Running head: UNIT 3 ESSAY ARTIFACT 1

Unit 3 Essay Artifact

Michelle Estrada

ORGL 3322.BV2

Dr. Christopher Gomez

UNIT 3 ESSAY ARTIFACT 2

Bolthouse Farms distributes a wide array of popular soy protein-based drinks with the

reminder of its key benefits, particularly its influence in developing a healthy heart if included in

one’s diet regiment. However, they fail to acknowledge the dangers that soy products have for

our populations as a result of documented studies that have actually established that soy foods

are in fact unhealthy. One particular study was of note, as it “found that soy protein might

actually increase protein breakdown in skeletal muscle” (Luma, 2018) therefore leading to a

compromised skeletal system as a result of consumers partaking in a food that their respective

corporate giant argues is in fact healthy.

In addition to the weakening of strength and overall vitality as a result of soy protein

serving as a catalyst towards skeletal breakdown, soy protein has also been linked to numerous

other ailments such as “brain aging, shrinking, and the development of Alzheimer's” (Luma,

2018). Other research carried out on soy protein is even more alarming, as it effectively dictates

that soy is detrimental towards all its male consumers, as “Studies have shown that soy-fed

infants have estrogen levels 17,000 times higher than those fed human or cow's milk” (Luma,

2018). Estrogen, a hormone whose levels are usually low in males, can have adverse effects on

our society’s men as it reduces their testosterone levels and overall stability, strength, and drive

towards leadership.

This is an alarming issue for the public because instead of warning potential customers of

the dangers of their products (as is the case with other goods such as alcohol in other

organizations), Bolthouse Farms instead chooses to ignore the vast data against its products and

feed the public toxic on the notion that other studies have backed their advertised claim that their

soy products are of value to their cardiovascular health (Erdman, 2000).

UNIT 3 ESSAY ARTIFACT 3

Due to a lack of public corporate knowledge into the inner working of Bolthouse Farms,

it is impossible for the average scholar to assign one sole cause for their decision to

systematically feed their consumers poison while touting it as healthy.

For instance, their decision could be based on innocent ignorance, as soy is a popular

commodity that is often regarded by the public (and even athletes, nutritionists, and other

professionals in similar fields) as in fact being healthy. This possibility reinforces the axiological

framework established by Aristotle who argues throughout The Nicomachean Ethics that

knowledge is humanity’s greatest good is the search for knowledge (Aristotle, 2009).

Had the organization heeded the advice of Aristotle and carried out their respective search

for knowledge (and assuming that their false advertising is indeed an innocent mistake), the issue

would not be a problem in the first place, as the company would be well aware that soy protein is

not the health food they tout it to be throughout their products, their labels, and their misleading

advertisements.

However, if Bolthouse Farm is misleading the public despite being aware that soy is in

fact toxic for the sake of profit, then the core issue would be human greed. This completely

alters the cause of the organization’s misinformation regarding their products, as instead of

blameless lack of knowledge by failing to adhere to the principles set forth by Aristotle, the

situation becomes an instance where the axiological framework of Thomas Hobbes comes into

play—“ a general inclination of all mankind [experiences] a perpetual and restless desire of

Power after power, that ceaseth onely in Death” (Hobbes). The corporation’s desire to not only

continue to sell their product, but also portray it with blatant lies for consumers falls in line with

Hobbes’ notion that power and the means to achieve it are humanity’s true desire, even at the

cost of requiring others to suffer.

UNIT 3 ESSAY ARTIFACT 4

As noted by the previous assignment, the singular source of the problem in regards to

Bolthouse Farm’s false advertisement (and subsequent poisoning and public deception) can be

broken down into two core causes: ignorance and greed, each of which requires their own unique

axiological framework in order to be solved.

The first possibility, ignorance through a lack of knowledge, is solved by the acceptance

of Aristotle’s notion that the eternal search for wisdom is our greatest achievable treasure

(Aristotle, 2009). If ignorance is truly the core of the issue, then the complex problem is best

answered through simple self-growth and nurture of the intellectual mind. This can be achieved

as a solution in the Bolthouse Farm soy dilemma by a simple relabeling of Bolthouse Farm’s

products after diligent study from the corporation to allow customers access to the knowledge

and wisdom required to make informed decisions regarding their products.

However, if the issue is instead rooted in greed and the corporate desire to grow and

expand despite the costs it entails for others, then the solution lies in the axiological framework

of John Stuart Mill who makes a case for utilitarianism by arguing that “The creed which accepts

as the foundation of morals utility, or the greatest happiness principle, holds that actions are right

in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of

happiness” (Mill, 1979).

Mill offers a proper solution to greed-based dilemma by arguing that the highest good for

mankind lie in actions that promote its happiness while also suggesting the opposite of actions

that produce unhappiness. In this situation, the best solution would be to simply remove the

products or punish the corporate giant itself for the blatant spread of unhappiness through

deceptive products. Despite having multiple causes and solutions, the Bolthouse Farm soy issue

serves as a reminder that axiological framework established by history’s greatest philosophers

UNIT 3 ESSAY ARTIFACT 5

will always be of merit and use to the eager scholar wishing to grow and expand their own search

for mankind’s greatest treasure.

UNIT 3 ESSAY ARTIFACT 6

References

Aristotle, ., Ross, W. D., & Brown, L. (2009). The Nicomachean Ethics. Oxford: Oxford

University Press.

Erdman, J. W. (2000). Soy Protein and Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation, 102(20). Retrieved

April 29, 2019, from https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.cir.102.20.2555.

Hobbes, T., & Gaskin, J. C. A. (1998). Leviathan. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Luma, T. C. (2018, September 11). Does Soy and Soy Protein Feminize You? Retrieved April

29, 2019, from

https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/does-soy-and-soy-protein-feminize-you

Mill, J. S., & Sher, G. (1979). Utilitarianism. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co.