Food and Philosophy Eat, Think, and Be Merry

by Allhoff, Fritz; Monroe, Dave

• ISBN13: 9781405157759
• ISBN10: 1405157755
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-11-19
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

Insightful and zesty, this engaging volume encourages readers to sample essays that appeal to their philosophical tastes. Organized thematically like an à la carte menu, the book opens with "Food in Culture & amp; Society, " a glimpse at the inherently social and cultural aspects of food, whetting the appetite for what is to follow, including topics such as: Who decides just what constitutes quality cuisine or foul fare? Is food aesthetically important? How are food and sensuality related? Do we have an ethical responsibility to eat organic, free-range, vegetarian, or locally grown foods?In addition to contributions by philosophers, the book also includes a rare collection of essays by culinary professionals and food critics who infuse their passion for food with philosophical flavorings. Another installment in the "Epicurean Trilogy " (together with Wine & amp; Philosophy and Beer & amp; Philosophy), Food & amp; Philosophy serves up a healthy helping of timely food-oriented thinking.

Author Biography

Fritz Allhoff, PhD, is an assistant professor of philosophy at Western Michigan University. His research areas are in ethical theory, applied ethics, and philosophy of biology/science. He is the editor of Wine & Philosophy (Blackwell 2007).

Dave Monroe was an accomplished chef, restaurant consultant, and caterer prior to pursuing academic philosophy. He is an adjunct instructor at the Applied Ethics Institute of St. Petersburg College.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. viii
Acknowledgments	p. x
Setting the Table: An Introduction to Food & Philosophy	p. 1
Appetizers: Food in Culture & Society	p. 11
Epicurus, the Foodies' Philosopher	p. 13
Carving Values with a Spoon	p. 31
Should I Eat Meat? Vegetarianism and Dietary Choice	p. 45
Sublime Hunger: A Consideration of Eating Disorders Beyond Beauty	p. 58
First Course: Taste & Food Criticism	p. 71
Taste, Gastronomic Expertise, and Objectivity	p. 73
Who Needs a Critic? The Standard of Taste and the Power of Branding	p. 88
Hungry Engrams: Food and Non-Representational Memory	p. 102
Second Course: Edible Art & Aesthetics	p. 115
Can a Soup Be Beautiful? The Rise of Gastronomy and the Aesthetics of Food	p. 117
Can Food Be Art? The Problem of Consumption	p. 133
Delightful, Delicious, Disgusting	p. 145
Food Fetishes and Sin-Aesthetics: Professor Dewey, Please Save Me From Myself	p. 162
Dessert: Eating & Ethics	p. 175
Eating Well: Thinking Ethically About Food	p. 177
Picky Eating is a Moral Failing	p. 192
Shall We Dine? Confronting the Strange and Horrifying Story of GMOs in Our Food	p. 208
Taking Stock: An Overview of Arguments For and Against Hunting	p. 221
Petits Fours: Compliments of the Chef	p. 237
Food and Sensuality: A Perfect Pairing	p. 239
Duty to Cook: Exploring the Intents and Ethics of Home and Restaurant Cuisine	p. 250
Diplomacy of the Dish: Cultural Understanding Through Taste	p. 264
Balancing Tastes: Inspiration, Taste, and Aesthetics in the Kitchen	p. 276
Afterword	p. 287
Thus Ate Zarathustra	p. 289
Notes on Contributors	p. 293
Index	p. 299
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