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Food for Thought. Lecture #1 Joe Lau. What you need to know …. Get all lecture notes, files, etc from http://philosophy.hku.hk/courses/food Including this powerpoint. This course. Does not provide free food. Does not teach you how to cook. Is not a restaurant guide. Philosophy of food.
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Food forThought Lecture #1 Joe Lau
What you need to know … • Get all lecture notes, files, etc fromhttp://philosophy.hku.hk/courses/food • Including this powerpoint
This course • Does not provide free food. • Does not teach you how to cook. • Is not a restaurant guide.
Philosophy of food • Philosophy of X = Critical discussion about X that mainly involve values, conceptual analysis, and logic. • Not history • Not science • Not literature
We want to show you that … • Philosophy is practical • It can relate to everyday life. • Philosophy is critical reflection • Revealing complexity behind the mundane. • See things in new ways.
Socrates (469-399 BC) The unexamined life is not worth living
3 dimensions of issues Subjectivity Food Morality Sociology & culture
Morality • What are the moral constraints on eating? • How do we justify these constraints? • Some examples • Rights of animals • Duty to help others in need • Drugs, alcohol & lifestyle choices
Subjectivity of experience • Metaphysics – Is the experience of food beyond the scope of science? • Value – Does “good taste” and “bad taste” really make sense?
Sociology & culture • Is cooking an art? What is art? • Globalization – food as an instrument of exploitation • Food in popular culture
Assessment • Problem sets (20%) • Portfolio (40%) • In-class test(4th May) (40%) • See web site
Mobile phone policy • $10 fine when your phone / pager rings.
Special activities • Guest lectures • Movies • Presentations • Fieldtrips
Now • Next week: animal rights • A short video from PETA (visit http://www.petatv.com/) • See course web site