Academe Rant: Old people 13 Mar 201413 Mar 2014 The Australian government is looking at extending the pension age to 70, so that older Australians, especially those in the Baby Boom demographic, will be free of the public purse for another 5 years over the present age of 65. Except that it is not the case that older Australians… Continue Reading
Australian stuff The discrimination of the age 23 Jan 201418 Sep 2017 There are many kinds of undue and harmful discrimination in modern society, all of which collectively tend to privilege a few. Women are treated with less respect and given fewer opportunities than men; heterosexuality is privileged over “deviant” forms of sexual identity and the alphabet community (currently LGBT and variants)… Continue Reading
Australian stuff Why anti science? 23 Nov 2013 Over the past few decades there has been an increasingly negative attitude by governments, pundits, religiosi and faux philosophers against science. We have seen an increase in denialism about climate change (one of the most well supported scientific models of the day), vaccination, evolution, medical research in general, and the… Continue Reading
Academe AAHPSSS site now up 16 Nov 201316 Nov 2013 The Australasian Association for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science now has a permanent and updateable website, courtesy of yours truly. It’s at aahpsss.net.au/ All Australasian folk, and visitors to the Lucky Lands, should check to see what is happening. I will put anything up that is relevant,… Continue Reading
Australian stuff NSW removes protection for marine parks 11 Nov 201311 Nov 2013 I received this from NYU CUNY philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith: The NSW government recently decided to temporarily lift the ban on line fishing in NSW marine sanctuaries. They may well decide to make the new regime permanent, effectively abolishing all real marine sanctuaries in the state. This is such a bad… Continue Reading
Australian stuff 100 days to the Australian federal election *sigh* 6 Jun 20137 Jun 2013 As we count down to the election that we have to have, a few observations are in order. 1. The two main parties are effectively indistinguishable. Both are serving corporatist interests, not the interests of the people. Both have a xenophobic and borderline racist view of refugees contrary to Australia’s treaty… Continue Reading
Australian stuff The Philosophy Club 26 Sep 201226 Sep 2012 There are an increasing number of initiatives to present philosophy and critical thinking to school students, and I am pleased to announce a new one in my home city of Melbourne: The Philosophy Club for ages 8 to 11. As I have argued in print, earlier conceptual acquisitions tend to… Continue Reading
Australian stuff Living in a third world first world country 8 Jun 20128 Jun 2012 As my readers know, I am unemployed (although I just gained a ten month full-time job). While unemployed I had to let my medical insurance lapse, but I thought that wouldn’t matter because I live in a first world country with universal health care (called Medicare). Unemployed folk and those… Continue Reading
Australian stuff The decline of Australian progressivism 25 Mar 201225 Mar 2012 Australian state Queensland had an election yesterday, and the result went from a Labor government to a virtual elimination of Labor in the state parliament. This follows, and exceeds, similar defeats in New South Wales last year, and Victoria the year before. Each year, the defeats increase. Victoria went from… Continue Reading
Australian stuff This man is the best of Australia’s political landscape 10 Oct 201110 Oct 2011 I used to hate him, but I have come to the realisation that Malcolm Fraser is the very best Prime Minister, politician and senior statesman Australia has produced in my lifetime. He criticises his own party for its demagoguery and race the the lowest common denominator, and defends the rights… Continue Reading