"And what, Socrates, is the food for the soul?
Surely, I said, knowledge is the food for the soul"
The Weissman Center's 2010-11 Food series focuses on the philosophical questions and practical approaches to world hunger, global climate change, and animals as a food source. We will examine choices we make on a daily basis, as well as those of communities here and abroad, that have a direct impact on the quality and quantity of food. What are the moral consequences of abundance, and should individuals and societies share in a fairer distribution of resources? Can local, sustainable agriculture help mitigate global climate change, and if so, how should society address this? Does living off the higher food chain foster greater food insecurity? How do we change, or should we change, habits of food consumption?
Pioneers in the world food movement will address these questions and more at the Weissman Center Food events this fall. Anna Lappé, author of "Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do about It", will examine the effects of agribusiness on global climate. Later in the fall, bioethicist and philosopher Peter Singer will speak about the global disparities of abundance and starvation, and the moral implications of this. Temple Grandin, renowned leader in the autism and animal rights movements, will discuss her insights into animal behavior and address the treatment of animals destined for slaughter as a food source.