Matthew Halteman, philosophy professor, animal and food ethicist, Arsenal football fan
How a dog named Gus made Matthew rethink his burger and why philosophy works in the boardroom and at home
ProGRESS · Sandra Fraser
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Show Notes
Dr Matthew C Halteman is a professor of philosophy at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan and a fellow at the Oxford Centre of Animal Ethics. Beside his academic work, Matthew is on the board of directors for The Better Food Foundation and Creature Kind, and he's the author of Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan.
Matt urges us to stop looking for moral perfectionism and accept mistakes and dead ends are part of being human. He encourages listeners to look for light coming through the cracks, and he advocates shifting from scarcity mode to an abundance mindset to stay positive. His career and veganism comes from finding his way, rather than a particular plan, shaped by being an anxious young person at a time when there was less support and understanding. He thought he'd train for a career in law but instead turned to philosophy, which opened his mind and made better sense of the world.
The story of Matt's first meeting with his then-girlfriend's scary father, a successful businessman, is poignant and personal. To Matthew's surprise and relief, his now father-in-law was a strong advocate of philosophy studies among young executives.
A bulldog called Gus, and friend and fellow philosopher Nathan Nobis, of Morehouse College, Atlanta, and Matt's wife Susan, helped him change his omnivorous eating habits. And while veganism is his own ethical and philosophical choice, it's not something Matt would insist his children followed throughout adulthood (though he'd be pleased if they did).
Finally, and curiously, Matthew is an avid follower of Arsenal Football Club – the English Premiership (soccer) team also known as The Gunners. He's also interested the vegan football team Forest Green Rovers, which is supported by planet and plant advocate, Dale Vince.
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About ProGRESS:
Host Sandra Kessell invites guests to discuss their pro- Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible jobs, courses or activities and asks for real-world insights into the pathways and careers that led to them.
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Expect revelations, lightbulb moments and an informative listen on ProGRESS, with plenty of insights as guests explain how and why got into their Green, Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible career or course (the GRESS of ProGRESS) with plenty of tips if you want to do the same.
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