Megan Dean, a professor of philosophy at Hamilton College, will be presenting “Food Ethics and Eating as a Self-Shaping Activity” at 5 p.m. Thursday, November 21, in Stevenson Hall, room 132, as part of the Illinois State University Philosophy Department Colloquium. This event is sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and is free and open to the public.

Dean argues that an important and often overlooked aspect of eating’s ethical importance is its role as a self-shaping activity. She contends that the ways we practice and understand eating can cultivate, reinforce, or undermine aspects of the self, including affects, capacities, and agency. After making this case through discussion of weight-loss dieting, Dean argues that debates over “healthist” eating policies ignore the self-shaping role of eating, limiting and distorting these conversations.

Those who need special accommodations to fully participate in this event can call (309) 438-7665.