Short Paper #1
The “Semiotics of Food in the Bible” by Jean Soler and “The Abominable Pig” by Marvin Harris discuss the various origins of the dietary prohibitions of various religions. In many ways, these two authors argue similar points while complimenting and contradicting one another through their main arguments. Soler is specifically exploring the origins of the dietary prohibitions of the ancient Israelites. He goes into great detail regarding how and why these prohibitions exist primarily through semiotics within the Bible. In a more detailed manner, Harris explores why pork is a specific prohibition for multiple religions from an ecological and economic perspective.
The methodologies of both Soler and Harris compliment their central questions. Soler does a chronological narrative analysis of the Old Testament in the Bible surrounding the human diet. He makes it a point to denounce the effect of a “higher power” and science in his research as he focuses on how the structure of language affects the structure of food culture for the ancient Israelites. The word “semiotics” in the title refers to the signs and meaning behind …show more content…
Here, Harris refers to some of the biblical semiotic ideas that Soler mentions in his essay (p. 67). Harris refutes Soler’s essay by justifying that cud-chewing animals, in addition to being ordained by God, are less expensive to raise and readily adaptable to the Middle Eastern climate. Harris indicates, “In condemning the pig as the direst animals, Jews and Moslems left unexplained their more tolerant attitude toward other dung-eating domesticated species” (p. 68). Here, Harris is proposing that biblical texts do not justify all of the facts surrounding the prohibition of some species but not
The “Semiotics of Food in the Bible” by Jean Soler and “The Abominable Pig” by Marvin Harris discuss the various origins of the dietary prohibitions of various religions. In many ways, these two authors argue similar points while complimenting and contradicting one another through their main arguments. Soler is specifically exploring the origins of the dietary prohibitions of the ancient Israelites. He goes into great detail regarding how and why these prohibitions exist primarily through semiotics within the Bible. In a more detailed manner, Harris explores why pork is a specific prohibition for multiple religions from an ecological and economic perspective.
The methodologies of both Soler and Harris compliment their central questions. Soler does a chronological narrative analysis of the Old Testament in the Bible surrounding the human diet. He makes it a point to denounce the effect of a “higher power” and science in his research as he focuses on how the structure of language affects the structure of food culture for the ancient Israelites. The word “semiotics” in the title refers to the signs and meaning behind …show more content…
Here, Harris refers to some of the biblical semiotic ideas that Soler mentions in his essay (p. 67). Harris refutes Soler’s essay by justifying that cud-chewing animals, in addition to being ordained by God, are less expensive to raise and readily adaptable to the Middle Eastern climate. Harris indicates, “In condemning the pig as the direst animals, Jews and Moslems left unexplained their more tolerant attitude toward other dung-eating domesticated species” (p. 68). Here, Harris is proposing that biblical texts do not justify all of the facts surrounding the prohibition of some species but not