Julian Baggini, a renowned philosopher and member of the Food Ethics Council, dives deep into food's ethical dimensions and its global impact. He examines the balance between animal welfare and practical activism, critiquing utilitarian views. The discussion also tackles the philosophy behind cultured meat, scrutinizing its practicalities versus traditional methods. Baggini explores the complexities surrounding GMOs, advocating for informed food choices. Additionally, he highlights the emotional and social significance of food and shared meals, revealing their philosophical depths.
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insights INSIGHT
Power of Clear Food Principles
Philosophical principles, while seeming vague, provide essential guidance for effective change in the food system.
Having universally agreed principles highlights when they are not followed, making them powerful for change.
insights INSIGHT
Limits of Utilitarian Animal Rights
Utilitarian logic in animal rights can lead to paradoxical conclusions like endorsing meat-eating.
It's more productive to agree animals can suffer rather than solely rely on utilitarianism.
insights INSIGHT
Human Self-Awareness and Life Value
The key difference between humans and animals lies in self-awareness and creating meaningful life narratives.
This gives human life a distinct moral weight compared to animal life.
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In this wide-ranging and definitive book, philosopher Julian Baggini delves into the best and worst food practices in various societies around the world, past and present. He examines cutting-edge technologies like new farming methods, cultured meat, GM food, and astronaut food, as well as the ethics and health implications of ultra-processed food and aquaculture. Baggini also critiques the effectiveness of food governance, the challenges of food wastage, and the effects of commodification. The book advocates for a sustainable and equitable global food system fit for the twenty-first century and beyond.
Food is one of the most universal and essential parts of human life. From gourmet steaks to the everyday, humble, packet of crisps, food consumption is everywhere. But what do we actually know about how our food is grown? How is it processed? And how does it ends up on our supermarket shelves or in our restaurants and takeaways? While we may look back and think traditional food customs are more often in harmony with the natural environment, most of us today rely on a complex global food web of production, distribution, consumption and disposal. But how does it work, and what can philosophy say about food?
Joining our discussion on food philosophy today is philosopher Julian Baggini. Baggini is an expert in popular philosophy with Sunday Times best-selling books such as How the World Thinks, How to Think Like a Philosopher and The Pig That Wants to be Eaten. He has served as the academic director of the Royal Institute of philosophy and is a member of the Food Ethics Council. He has written for The Guardian, the Times Literary Supplement, the Financial Times, and Prospect Magazine, as well as a plethora of academic journals and think tanks.
In his wide-ranging and definitive new book, How the World Eats, Baggini argues that the need for a better understanding of how we feed ourselves has never been more urgent. Baggini delves into the best and worst food practises around the world in a huge array of different societies, past and present-exploring cutting edge technologies, the ethics and health of ultra processed food and the effectiveness of our food governance. His goal: to extract a food philosophy of essential principles, on which to build a food system fit for the 21st century and beyond. What is that food philosophy? Let's tuck in, and find out.
The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast 
