The Philosophy of Food | Wednesday, 3rd Period

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal arranged everything on the desk carefully, then sat and waited for everyone to arrive.

Once they were there, he nodded. "We discussed last week what makes something food, why some things are or aren't. This week, we have another question. Why do we eat?"

He waved at the food and drink. "There are the obvious answers; most people will say, 'we eat because we're hungry'. But it is rarely so clear-cut. Each section here is a pair of foods. You may eat or drink only one from each pair. Choose one - or neither - and explain to us why. Feel free to debate it with each other as well. Feel free to ask me or each other questions."

He leaned forward. "Remember, there are no wrong answers; it's the reasoning we're after."

Comments

Second pairing!

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"Paté. With fresh-baked, lightly toasted bread and garnish, or as a lump." He grimaced slightly at the latter; after the time spent preparing it, it nearly physically hurt to present it like this. Still, at least with Mavis...indisposed...there would be no worries about the garlic in it. "These are the same basic food, although the first does have accompaniments."

Re: Second pairing!

[rilla-myrilla.livejournal.com]

Rilla made a tiny face but didn't say anything unflattering. "I choose the first one because I know I like toast," she said, "and the food looks prettier than the lump."

Re: Second pairing!

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"It does indeed. Did you notice that you called the pretty one 'food', but not the 'lump'? This is one reason presentation matters."

Re: Second pairing!

[3girls-1core.livejournal.com]

Zhari wrinkled her nose. "The lump just looks gro--err, unappealing. And there's nothing to eat it with. The toast is neater."

Hopefully Mr. Lecter wouldn't mind that she'd almost said one of the banned words!

She tried the paté and beamed. "Hey, this is really good!"

Re: Second pairing!

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"Thank you." Hannibal gave her a little bow, pleased. He'd forgive her almost-slip, since she had corrected herself.

Re: Second pairing!

[3girls-1core.livejournal.com]

But he'd noted it, so Zhari figured she could ask him a question. "Is there really that much of a difference between 'gross' and 'unappealing'? I mean, they're both negative and they're both subjective. Would it have been different if I said that it looked gross, rather than was gross?"

Re: Second pairing!

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"I will grant you it is largely a matter of semantics. However, meanings are a powerful thing."

Hannibal took a bit of the paté himself. "If you say the food merely looks gross, you are judging its looks based upon its looks. If you say that it is gross, you are judging its existence, its taste, everything about it, based upon its looks."

He smirked. "And while I may have been forced, for the sake of the lesson, to prepare food that looks unappetizing, I should be appalled to hear that the dish itself were gross."