A Critique of the Moral Defense of Vegetarianism

Drawing on research in plant science, systems ecology, environmental philosophy, and cultural anthropology, Andrew F. Smith shatters the distinction between vegetarianism and omnivorism. The book outlines the implications that these manufactured distinctions have for how we view food and ourselves as eaters.

• environment
• ethics
• medicine
• moral
• morality
• nature conservation
• philosophy
• public health
• science

"Smith offers a powerful and careful argument that contests moral, philosophical, and cultural arguments for vegetarianism and veganism. This is a beautifully readable work. The author's openness to his own struggles and his reflexivity about the processes by which he has reached his conclusions make it easy to follow along. At the same time Smith requires readers to reflect and work hard. Wonderful! Why isn't more academia like this?" - Graham Harvey, The Open University, UK

"Andrew F. Smith proceeds with well-grounded premises that defy the binary between the animal and plant worlds. I highly recommend this book for its thoughtful investigation of the 'closed-loop' system of life." - Naomi Zack, University of Oregon, USA

"This is one of the most important books I've read in the past two decades. Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or neither, it will change your mind in significant ways (it did mine). And you'll enjoy the process, even if it means relinquishing some assumptions you once considered far too self-evident to be questioned." - Daniel Quinn, author of Ishmael

"Smith offers a powerful and careful argument that contests moral, philosophical, and cultural arguments for vegetarianism and veganism. This is a beautifully readable work. The author's openness to his own struggles and his reflexivity about the processes by which he has reached his conclusions make it easy to follow along. At the same time Smith requires readers to reflect and work hard. Wonderful! Why isn't more academia like this?" - Graham Harvey, The Open University, UK

"Andrew F. Smith proceeds with well-grounded premises that defy the binary between the animal and plant worlds. I highly recommend this book for its thoughtful investigation of the 'closed-loop' system of life." - Naomi Zack, University of Oregon, USA

"This is one of the most important books I've read in the past two decades. Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, or neither, it will change your mind in significant ways (it did mine). And you'll enjoy the process, even if it means relinquishing some assumptions you once considered far too self-evident to be questioned." - Daniel Quinn, author of Ishmael

Andrew F. Smith is an assistant professor of English and philosophy at Drexel University, USA. His current research is in environmental philosophy and social and political philosophy. His first book is The Deliberative Impulse: Motivating Discourse in Divided Societies (2011), and he has published broadly on rationality, religion in the public sphere, biblical literalism, homelessness, and food deserts.

Policies and ethics