The Ethics of What We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter



The Ethics of What We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter

Spring 2010

Instructor: Dr. Williams

Office: Daniel Building 208

Office Phone: 597-4907

Email: WilliamsNM@wofford.edu

Office Hours: MW 1:30-3:30 or by appt.

Class time/location: MWF (10:30-12:20)/RMSC121

Course Description

The course introduces students to some of the current debates about the ethical issues related to food consumption, production, and distribution. We will examine topics such as world hunger, the ethics of meat eating and biotechnology (or genetically modified foods). We will also consider some important questions about food safety and the increasingly significant role of multinational corporations in food production.

Required Text/readings

●Gregory Pence, The Ethics of Food: A reader for the 21st century Rowan & Littlefield, 2002.

●Vandana Shiva, Stolen Harvest: The hijacking of the global food supply, South End Press, 2000.

●Peter Singer and Jim Mason, The Ethics of What We Eat, Rodale, 2006

●Material on e-reserve and handouts

Learning Outcomes

1. to acquaint students with the basic concepts and contemporary debates in food ethics;

2. to improve critical thinking skills;

3. to promote communication skills via written exams and oral presentations;

4. to assist students in cultivating a deeper appreciation about how our food choices have ethical consequences.

Methods of Evaluation and Distribution of Graded Work

●Exam 1 = 30%

●Group Presentation = 15%

●Current Event Presentation= 15%

●Participation= 10%

●Final Exam = 30%

Grading Scale (percentage): A =100-94; A- = 93-90; B+ = 89-87; B =86-84; B- =83-80; C+ = 79-77; C =76-74; C- =73-70; D =69-60; F =below 60

Late Work

All work is due at the beginning of class. One letter grade will be deducted for every day your work is late.

Attendance

Attendance is required in this class. You are allowed two absences with no grade reduction, thereafter five points off your final exam grade for every unexcused absence. I will record attendance at every class meeting. You are required to arrive at class on time and remain for the entire period in order to be counted as present.

Academic Honesty

Academic dishonesty will be handed in accordance to Wofford’s honor code, which can be found at

Disability

If you have a disability that requires my attention please let me know as soon as possible so that I may accommodate you.

Reading assignments and due dates (subject to change)

The Ethics of Food: A reader for the 21st century (EF)

The Ethics of What We Eat (EWE)

All group presentations (GP) will draw on America’s Food: what you don’t know about what you eat (2009), located at the Reserve Desk

Week 1 – Feb. 8-12 The Meaning of Food

(EF) Introduction

chps. 1 and 2

Week 2 – Feb. 15-19 Feeding the Poor and Corporate Influence

E-Reserve: Hardin: “Lifeboat Ethics”

E-Reserve: Murdoch and Oaten: “Population and Food”

Shiva: Stolen Harvest

Week 3 – Feb. 22-26

Stolen Harvest

(EF) chp. 17

Week 4 – March 1-5 Genetically Modified Foods or Organic: Which is better?

(GP) “Old MacDonald Has No Farm”

(EF) Chps. 10, 11, 12

Week 5 – March 8-12

(GP) “Genetically Modified Food”

Film: Food, Inc.

(GP) “Organic Food”

Week 6 – March 15-19 The Standard American Diet (SAD)

Exam 1

(EWE) Part 1: chps. 1 and 2

(EWE) chp. 3

Week 7 – March 22-26 The Conscientious Omnivores

(EWE) chap. 4

(GP) “Chicken, Eggs, Turkey, and Duck”

(EWE) Part 2: chps. 6 and 8

Video: Farm Sanctuary

Week 8– Spring Break

Week 9 – April 5-9

(GP) “Cattle, Milk, Swine, and Sheep”

(EWE) chps. 9 and 10

(GP) “Eating Poorly and Too Much”

Week 10 – April 12-16 The Vegans

(EWE) chps. 11 and 12

(EWE) chps. 13

Week 11 – April 19-23

(EWE) chp. 14

(EWE) chps. 15 and 16

(GP) “Fruits and Vegetables”

Week 12 – April 26-30

(EF) chp. 4 and (EWE) chp. 17

Video: Meet your Meat

Week 13 – May 3-7 Food Safety

(GP) “Food Processing”

(EF) chps. 19 and 20

Film: Fast Food Nation

Week 14 – May 10-14

Student current event presentations

Final exam: TBA

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