the Philosopher Who Studies the Experience of Coffee

Do tea and coffee reflect different philosophical outlooks?
— Philosopher David Berman thinks so!

SOURCE: BBC-Future- The philosopher who studies the experience of coffee

As I ponder that thought, Berman explains how his research has informed his understanding of the drink. All varieties of coffee will share a common note that comes from just one oil – caffeol. “It makes up a small portion of bean – just 0.5%,” he tells me – yet without it, the drink would not be recognisable as coffee. In contrast, he says, there is no single “essence of tea”; tea is made from a wide variety of compounds, but no single one is essential.

Tea-ism versus coffee-ism

Berman proposes that coffee and tea therefore reflect two different philosophical outlooks. Tea is about the way many different flavour components complement each other, he says – recalling the Eastern concept that all beings are interconnected. Coffee, by contrast, is defined by that single key ingredient caffeol, which stands apart from the other flavours – perhaps reflecting a Western tendency to draw boundaries. I have a feeling he might not persuade everyone.

So, ATS: Tea or Coffee--Which one are YOU?

--I think I'm a little of both--depends on the situation for me, since I love them equally.

a reply to: rukia

Coffee coffee coffee. And lots of it.

But none of that foo foo crap. I like my coffee to be coffee flavored coffee.

And it's gotta be strong, the filters are that big for a reason. They need to be filled with grounds.

a reply to: rukia

I'm a tea drinker, but am partial to an occasional coffee too.

I admit the two drinks, though only having minor effects, do put you in a slightly different state of mind.

a reply to: rukia

Morning coffee and afternoon tea.
The description portraits me perfectly.

a reply to: rukia

This is the eternal dilemma.

You used to smile at me,
Give me something I need,
Bring me coffee or tea,
And call me pretty little bee

You split me in the head
You steal my butter and bread
You threw me out of my bed
And ask me, "Are you dead?"

Oh, I'll get ready in the chimney
Yeah, I feel
I'll get ready in the chimney; I feel
I'll get ready in the chimney; I feel

You used to smile at me,
Give me something I need,
Bring me coffee or tea,
And call me pretty little bee

You split me in the head
You steal my butter and bread
Throw me out of my bed
And ask me, "Are you dead?"
A-yeah-eah, a-yeah-eah

You used to smile at me
Give me something I need

Oh, I'll get ready in the chimney
Yeah, I feel
I'll get ready in the chimney; I feel
I'll get ready in the chimney; yes I'm again
Yes I'm again, yes I'm again
Yes I'm again, yes I'm again
Oh! Yes I'm again, yes I'm again

Yes I'm again, yes I'm again
(x4)

Oh, I'm aga-a-in

Actually, what the heck, gimme a bloody Mary.

Coffee with breakfast, tea the rest of the day, although I will occasionally sneak a cup of coffee in the evening.

20 - 25 cups of coffee a day.
A quick cup before going to bed as well.
Alarm goes off at 3:30 AM, the timer on my coffee pot works and a cup is ready to drink at 3:30 am. Quick drink and then back to bed at 3:37 am. Drinking this late night cup helps accelerate my dreams and allows me to go further in my dream research.

I swing both ways, depending on the mood and it's availability.

It needs to be organic, fair-trade, estate grown, shade grown, small batch roasted, cold brewed coffee.

That's the only coffee I will drink.

...

Which is why I don't drink coffee!

I swear people get way to into their coffee. It's just caffeine. When something is an "acquired" taste, that means it doesn't taste good. If it tasted good, we wouldn't have to force ourselves to like it.

I should develop a caffeine trans-dermal patch for 8 hour work days....

a reply to: MystikMushroom

mhmm! right there with you. I guess I'm probably a coffee snob xD I prefer Casi Cielo or something like that--Starbucks has some awesome coffee (i know, i used to work there > ) Alterra is even better tho, imo--super tasty stuff. And yeah, I agree: it tastes great so what's not to love? I'll drink bad quality coffee but I sure don't like it like I do that organic, fair-trade, arabica/canephora (Robusta). I actually went to a coffee plantation in Costa Rica (during highschool for spanish) and ever since then I just can't go back to regular old coffee.

Same with tea--I really like my full leaf--that powder stuff just doesn't taste the same. I blame Alton Brown from Good Eats making me such a picky eater/drinker lol



a reply to: FinalCountdown

oh wow I don't think I've ever had quite that much--my limit was around 16 shots of espresso, I believe (one boring day at starbucks lol up till then my norm was a 7 shot iced americano every morning before school. friends called it my 'tar drink') At that point I began feeling kind strange and overheated--and regretted the hasty decision to drink as much espresso as I could in such a short time.

That's awesome, though. You must have quite the tolerance!

a reply to: rukia

Interesting theory. I will contemplate the information in the link (let it steep) as I sip my second cup of tea. Thank you for bringing this pot to boil. S+F

a reply to: rukia

I went to the coffee plantation in Kauai...free samples and they let you wander around the groves. Pretty neat, all for free. It's a bit of a drive, so don't drink to many samples...being stuck in a rental car for an hour after to much coffee isn't a whole lot of fun!

a reply to: MystikMushroom

wow! it sounds like you live somewhere very lovely/get to travel to very lovely places!!
yeah I bet you're all keyed up that our back, raring and ready to get stuff done

--that hour must feel like three if you're driving, especially. xD

but, that must be so much fun: wandering around a coffee plantation sounds great. Being able to meander around at one's own leisure sounds like a really fun day excursion--especially now that I'm a bit older and able to appreciate it more and when it's not just for educational value. To be able to take it all in must be a real treat.



How neat. So for the coffee drinkers here are you guys light, medium, or dark roast kinda people? Green/white/black tea?

I wonder if that kinda stuff makes a 'difference' too, philosophically, or not

I live on coffee.

If I don't watch it, I'll drink 2 or 3 pots a day.

During Katrina, I didn't have a way to make any, actually went into withdrawal, puking, headaches, photophobia, the whole bit.

I drink tea at night. Usually something with ass to it, like Irish Breakfast.

this whole coffee thing is just something to give brittle boned weak liberals some water cooler material bc they dont do sports

what is a hipster? someone who got picked on in high school

Coffee tastes worse than feces so even if I could handle caffeine I wouldn't drink that nasty stuff. Ugh, I can't even walk through the coffee aisle at the supermarket without closing my nostrils as it smells as nasty as it tastes.

Strictly Celestial Seasonings teas for me, berries and such. Got a gallon of raspberry ready to drink right now. Yummy goodness.

Pa reply to: rukia

I'm both 2 cups of black coffee in the morning, the rest of the day I drink tea, black coffee all day would be too much Caffeine.

a reply to: mlemo

What is a hipster?
Someone who wears cheap clothes. Similar to swagfgs and fkboys lol xD

I'm not a liberal. I am conservative fiscally and liberal socially but I normally vote republican. However, I believe that politics is a sham and is utterly divisive and useless at it's core--since we have deviated so far from our founders intent. lol nice try though. Actually tea is more of a liberal drink--I would imagine. And coffee would be more conservative. Nice try though, that was pretty funny xD

a reply to: TheSpanishArcher

you need to try good coffee in a french press!!!

a reply to: Bedlam

holy. I guess I should have expected it from ATS but WOW you guys are champs. I wish I still worked at Starbucks, I'd give you all free drinks haha that was the best part of working there--just being able to give out free stuff (well, at least at the one I worked at xD). But it was a pretty crappy job--I loved making drinks but it was just too monotonous and stressful. People without their morning coffee can be veddy scaryy!