The Appeal of “Natural”
Something “natural” is perceived as more positive than something “artificial.” A diet rich in “natural” foods, fruits, and vegetables is better than one based on “artificial” foods like pastries and sausages. A lifestyle of a “natural” diet and exercise is healthier than lounging around and eating donuts. But it’s difficult to determine what exactly is considered natural and what is not. Is it natural for a person to use fire or wear clothes? Can human beings even be considered natural? The answer really depends on your point of view. Due to the lack of a clear definition, people have taken it upon themselves to choose what to praise as natural and condemn as unnatural.
An appeal to nature is a logical fallacy that occurs when something is considered true only because it is “natural.”
Beyond “Natural” is Better
Appealing to nature can be dangerous. Sometimes, the argument is used to justify horrific deeds. War and violence have accompanied humankind since the beginning of history, but this is not a reason to consider them natural. Compassion and scientific and technological developments may not be natural, but they have helped us make the world a better place to live in. Just think of all the unnatural things we have come to embrace, such as not having to experience many infectious diseases or eating meals several times a day.
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<p>We cannot assess the moral acceptability of anything beyond human beings’ affairs. In nature, many species survive through behavior that we would condemn in humans. Plants and parasitic animals live off a host’s body, and the <b>Adactylidium</b> female mite’s offspring eat it alive from the inside. Can we really judge them?
In this logic, nature dictates that males are earners and females are carers. Therefore, men should be breadwinners, and women should look after the children and the home. Doing otherwise is plain wrong.
Male lions kill the cubs of their competitors so that their offspring can have more resources. This is a law of nature. Therefore, people should kill their rivals’ children so that their own children can prevail.
Naturally Dangerous
Trust in herbal remedies and organic products is based on the belief that nature’s agenda is to make us feel good. However, it is reckless to believe that all living things have evolved solely for the benefit of people. Planet Earth is a harsh place, and our existence on it has become safe and comfortable largely thanks to science and technology. There’s tasty food, and then there’s danger left and right: pufferfish containing toxins, poisonous snakes, pathogenic bacteria and viruses, and parasitic flatworms, all of which are completely natural to Earth.
Even useful things can be dangerous. “Drink some herbs; it can’t hurt to have something natural” is bad advice. Medicinal herbs can also cause side effects. St. John’s wort is a popular folk herbal remedy that is sold over the counter in most pharmacies. Often it is consumed as a mild sedative, but the natural herb is not as harmless as it seems. St. John’s wort can speed up the elimination of drugs from the body and thereby reduce their effectiveness. It should never be taken with antidepressants, painkillers, antiretroviral therapy, anticancer drugs, or thrombolytic drugs.
The Allure of “Natural”
A positive attitude toward all things natural is so widespread that it is even reflected in the legislation of some countries. “Natural” substances are registered according to a simplified procedure as biologically active food additives. In contrast, drugs are carefully inspected: first, the substance is tested in test tubes or on laboratory animals, and if it turns out to be promising, research begins on volunteers.
Depending on the type of drug, approval will require the study of several thousand to tens of thousands of subjects over 2–15 years. But dietary supplements are exempt from such thorough studies, so there is no exact data on their safety and effectiveness. The US Food and Drug Administration regularly reviews additives and maintains a list of deceitful manufacturers who mix pharmacological substances into their “natural” additives: antibiotics, painkillers, and steroids. These manufacturers are taking advantage of the lack of oversight to create the appearance of the effectiveness of their supplements.
Natural vs. Synthetic Aspirin
At school, we learn that everything around us is made up of atoms. Therefore, it doesn’t really matter how a given substance was obtained; whether from natural raw materials or synthesized in a laboratory, its atoms will be the same. Whether obtained from willow bark or multi-stage industrial synthesis, we will end up with aspirin. It is through the latter process, though, that we preserve nature.
<p><em>The anti-vaccination movement claims that we must opt out of artificial vaccinations and subject ourselves to natural disease so that our immune system can develop properly. This is simply not true. It doesn’t matter for the immune system whether it’s infected by a real virus, bacterium, or tiny and inactive vaccine particle that enters the body. It can create antibodies against invaders and “remember” these invaders from any of these scenarios. There’s no need to risk your life and health through natural infections, though, when vaccinations are readily available.</em></p>
<h2>Advertising Clichés</h2>
<p>Advertising often contrasts the natural and the man-made with labels such as “eco,” “bio,” “organic,” and “natural,” of course. Organic products are often defended on the basis that they are truly “natural” and therefore possess qualities not found in most products. In 2012, a team of researchers published an analysis of 240 studies in the journal <i>Annals of Internal Medicine,</i> comparing the levels of nutrients and pollutants in regular and organic products. Scientists did not find any significant differences.
The requirements for a product to be labeled as “organic” or “natural” are different for each country. In the United States, these may be products that were produced using methods that help preserve soil (for example, crop rotation or growing cover crops) or for which only fertilizers and pesticides of natural origin were used. As we established earlier, that in itself does not guarantee safety or effectiveness. For example, rotenone, which is extracted from the roots of plants, was widely used as a “natural” pesticide.
The “Natural” Trap
Rotenone, unlike selective synthetic pesticides, destroys not only pests but also beneficial organisms. The pesticide is slightly toxic to humans, and cases of poisoning are rare, but it may also cause the development of Parkinson’s disease. In 2011, researchers from the US Parkinson’s Institute found that agricultural workers exposed to rotenone were more likely to develop the disease. In a 2018 study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, scientists gave rotenone to rodents and placed them in laboratory equipment, after which Lewy bodies, a sign of Parkinson’s disease, formed in their nerve cells. The use of the natural pesticide has since been abandoned.
<img width="756" height="1024" src="https://oyla.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Appeal-to-Nature_RUS4-e1691042686238.jpg" alt="Natural | An illustration of a woman surrounded by nature, holding a basket full of vegetables." />
<p>– “Because it’s natural” is not a strong argument. Look for others.<br />– Natural does not necessarily mean safer or better.<br />– The labels “natural” and “organic” don’t really mean anything at all, so don’t overpay for them.
Modern products (whether organic or not) can hardly be called
natural — they would not have existed without external intervention.
People have selected, crossbred, and grown plants in such a way as to preserve the characteristics that they found desirable: productivity, nutrition, and juiciness. Cabbage, corn, and different varieties of wheat are the result of artificial selection.
Beyond the Label: GMOs vs. “Natural” Risks
The label “non-GMO” on products is another advertisement of natural origin. Genetic engineering methods seem frightening and baffling, so there is a lot of fear-mongering about GMO products. However, these products do not cause poisoning or death, as they are closely monitored by the concerned public. It would be just as wise to keep tabs on natural products created by traditional selection methods. The Lenape potato was developed in the late 1960s and pulled from the market soon after because of its high solanine content. Solanine is a natural poison found in potatoes that causes nausea, fever, headaches, diarrhea and, in rare but severe cases of poisoning, convulsions and hallucinations. It is, however, completely natural.
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