmers, FDA, health, industrial, regulation, safety
2 Comments
Energy Drinks
Caffeine is popular. Most North American adults consume some every day, usually delivered via a hot beverage (coffee, espresso, cappuccino, tea, etc.). It’s very likely the world’s most widely-consumed drug. But it’s also entirely unregulated. Combine that fact with the … Continue reading
Peter Singer in Vegetarianism Debate
I’m not sure which factor does more to make this a lopsided debate: the fact that it was an audience of university students, the fact that it was a self-selected audience that probably showed up already sympathetic to one side, … Continue reading
Posted in animal rights, animal welfare, ethics, health, meat, nutrition, vegan, vegetarianism
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Salmonella in Eggs, Rabies in Dogs
It’s good to have the occasional reminder that food safety is an issue everywhere. See this item, by By Donald G. McNeil Jr. for NYT Health: Vitenam: With Rabies Deaths on the Rise, a Menu Item Gets a Closer Look. … Continue reading
Posted in health, international, meat, safety, science
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Eat Your Veggies!
I love vegetables. In fact, I never met a vegetable I didn’t like (except ones that are poorly prepared), and veggies make up most of my diet. Alas, the same cannot be said for everyone. See this story, by Kim … Continue reading
KFC Uses Women’s Buns as Ad Space
Advertising is often contentious. Food advertising is perhaps doubly so. Add to that accusations of objectification and commodification of women’s bodies, and you’ve got yourself a marketing ethics case-study. Here’s the story, by Bruce Horowitz, for USA Today: KFC pays … Continue reading
How Good (or Bad) is the FDA?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is the target of plenty of criticism. In fact, almost nobody seems to like the FDA — except maybe occasionally when they institute a recall or impose a penalty, and even then there’s almost … Continue reading
Posted in FDA, health, public policy, regulation, safety
3 Comments
When is a Factory Farm Not a Factory Farm?
Factory farms are often vilified, with varying degrees of justification. But sometimes, it seems to me, the problem with factory farms is that they’re just not enough like real factories. Let’s start with a report on the condition of one … Continue reading
Posted in agriculture, ethics, farmers, health, industrial, safety
2 Comments
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