A selection of the best from recent issues of the Philosopher

 A principal focus of the contemporary debate surrounding the human / non-human animal lies in the consumption of the animal body as food. It has been argued that humans are turning their backs on animal products in growing numbers, a belief that would appear to be supported by the growing range of 'vegetarian' alternatives being sold by the high street food retailers. In this fascinating and compelling investigation of vegetarianism, Michael A. Fox not only identifies the complex theoretical and physical underpinnings of vegetarian belief, but urges towards the adoption of such a lifestyle.

Through an Aristotelian mapping of the moral, cultural and political underpinnings of vegetarianism Fox guides us through the complex debates surrounding the resistance to the consumption of the non-human animal as food. In this way he 'problematises' the generally held assumptions which have historically defined the 'normality' of carnivorism. As the title suggests, he has avoided the production of a shallow surface discussion of what it is to be vegetarian and with it the arbitrary common-sense arguments based within dualist paradigms of humanity / nature which often restrict debate of any substance. He locates humanity, and therefore vegetarianism, within nature and identifies through this holistic approach the significance of what he terms as the development of a vegetarian conscience. 

 While Fox openly advocates the adoption of a vegetarian existence, he avoids the production of a prescriptive polemic through a focus on persuasion and balanced debate. In this way he rises above the often polarised and dichotomous arguments which surround the concepts of vegetarianism and thus avoids a descent into base discussions of good, evil and wrong.
Fox has defined and developed a penetrating exploration of vegetarianism which identifies the multi-dimensional, and mutually reinforcing, arguments which have been used to support and deny vegetarian beliefs and lifestyles. The book begins with the discussion of specific historical dimensions of vegetarianism, the symbolism of food, the ability of humanity to apply fluid and apparently contradictory values to the lives of animals, and an outline of the philosophical and physical underpinnings of different forms of vegetarian thought. Following from this, some of the diverse arguments which support and command the adoption of a vegetarian lifestyle are analysed in depth. 

 This includes discussions on the health and wellbeing of both humans and animals, human morality, environmental concern, and on religious and spiritual beliefs. In this way, Fox produces a compelling advocacy towards the adoption of vegetarianism. This is followed by a critical evaluation of the arguments used against vegetarianism which focuses on particular areas such as the reason of humans as natural carnivores, the potential dangers of mass adoption of vegetarianism, the ecological objections and the ethical resistance to enforced vegetarianism and anti-carnivorism. 

 In this section, Fox eloquently highlights the strength and complexity of the defensive arguments against the adoption of a vegetarian diet, highlighting particular debates which have often been marginalised, such as feminist critiques of vegetarianism, and the potential role of humanity as regulator of carnivorous behaviour in nature. Rather than using this chapter to reject and deny the arguments put forward against vegetarianism, Fox ends each section by problematising the key tenets of each argument, thereby opening them up for further analysis. In this way he undermines the foundations and facades of anti-vegetarianism in a subtle and reflective manner which maintains and promotes further debate and evaluation.
 
 In Deep Vegetarianism, Fox has produced a fascinating and comprehensive analysis of what it means to be vegetarian. He has gone beyond the limited discussion of vegetarianism as a dietary or lifestyle choice, and located his evaluation within a wider critical framework of what it means to be human, and of humanity's relationship with the natural world. Moreover, while laying the foundations for a central point of reference to a holistic understanding of vegetarianism, he has done so in a manner which is accessible and illuminating to any reader wishing to engage with the concept regardless of point of entry.

Neil McPherson