This module places a focus on ethical questions related to the production and consumption of food.
Definition 0.0.1 — Ethics : The study of what is good and bad; of which actions are right (obligatory or at least permissible) and which ones are wrong (prohibited).
'Right' and 'wrong' are used throughout this course in a specifically ethical sense, in that if you do something right, you are ethically accountable for your action, which does not necessarily entail legal trouble. Ethical principles are stricter than legal principles—legal actions may still be ethically wrong.
The goal of this module is not to dictate what you eat, but rather to equip you with tools from the tradition of philosophical reflection on ethics as well as relevant empirical information on food. This will prompt self-reflection and allow rational decisions to be made.
Read: Global Food Disparities
Definition 1.1.1 — Agrarianism : The sociopolitical philosophy that advocates for a return to subsistence agriculture, family farming, property ownership, and political decentralization.
Definition 1.1.2 — Externalities : The consequences of production that are unaccounted for by the price of goods.
The film Food, Inc. discusses the centralized theme of food ignorance. Namely, the blindness of consumers toward the operations of large food-producing corporations.
- Multinational corporations dominate food production, from farming to distribution.
- Misleading advertising hides the reality of factory-style food production.
- This system impacts the environment, animal welfare, and human health.
- Focus on efficiency and profit leads to breeding animals (e.g., chickens) to grow unnaturally fast.
- Farmers are often under strict corporate contracts, giving them little control.
- Economic pressures on farmers force them into debt, limiting their power to advocate for better practices.
- Subsidies for crops like corn and soy keep ingredient prices artificially low.
- Corn derivatives, like high-fructose corn syrup, are found in many processed foods.
- These cheap, unhealthy foods contribute to rising rates of obesity and diet-related diseases, especially among lower-income populations.
- Regulatory agencies often fail to provide proper oversight due to corporate influence.
- The consolidation of meatpacking plants leads to widespread contamination risks (e.g., E. coli outbreaks).
- Industrial food production relies on undocumented workers facing harsh conditions and lacking legal protections.
- The labor system reinforces corporate power and limits worker rights.
- Farms like Polyface Farms promote sustainable practices, such as grass-fed livestock and humane animal treatment.
- These methods are more costly but reflect the true price of food, factoring in environmental and health impacts.
- Consumers can drive change by making informed purchasing decisions and engaging politically.
- Awareness of the hidden costs of industrial food production is key to fostering a more accountable, sustainable system.