The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast

Episode 142, 'The Philosophy of Food' with Julian Baggini (Part I - How the World Eats)

Apr 20, 2025

Join philosopher and popular writer Julian Baggini as he delves into the vital connections between our food choices and broader philosophical themes. He discusses the complexities of modern food systems, questioning capitalism’s role in exploitation. Baggini highlights environmental issues like destructive fishing practices and emphasizes the urgent need for systemic changes to combat food waste and injustices faced by farmers. His insights prompt listeners to reflect on ethics, sustainability, and the significance of conscious eating in today’s world.

40:30

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Episode guests

Julian Baggini

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The complexity of global food production reveals significant environmental and ethical issues, necessitating a deeper understanding of food systems by consumers.

Promoting plurality in food practices is essential for sustainable solutions, as diverse local adaptations are needed to address varied agricultural challenges globally.

Deep dives

Understanding the Complexity of Food Production

Food production is an intricate system far more complex than the simple process of growing and eating. Most agricultural products serve as commodities rather than direct foods, often processed and transformed into ultra-processed ingredients before reaching consumers. For instance, many farm animals do not graze in fields as assumed; instead, they are often raised in confined settings and fed grains like soybeans, which can lead to environmental issues like deforestation. This complexity highlights the need for consumers to grasp how food systems operate, encompassing the economic, environmental, and cultural implications.

Intro

2min

Philosophy and Complexity of Food Systems

21min

Exploring Capitalism's Impact on Food Systems

5min

Destructive Practices in the Fishing Industry

3min

Confronting Food Waste and Injustice

7min

Exploring Injustice and Reason in the Food System

3min

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.

Links

Julian Baggini, Website

Julian Baggini, How the World Eats: A Global Food Philosophy