PSYC 2100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Marvin Harris, Norbert Elias, Vegetarianism
26 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Most children raised with idea that eating mean is normal and desirable. Meat- eating and vegetarianism and binary oppositions. Vegetarianism defined in terms of avoidance of eating the flesh. Contains all essential amino acids needed for the body. Significant role in british and north american diets. Meat difficult to obtain in the wild, domesticated animals resources intensive. Meat as a convenient food source ( high energy, high protein, low bulk food) Good match between meat and our nutritional needs. Harris: develops an evolutionary and ecological approach to understand food preferences and avoidances. Food preferences and avoidances shaped by calculation of practical cost and benefits within a particular ecological setting. Ten to have more favorable balance of practical benefits than cost. These foods tend to offer more energy, proteins, vitamins or minerals. May require more effort to gather or produce. Favorable foods may not be shared equally in society. Women, children, elderly and lower classes ten to eat less favored foods.
