Food Ethics

We are what we eat--morally as well as molecularly. So how should concerns about animals, workers, the environment, and community inform our food choices? Can we develop viable foodways for growing populations while respecting race, ethnic, and religious differences? What does food justice look like in a global industrial food system where there are massive differences in resources, education, and food security? The main goal of this course is not to prescribe answers to these questions but to give students the tools required to reflect on them effectively. These tools include a knowledge of four leading ethical theories and a grasp of key empirical issues regarding food production, distribution, and consumption.