By introducing the possibility of producing meat either from plants or from animal stem cells, technological innovations have opened the door to considering meat as an artefactual object, defined by the functions it is designed to perform. Under this interpretation, plant-based and cultivated meat would be regarded as full-fledged meat. By analysing the notion of artefactuality, this paper reviews the main definitions of “artefact” and evaluates whether meat meets these criteria. It then examines whether a functional account of meat aligns (...) with the development of functions in the philosophy of artefacts. Ultimately, the paper concludes that, like certain other food categories, “meat” is well suited to be interpreted as a functional concept apt to incorporate novel instances. (shrink)

In response to the urgent need to foster sustainable and just transitions toward fairer and healthier food systems, cities and their networks are leading creative interventions. This article presents the case study of FoodLab Sydney, an Australian not-for-profit kitchen incubator that foregrounds ethical principles in training and supporting a diverse range of fledgling food entrepreneurs. It is designed according to a theory of change that combines an approach to food with issues of economic participation and broader social inclusion. This article (...) shares the conception, planning, implementation, and outcomes of the program. These include opportunities for participants from vulnerable communities to develop vocational and business skills and to build strong networks. For many it has improved their capacity to develop and advance business plans or find employment within the food industry and contribute to an expanding network of ethical food actors. The FoodLab Sydney case study joins international examples of food business and kitchen incubators such as FoodLab Detroit and La Cocina as models for supporting community-based microenterprise development with positive social, economic, and environmental benefits. (shrink)

We argue for the existence of a moral dilemma– the ‘Puzzle of Lab-Grown Meat’– which challenges those who would endorse the moral permissibility of eating lab-grown meat, such as lab-grown chicken. The puzzle is that it is unclear why the moral permissibility of eating lab-grown meat should not extend to all lab-grown meat, such as white rhino or human, yet intuitively, we consider such meat morally impermissible to consume. To reject this challenge forces an endorsement of one of two implausibly (...) strong positions: either that all lab-grown meat is morally impermissible to eat or that all lab-grown meat is morally permissible to eat. To accept this challenge, is to attempt to solve the puzzle by providing a morally relevant distinction between ‘fair-game’ and ‘off-limits’ lab-grown meat. We consider a range of solutions but argue that each fails to solve the puzzle. (shrink)