FOOD PHILOSOPHY?

All of us know what is Food Technology but Food Philosophy is unheard.

It can be conceived as an interdisciplinary study integrating the insights of the science of nutrition, medicine, religion, law and, of course, philosophy.

Philosophy presents various ideas of food ranging from the idea that it is essential constituting, upto a certain extent the individual Self or Spirit.

Not only at the individual level but at the Cosmic level, it is observed that every being ultimately arises and is sustained by food.

Food need not be taken only in the physical sense. It can be emotional,intellectual and spiritual.

So, there are diverse philosophical perspectives ranging from one extreme that not only food but all material needs are to be curbed, rather controlled, regulated, channelized or sublimated. Ascetic practices require full control over food and other related necessities. Craving is, on this view, evil.

On the other hand, there are philosophers who find such views as morbid and prescribe the full enjoyment not only of food but all sense-experiences. Gustatory pleasures, alongwith audio-visual, tactual and olfactory pleasures are regarded as central constituting the essence of human life.

Avoiding both extremes, certain philosophies lay down concrete restrictions. e.g. Hathayogapradeepika, a text in Yoga, states categorically which food is conducive to Yoga and which food is forbidden.

Limited food or Moderate Diet is insisted in many philosophical texts.

There are texts which explain why should we eat. Enjoyment is one of the reasons . If the purpose of human life is Self-Realization, food is to be consumed only for the maintenance of body which is the instrument for spiritual development.

Therefore, food is revered and distributed as Divine Blessing.

The variety in food with specialties which are culture-specific is one more important topic in Food Philosophy.

The way food is to be cooked, the precautions we need to keep in mind, the ingredients to be used and different recipes available digitally provide the data to Food Philosophy.

Such a study is possible with Practicals so that Philosophy is not only interesting but delicious as well…..