CCHU9005 Food and Values

L1 - Introduction

Joe Y. F. Lau
Philosophy Department
HKU 2024
 PART I

ABOUT THIS COURSE

GENERAL INFORMATION
• Course outline, PowerPoint files, etc. all on HKU Moodle.
• Weekly lectures. Tutorial signup details TBA (on Moodle).
• First point of contact: your tutor, course forum
• Enrollment by computer lottery only
• Lecture etiquette: Be punctual, no phone calls, avoid chatting
• Assessment: 2 short problem sets + final essay + reflective
writing + tutorial
• Complete online survey Before Monday 22 January (required).
WHAT IS THIS COURSE
ABOUT?
• Focus: The philosophy of food
• Not: nutrition, cooking, chemistry
• An interdisciplinary approach
 WHAT IS
PHILOSOPHY?
Many equate philosophy with words of wisdom.
WHAT WE MEAN BY
“PHILOSOPHY”
Using critical thinking to solve fundamental problems.
• Critical thinking: analysis of meaning, logic, & reasoning.
• Neither science nor mathematics.
There are different areas of philosophy
• Metaphysics (existence): Does God exist?
• Epistemology (knowledge): Are we in a computer simulation?
• Value: What is the meaning of life?
WHAT PHILOSOPHY
CAN DO
Think more deeply
Challenge what is taken for granted
Stimulate new ideas
Improve society

Thales
PHILOSOPHY CHANGING
THE WORLD
Calculus (Leibniz)
Free market (Adam Smith)
Special relativity
Democracy, feminism, human rights
Logic and computers
“THE UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT
WORTH LIVING.”
- Socrates
QUIZ: WHO SAID THIS? 
STEVE JOBS
I would trade all of my
technology for an
afternoon with
Socrates.
David Chang Yotam Ottolenghi
 WHAT IS
THE
PHILOSOPH
Y OF
FOOD?
Applying critical
thinking
 NORMAL
THINKING
Is it tasty?
Is it healthy?
Is it worth the money?

This course:
How food relates to our values in morality, art, life.
EATING MEAT:
DO LOBSTERS FEEL PAIN?
Switzerland: No boiling
UK: lobster, octopuses, and crabs
are sentient creatures
How do we know?
Is it wrong to eat them?
What about other animals?
IS IT IMMORAL TO SPEND
SO MUCH ON A MEAL $1488
WHEN OTHER PEOPLE DO LOBSTER
NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO MEAL
IS TASTE PURELY
SUBJECTIVE?
“Cockroaches of the sea”
In North America, there was a time
when lobsters were used as
fertilizers, and eaten by slaves,
prisoners and poor people.
OTHER TOPICS IN THIS
COURSE
GM food – Good or bad?
Drugs – Why coffee and wine but not drugs?
Capitalism – What is wrong with modern food
production?
Art – Can food be art? What is art?
 PART II

CRITICAL THINKING
CRITICAL THINKING
NEEDS TRAINING
Even though everyone can think,
not everyone can think WELL.
There is always room for improvement.
Not everyone has the motivation and
discipline to train their minds.
WHAT IS CRITICAL
THINKING?
Solving problems by thinking
clearly and rationally.
Clarity: What does it mean?
Rationality: Is it true? What are
the reasons & objections?
 WARMUP QUESTION

IS A HOTDOG A SANDWICH?

A legal case: White City Shopping Ctr., LP v. PR Restaurants

VIP: GET RID OF “MODEL
ANSWER” MINDSET
In philosophy, many problems do not have simple model answers.
Focus on the thinking process and the reasons for your conclusion.
Come up with your own definitions and examples.
If THIS, then THAT. … If THIS OTHER THING, then
SOMETHING ELSE.
“No model answer” does not mean “every answer is equally good”.
Be comfortable with uncertainty, complexity, disagreement.
 TAKE-HOME EXERCISE

HOW MANY HOLES DOES A STRAW HAVE?

CRITICAL THINKING: BASIC
TECHNIQUES
1. Clarify key terms
2. Learn how to give an argument
3. Distinguish between truth and validity
4. Think about arguments on both sides
#2: GIVING AN ARGUMENT
An argument presents the reasons (premises) for a
conclusion.
A clearly-presented argument includes nothing irrelevant.
1. Pineapple buns contain trans fat.
2. We should not eat anything that contains trans fat.
3. Therefore, we should not eat pineapple buns.
VIP: DO NOT DESCRIBE AN
ARGUMENT AS “TRUE”
The premises / conclusion can be true or false.
The argument is good / bad / (im)plausible / (in)valid / sound.
1. Pineapple buns contain trans fat.
2. We should not eat anything that contains trans fat.
3. Therefore, we should not eat pineapple buns.
GOOD
ARGUMENT?
I ate salmon today.
Salmon is a fish.
Therefore, I ate fish today.
GOOD
ARGUMENT?
I ate fish today.
Salmon is a fish.
Therefore, I ate salmon today.
TRUE PREMISES & CONCLUSION,
BAD REASONING !
I ate fish today.
Salmon is a fish.
Therefore, I ate salmon today.
GOOD
ARGUMENT?
I ate salmon today.
Salmon is a vegetable.
Therefore, I ate vegetable
today.
GOOD REASONING, BUT HAS A
FALSE PREMISE
I ate salmon today.
Salmon is a vegetable.
Therefore, I ate vegetable today.

We want good reasoning AND true premises.

#3: VIP – DISTINGUISH
VALIDITY AND TRUTH
Validity: If the premises are true, the conclusion must be true.
A valid argument with false premises can have a true
conclusion.

So, DO NOT say

“If you start with false assumptions, you can never arrive at a true
conclusion with logical reasoning.”
“Because your premises are false, your conclusion must also be false.”
 #4. THINK ABOUT
ARGUMENTS ON BOTH SIDES
Argument map = diagram of an argument

Insects are a good source of protein

We should eat insects

Just one side
 GIVE MULTIPLE REASONS

Insects are a good Eating insects is better

source of protein for the environment

We should eat insects

Still one side
MYSIDE BIAS
People often only think about the reasons that agree with them.
They do not spend enough time thinking about potential
objections.
Sometimes we get annoyed by criticisms.
Applies to intelligent people as well.
So: Be more careful and exercise self-control.
THINK ABOUT OPPOSING
REASONS
Better for the
Source of protein
environment

We should eat insects

Eating insects is Eating insects might

disgusting be unhealthy
 EVALUATE THE REASONS
Better for the
Source of protein
environment

Attitudes can More research

change We should eat insects needed

Eating insects is Eating insects might

disgusting be unhealthy
THEOR 3 important factors for improving a skill
Y
PRACT Suggestions:
- Read more, think more, discuss more
ICE - Be critical towards your own ideas

ATTIT
- Be patient and cool-headed
- Learn from good role models

UDE
ADVERTIS
EMENT
HOMEWORK
Read the course outline carefully.
Start going through the required readings.
Complete the online survey before Monday 22 Jan if
you are already registered for the course.
Q&A
Go to
www.pigeonhole.at

Enter passcode
9005