Big-Picture Bioethics: policy-making and liberal democracy. We live an era of rapid growth in biotechnology generating new and difficult ethical questions that need to be tackled by bioethicists and politicians. This project goes beyond typical approaches in bioethics to explore the "big picture": how policies are generated in ethically-contentious domains. It is important to examine how the values of different stakeholders are reflected in such processes to ensure that they are in accordance wi ....Big-Picture Bioethics: policy-making and liberal democracy. We live an era of rapid growth in biotechnology generating new and difficult ethical questions that need to be tackled by bioethicists and politicians. This project goes beyond typical approaches in bioethics to explore the "big picture": how policies are generated in ethically-contentious domains. It is important to examine how the values of different stakeholders are reflected in such processes to ensure that they are in accordance with Australia's commitment to fostering a multicultural, pluralistic, democratic society. This project will produce practical recommendations for refining public consultation in healthcare policy-making through an examination of three relevant contentious case studies in Australia with comparison to Canada.Read moreRead less
Reassessing Egalitarianism. Ever since the French revolution the issues of equality and egalitarianism have had enormous significance for modern democracies. These topics are also particularly important in Australian life. Indeed, Australia is often described as an 'egalitarian society'. Clarifying contemporary accounts of egalitarianism and developing our own original account will be of major national significance. In addition, this project will focus on the important areas of health and unempl ....Reassessing Egalitarianism. Ever since the French revolution the issues of equality and egalitarianism have had enormous significance for modern democracies. These topics are also particularly important in Australian life. Indeed, Australia is often described as an 'egalitarian society'. Clarifying contemporary accounts of egalitarianism and developing our own original account will be of major national significance. In addition, this project will focus on the important areas of health and unemployment, with specific consideration given to the role of individual responsibility in determining eligibility for unemployment and health benefits. The project will also help maintain Australia's place as a leader in the areas of political and social philosophy.Read moreRead less
Climate Justice. The project will offer significant insights into the effects of climate change and adaptation policy on the key area of rural well being and energy use. The project will be able to gauge whether current and proposed carbon trading schemes are just and how in particular, Australia's climate policy interacts with the Pacific region. In addition, the project will also consider the important political issue of whether democratic participation in the formation of climate policy is re ....Climate Justice. The project will offer significant insights into the effects of climate change and adaptation policy on the key area of rural well being and energy use. The project will be able to gauge whether current and proposed carbon trading schemes are just and how in particular, Australia's climate policy interacts with the Pacific region. In addition, the project will also consider the important political issue of whether democratic participation in the formation of climate policy is required and in what ways.Read moreRead less
Ethics of Historical Relationships: Evaluating Ethical Claims Based on History. Demands based on history, ideas about historical obligations, concerns about historical identity, what it is means and what duties it might require, are common causes of dispute within and among nations. This project, by developing an ethical theory that can make well-founded judgments about the legitimacy of a wide range of historical claims, and by showing how the theory can be applied to particular cases, will pro ....Ethics of Historical Relationships: Evaluating Ethical Claims Based on History. Demands based on history, ideas about historical obligations, concerns about historical identity, what it is means and what duties it might require, are common causes of dispute within and among nations. This project, by developing an ethical theory that can make well-founded judgments about the legitimacy of a wide range of historical claims, and by showing how the theory can be applied to particular cases, will provide a better understanding of the nature of these disputes and how they might be resolved. Read moreRead less
Intergenerational Justice. The project aims to overcome a major deficiency in philosophical approaches to justice by developing a comprehensive theory about our rights and responsibilities in respect to people who are differently situated in time or in their stage of life. The theory will explain a) why we have responsibilities in respect to future and past people and what these duties are; b) how people in different age groups ought to treat each other; c) what responsibilities belong to genera ....Intergenerational Justice. The project aims to overcome a major deficiency in philosophical approaches to justice by developing a comprehensive theory about our rights and responsibilities in respect to people who are differently situated in time or in their stage of life. The theory will explain a) why we have responsibilities in respect to future and past people and what these duties are; b) how people in different age groups ought to treat each other; c) what responsibilities belong to generational roles (such as ?parent? or ?child?); and d) how all of these duties fit into a more general theory of justice.Read moreRead less
