The Ethics of Diet
A Catena of Authorities Deprecatory of the Practice of Flesh Eating
The Ethics of Diet, published in 1883, is Howard Williams's anthology of writers who argued against eating meat, from antiquity to the nineteenth century. He calls it a catena, a chain of authorities: Hesiod, Pythagoras, Plato, Ovid, Seneca and Plutarch, whose essay on flesh-eating is given in full, the early Christian fathers, Cornaro, Thomas More, Montaigne, Gassendi, John Ray, Pope, Voltaire and many later writers, each with a biographical note and extracts. Williams's own argument is humanitarian rather than medical, linking diet to cruelty and moral progress. Tolstoy admired the book and wrote his essay "The First Step" as a preface to its Russian translation. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
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Frequently asked questions about The Ethics of Diet
The Ethics of Diet by Howard Williams can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
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The first chapter of The Ethics of Diet is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Ethics of Diet in the public domain?
Yes. The Ethics of Diet by Howard Williams is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Ethics of Diet?
About 11 h 58 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Ethics of Diet?
The Ethics of Diet by Howard Williams is filed under "Classics" in the Vinteuil library.
