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Stéphane Van Damme
Historian and Professor at the Ecole normale supérieure (Paris)
Science history professor Stéphane Van Damme takes a look at the current – but long-standing – debate on the evolution of meat consumption in human societies.
Published on July 8, 2023, at 4:00 pm (Paris) Time to 2 min. Lire en français
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Since 2015, the Climavore project, led by Alon Schwab and Daniel Fernandez Pascual, has been questioning the complex relationships between food, landscape, infrastructure and the anthropocene, involving ecologists, agronomists, biologists and nutritionists. But the history of science has adopted a different perspective and looked back at the quarrel over vegetarianism in times of food shortages.
Two important books deal with this topic. The first one is Cecilia Muratori's 2020 book Renaissance Vegetarianism: The Philosophical Afterlives of Porphyry's "On Abstinence," which discusses the 16th century rediscovery of Neoplatonic philosopher Porphyry's (c. 234-c. 305) treatise on abstinence. A number of controversial themes emerge in Muratori's work: the necessity of ritual animal sacrifice; health and the dangers of meat consumption according to the philosopher; and, finally, the cannibalistic practices of non-European cultures, analyzed from an anthropological perspective against a backdrop of polemics about animal intelligence.
In the same vein, Olivier Christin and Guillaume Alonge's recent book Adam et Eve, le paradis, la viande et les légumes ("Adam and Eve: Heaven, Meat and Vegetables") is a fascinating investigation into a forgotten controversy that stirred the Republic of Letters (the long-distance intellectual community in the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe and the Americas) in the 17th and 18th centuries, revolving around Adam and Eve's diet in paradise. Between 1650 and 1750, the quarrel spread throughout Europe, from Italy to the England of radical Protestant Roger Crab, involving theologians, physicians, chemists and lawyers alike. It began with interpretations of the diets set out in the Bible, which lists authorized foods and drinks.
Based on these famous passages, scholars discussed what was prescribed in terms of dietary habits, and in particular the consumption of meat. At the beginning of Genesis, the creation of plants follows the need to feed Adam and Eve. The use of meat likely came later, after the Great Flood, when humankind felt empowered to kill and eat animals by virtue of its superiority. The discussion led to an update of the Adam and Eve story, promoting a vegetarian diet from 1562-1563 and claiming quasi-equality between humans and animals. Yet, Catholicism has often been perceived as advocating meat consumption by dissident denominations.
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Marking borders
The social and ideological order is thus associated with a dietary model akin to a form of asceticism. Subsequently, at the beginning of the 18th century, the debate focus shifted towards the consumption of cooked or raw meat, going as far as discussing the anthropophagy (the eating of human fleshby human beings) of cannibals, which fascinated modern scholars. But the polemics were far from neutral, as they provided an opportunity to mark the boundaries between Catholicism and Protestantism and, above all, between Christianity and Judaism in the context of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. The theme of the omnivore's dietary freedom became increasingly associated with the Gospels, as opposed to the strict practices of the Jews in the Old Testament.
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As a seasoned expert in the fields of science, history, and the intersection of the two, I bring a wealth of knowledge to unravel the intriguing debate on the evolution of meat consumption in human societies. My extensive background includes a deep understanding of historical perspectives, scientific developments, and cultural dynamics that shape our understanding of food habits.
Now, diving into the article by Stéphane Van Damme, a renowned historian and professor at the Ecole normale supérieure in Paris, we explore the complex relationships between food, landscape, infrastructure, and the anthropocene through the lens of the Climavore project. Led by Alon Schwab and Daniel Fernandez Pascual since 2015, this interdisciplinary project involves ecologists, agronomists, biologists, and nutritionists. It delves into the intricate connections between human activities and the environment, shedding light on the multifaceted aspects of our food systems.
The historical aspect of the meat consumption debate is then dissected, with reference to two pivotal books. Cecilia Muratori's 2020 work, "Renaissance Vegetarianism: The Philosophical Afterlives of Porphyry's 'On Abstinence,'" explores the 16th-century rediscovery of Porphyry's treatise on abstinence. The book touches on controversial themes such as ritual animal sacrifice, health concerns related to meat consumption, and the analysis of cannibalistic practices in non-European cultures.
Continuing on this historical journey, Olivier Christin and Guillaume Alonge's recent book, "Adam et Eve, le paradis, la viande et les légumes" ("Adam and Eve: Heaven, Meat and Vegetables"), investigates a forgotten controversy from the 17th and 18th centuries. This intellectual dispute, involving the Republic of Letters, focuses on Adam and Eve's diet in paradise. The discussion spans interpretations of biblical diets, the promotion of a vegetarian diet, and the quasi-equality between humans and animals.
The article delves into the 17th and 18th-century debate across Europe, involving theologians, physicians, chemists, and lawyers, discussing dietary habits prescribed in the Bible. It touches upon the chronological development of dietary practices, from the creation of plants to the later inclusion of meat consumption after the Great Flood. The evolving narrative led to updates in the Adam and Eve story and debates over vegetarianism, with implications for the relationship between Catholicism, Protestantism, and dissident denominations.
The focus then shifts to the 18th century, exploring debates on the consumption of cooked or raw meat and even anthropophagy. These discussions weren't neutral; they served as opportunities to delineate boundaries between religious and ideological factions, notably between Catholicism and Protestantism and Christianity and Judaism during the Catholic Counter-Reformation. The article highlights how the theme of the omnivore's dietary freedom became associated with the Gospels, contrasting with the stricter practices outlined in the Old Testament.
This nuanced historical analysis presented by Stéphane Van Damme invites readers to ponder the intricate interplay between science, religion, and cultural ideologies in shaping human dietary practices throughout history.
