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Food Ethics in Everyday Food Consumption

Food Ethics in Everyday Food Consumption. Christian Coff Agronomist, PhD in Philosophy University College Zealand, Denmark E: cco@ucsj.dk 18th International Ethnological Food Research Conference, Finland, August 2010. Food as an ethical relationship - outline of presentation.

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Food Ethics in Everyday Food Consumption

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  1. Food Ethics inEveryday Food Consumption Christian Coff Agronomist, PhD in Philosophy University College Zealand, Denmark E: cco@ucsj.dk 18th International Ethnological Food Research Conference, Finland, August 2010

  2. Food as an ethical relationship - outline of presentation Relationships between ethics, food and eating Perceptions of food ethics Semiotic model on communication on food Everyday food ethical concerns

  3. Food ethics - some topics Agricultural ethics Biotechnology Feeding Hunger Marketing, trade and labelling Animal welfare Food laws, regulations and governance Food safety Food consumption Health . . . .

  4. Ethics The possibility of ”offending” or ”doing harm” has been suggested as indicators of whether ethics is involved or not (Platon) - or “consciousness of injustice” (Axel Honneth) Ethics belong to practical philosophy: it concerns the relationship between two or more parties Ethics is about reasoning/judging about rights and wrongs Many ethical schools; for instance virtue ethics (Aristotle), hedonism, deontological ethics (Kant), consequentialism, utilitarianism etc. 4

  5. Food as a relationship Food originate ultimately from nature: Harvested wilderness or Domesticated animals/plants/micro organisms Transformation: from natural to cultural food processing, food handling and cooking from uneatable to eatable Our eating habits form the landscape, working conditions in the food sector, the environment, climate, animal welfare, family structures, identity . . .

  6. Food as a relationship Eating: a process of transformation: In-corporation Digestion (pepsis) In-carnation The outer world is transformed to human body Cooking: preparing food for oneself and others The meal: from egoism to community

  7. Food ethics The vision of the good life with and for others in fair food production and consumption practices Based on the French philosopher Paul Ricœur’s understanding of ethics in Soi-même comme un autre (1991)

  8. Main areas in food ethics Food security (food for all) Food safety (non-contaminated food) Nutritional values (health, modified foods like functional food etc.) The production history (Ethical questions raised by production practices and conditions in the food chain) What about taste?

  9. Food ethics and time The past: Food ethics stretches backwards: Towards the living nature that the food comes from and towards the production practices under which the food has been produced Present: Decisions, choices The future: Food ethics stretches forwards: Towards the future consumers of the food

  10. Situating food ethics in everyday life The common meal (family, friends, community, network, business, religious ceremonies etc) Shopping food and cooking Catering outlets Cases where food ethics is not/should not be an issue?

  11. Ten food ethical concerns Animal welfare Human health and well-being Methods of production and processing and their impact (e.g., environmental, landscape) Terms of trade (fair price, etc.) Working conditions Quality (intrinsic qualities such as taste, composition, etc.) Origin and place Trust Voice (participation) Transparency (Coff et al: Ethical Traceability and Communicating Food, 2008)

  12. Everyday food ethicsin a semiotic perspective Charles Sanders Pierce’s triadic relation and food according to Middellthon: Supplier of food: producer, retailer, catering outlets, parents, families, friends, hosts . . . Receiver of food: friends, families, customers, patients, participants in conferences . . . (Inspired by Middelthon, Anne-Lise: ”Når maden bliver frelser eller bøddel”. In Glasdam, Stinne: Folkesundhed i et kritisk perspektiv. Nyt nordisk forlag, 2009, pp. 223-239) Supplier of food - food itself - receiver of food

  13. Food (qualities, values …) Pierce’s model Object Sign ’Interpretant’ Understandings of food Food (qualities, values . . .) Interpretant: Supplier of food Food sign (trace) Food sign (trace) Interpretant: Receiver of food

  14. Same food - different understandings Food (qualities, values . . .) Food (qualities, values . . . ) Food Sign (trace) Interpretant: Supplier offood Interpretant: Receiver of food Potential moral conflicts: identity, culture, tradition, prestige etc.

  15. Food communicating ethics Food safety Information and communication Voice Taste and sensation Supplier Production history; Sustainability and responsibility Food sign Receiver Service Convenience Health and well-being Culture and tradition Food security

  16. Food sign Exchange of understandings of food Food sign Food qualities Receiver of food Supplier offood

  17. Thank you for your attention

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