Egalitarian Responses to Climate Change. The project will offer significant insights into the effects of climate change and adaptation policy on the disadvantaged at a time when there is significant policy change in this area. The project will develop a philosophical framework for assessing whether current and proposed carbon trading schemes are just. In addition, the project will also consider the important political issue of whether democratic participation in the formation of climate policy i ....Egalitarian Responses to Climate Change. The project will offer significant insights into the effects of climate change and adaptation policy on the disadvantaged at a time when there is significant policy change in this area. The project will develop a philosophical framework for assessing whether current and proposed carbon trading schemes are just. In addition, the project will also consider the important political issue of whether democratic participation in the formation of climate policy is required and in what ways. Read moreRead less
The Responsibilities of the Affluent to Address Global Poverty. Australia is a wealthy country surrounded by less developed countries. This project will serve as a guide to a morally defensible Australian foreign policy and in particular as an aid for policy makers working on foreign assistance, international trade, and environmental policy. It is important to observe that in order to safeguard Australian national security it is prudent to address the issue of global poverty. Although terrorists ....The Responsibilities of the Affluent to Address Global Poverty. Australia is a wealthy country surrounded by less developed countries. This project will serve as a guide to a morally defensible Australian foreign policy and in particular as an aid for policy makers working on foreign assistance, international trade, and environmental policy. It is important to observe that in order to safeguard Australian national security it is prudent to address the issue of global poverty. Although terrorists and other threats seem seldom to be motivated by considerations of fairness, sympathy with and support for their actions seems often rooted in the perception that they are acting on behalf of the poor and impoverished.Read moreRead less
On-Line Identity, Interpersonal Relationships And Society. This project will provide a thoroughgoing account of the implications of the communication context provided by the Internet for the development of our identity as persons and as a society. Its significance is grounded in the fact that the context of our communication with others significantly affects the kind of relationships we develop and so the sort of person and society we become. The Internet has now emerged as a central communicati ....On-Line Identity, Interpersonal Relationships And Society. This project will provide a thoroughgoing account of the implications of the communication context provided by the Internet for the development of our identity as persons and as a society. Its significance is grounded in the fact that the context of our communication with others significantly affects the kind of relationships we develop and so the sort of person and society we become. The Internet has now emerged as a central communication context through which our professional, business and personal lives are pursued.Read moreRead less
Contemporary Terrorism: Ethical and Conceptual Perspectives. This is the first systematic and comprehensive philosophical exploration of contemporary terrorism and responses to it. It will test the theoretical approaches?realism, consequentialism, just war theory, and pacifism?and provide an account of all major conceptual and moral issues: the nature of terrorism and how it differs from other types of political violence, war, and guerilla war; the distinctive traits of contemporary terrorism; w ....Contemporary Terrorism: Ethical and Conceptual Perspectives. This is the first systematic and comprehensive philosophical exploration of contemporary terrorism and responses to it. It will test the theoretical approaches?realism, consequentialism, just war theory, and pacifism?and provide an account of all major conceptual and moral issues: the nature of terrorism and how it differs from other types of political violence, war, and guerilla war; the distinctive traits of contemporary terrorism; whether states can, and do, employ terrorism; whether terrorism can ever be morally justified and, if so, under what circumstances; the moral constraints on counterterrorist measures taken by states, coalitions of states, and the world community.Read moreRead less
Norms, Reasons & Values. Social norms often come adrift from the reasons and values that they are supposed to serve. Strengthening Australia'a social and economic fabric (a National Research Priority) requires understanding how norms work and revising them in changing circumstances. This project explores such ideas in relation to crucial issues-democracy, terrorism (another NRP), historical injustice and sexuality-and interjects practical suggestions into the public debate over how norms ought ....Norms, Reasons & Values. Social norms often come adrift from the reasons and values that they are supposed to serve. Strengthening Australia'a social and economic fabric (a National Research Priority) requires understanding how norms work and revising them in changing circumstances. This project explores such ideas in relation to crucial issues-democracy, terrorism (another NRP), historical injustice and sexuality-and interjects practical suggestions into the public debate over how norms ought be revised. It also furthers Australia's world standing in political science and philosophy and, by enlisting international scholars to help explore these issues, focuses the intellectual firepower of the world on problems of national importance to Australia.Read moreRead less