University of San Diego Philosophy of Food Liking and Quality Paper

Liking and Quality – Philosopher Barry Smith considers an argument for the conclusion that wine quality (whether a wine’s flavor is good or bad) is subjective. It generalizes:

1. Objectivity about food quality requires agreement in its assessment.

2. Assessment of food quality is based on liking.

3. So, agreement in assessment must require agreement in liking.

4. There is no agreement about what foods we like. (True!)

5. So, there are no objective facts about food quality.

Smith rejects this argument by rejecting premise (1) and premise (2). Explain why Smith rejects these premises. Is there a way of assessing food quality that is not based on ‘liking’? Explain.

Min. 2 pages single double spaced

Reading that this is based on attached.