PHIL 20429 - Are We Eating Good Food?, Fall 2012

COURSE TITLE Professor Daniel Hicks, Ph.D. Philosophy Department University of Notre Dame Course Structure: 75 minute classes - twice a week

Photo: USDA Agricultural Research Service, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Course Description

In the last few years, an increasing number of voices have answered the title question for this course with a resounding "no." In this course, we will develop conceptual tools from ethics, political philosophy, and philosophy of science to critically engage with both proponents and critics of several aspects of our contemporary food system. Possible topics will be picked based on student interest, and include but are not limited to vegetarianism, conventional vs. organic vs. 'beyond organic' agriculture, transgenic or GMO crops, justice for food workers, scientific and public policy controversies over nutrition and health, food deserts, and 'special interest' control of agricultural politics and economics. We will also be working on a service project with Purple Porch Co-op -- a local food co-op -- in order to understand how these issues appear in and impact the food system of the Michiana region.