Food plays a vital role in our lives, sustaining us physically and emotionally. Despite the central role we attribute to food in our personal and cultural identities, we tend to eat unreflectively.

Mylan Engel Jr., a philosophy professor from Northern Illinois University, will explore the ethical and environmental issues surrounding food production and consumption in his free public lecture “Philosophy and Ethics Come to Dinner,” 4 p.m. Thursday, September 13, in room 1163, Chrysler Hall North.

Dr. Engel is the author of the 2010 book, The Philosophy of Animal Rights: A Brief Introduction for Students and Teachers.