Philosophy of Food

General Resources

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Food System Research & Food Activism -- Research a specific aspect of food production and distribution in your local food system. A research focus involves documenting the issue, whereas an activism focus may involve trying to promote positive change. Here are a few examples:

Visit a local supplier of organic foods or a local producer of industrial foods. Integrate relevant course issues into your analysis and reflection on your visit.

Examples: Visit Pure Eiyre Dairy in Othello, which touts its humane and organic methods. Sample their products, comparing them to industrial equivalents. http://www.pureeiredairy.com .
Try to visit Snyder's bread factory and then one of the artisan bakers in town: Common Crumb, Luna (Boosie's), Petite Chat. Assess one or more restaurant menus in terms of nutrition, sourcing, or gastronomy.
Visit a local organic ranch or farm to gain insight into their values and challenges. What are the economics of such an enterprise.

Food movie and book groups -- Get together with other students or work on your own to deepen your understanding of an additional book or movie source on food. Choose journals and/or class reporting as part of this assignment.

Catching Fire Richard Wrangham -- This book by a leading medical anthropologist has been widely discussed and referenced in the last year. It brings together a fascinating literature on the effects of cooking on human evolution.
The Good Gut Justin and Erica Sonnenburg -- This microbiology couple at Stanford contributed this volume to the current discussion gut bacterial" or your microbiome.
Mindful Eating Jan Chozen Bays -- In this work, the author, a medical doctor, explores the ways that becoming a more mindful eater can improve your awareness of the importance of eating, your diet, control of appetite, and enjoyment of food.
In Meat We Trust Maureen Ogle -- Historians will like this story of the US cultural and dietary relationship with meat.
Philosophers at Table Raymond Boisvert and Lisa Heldke -- A recent work in philosophy on the nature of food and being human.

David Kalplan's U of North Texas Philosophy of Food bibliography: [3]

Marler Clark -- [4]

Fasting -- Mark Mattson: Why fasting bolsters brain power. [5]

Functional Medicine Site: [6]

The Newbeats, "Bread and Butter" 1964 [7] Nancy Walker, "I Can Cook, Too!" [8]