Descartes' Ontology of Everyday Life. Australia has a strong international reputation in philosophy and the history of philosophy. This project will contribute to our standing in the international community of scholars and to the teaching of Australian students in the historical origins of contemporary ideas and problems. It will furthermore contribute to the growing recognition of early modern interdisciplinary studies within Australia by drawing on ideas from the history of science, early mode ....Descartes' Ontology of Everyday Life. Australia has a strong international reputation in philosophy and the history of philosophy. This project will contribute to our standing in the international community of scholars and to the teaching of Australian students in the historical origins of contemporary ideas and problems. It will furthermore contribute to the growing recognition of early modern interdisciplinary studies within Australia by drawing on ideas from the history of science, early modern philosophy, medieval philosophy and the history of early modern thought and ideas.Read moreRead less
Medicine and Culture: Bioethics in Historical Perspective, 1850 to the present. Australia has long been looked to as an example for legislative and community responses to new medical technologies and as a leader in debates about medical ethics. The project will contribute to the international profile of Australia as a leader in health policy issues, as well as sustaining a focus on informed community debate.
Trust and the Changing Moral Economy of Australian Medicine. There is strong evidence that patients sue their doctors because of inadequate doctor/patient communication, and this has been directly linked to low levels of trust. But unless doctors have become worse communicators over time, poor communication fails to explain recent rises in litigation rates. This historical study will examine the multiple factors affecting changing doctor/patient relationships. It will offer new insights into the ....Trust and the Changing Moral Economy of Australian Medicine. There is strong evidence that patients sue their doctors because of inadequate doctor/patient communication, and this has been directly linked to low levels of trust. But unless doctors have become worse communicators over time, poor communication fails to explain recent rises in litigation rates. This historical study will examine the multiple factors affecting changing doctor/patient relationships. It will offer new insights into the circumstances that fostered trust in medicine in the past, which will assist in understanding the current dynamics of changes in trust. This will help policy makers seeking to promote and maintain good health by strengthening the values of trust and reciprocity within Australia's healthcare system.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101770
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$327,841.00
Summary
Secularism and Philosophy: The Challenge of Spinozism. With the resurgence of religious conflict throughout the world, the question of secularism has acquired renewed importance. Nowhere has the plausibility of a secular worldview been more rigorously debated than within the history of philosophy, and no philosopher has aroused more controversy on this subject than Benedict de Spinoza (1632-1677). This project will result in the first history of Spinozism's pivotal role in the history of secular ....Secularism and Philosophy: The Challenge of Spinozism. With the resurgence of religious conflict throughout the world, the question of secularism has acquired renewed importance. Nowhere has the plausibility of a secular worldview been more rigorously debated than within the history of philosophy, and no philosopher has aroused more controversy on this subject than Benedict de Spinoza (1632-1677). This project will result in the first history of Spinozism's pivotal role in the history of secularism, focusing on three distinct episodes of philosophical conflict generated by Spinoza's thought from the late eighteenth century to the present. The study will make clear that secularism is not simply a social and political phenomenon, but a philosophical conundrum, thus far irresolvable.Read moreRead less
Chemical and isotopic fingerprinting of ancient porcelains and pottery. This project aims to establish provenance of ancient porcelains and pottery of archaeological or antique collection significance using trace element and lead-strontium-neodymium (Pb-Sr-Nd) isotopic compositions, which serve as fingerprints of porcelains and pottery of different places or ages. High quality multi-element and isotopic data will be obtained using facilities at ACQUIRE¡¯s state-of-the-arts geochemistry laborator ....Chemical and isotopic fingerprinting of ancient porcelains and pottery. This project aims to establish provenance of ancient porcelains and pottery of archaeological or antique collection significance using trace element and lead-strontium-neodymium (Pb-Sr-Nd) isotopic compositions, which serve as fingerprints of porcelains and pottery of different places or ages. High quality multi-element and isotopic data will be obtained using facilities at ACQUIRE¡¯s state-of-the-arts geochemistry laboratory. The results will have significant implications for investigation of ancient cultures, technology and trades, artefact authentication and even forensic studies. Established database is potentially patentable for commercialization in the antiquity market.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102308
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The physical and metaphysical foundations of structural realism. The aim of this project is to develop a general conception of nature that accounts for the central features of contemporary fundamental physics. It will provide a comprehensive conceptual framework for understanding the fundamental physical features of the world.
Biohumanities: Philosophical, Historical, and Socio-Cultural Studies of Contemporary Bioscience. Improving understanding of the meaning and implications of contemporary bioscience, especially genetics and molecular biology, through bioliterate research in the humanities and social sciences, and conversely through better assimilation of bioscience and its significance by the humanities and social sciences. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Australian scientific commun ....Biohumanities: Philosophical, Historical, and Socio-Cultural Studies of Contemporary Bioscience. Improving understanding of the meaning and implications of contemporary bioscience, especially genetics and molecular biology, through bioliterate research in the humanities and social sciences, and conversely through better assimilation of bioscience and its significance by the humanities and social sciences. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Australian scientific community and will be disseminated back to the scientific community, to the humanities and to the Australian public. The project will bring to Australia the strengths of the applicant's existing collaborations with leading research centres in this field in the USA, UK and Canada.Read moreRead less
Memory, notebooks and archives: making early modern science. What information should be memorized? To what extent should we rely on looking things up? Striking the proper balance between what we retain in memory and what is best checked in books, databases or archives is a preoccupation in public discussion. The project gives this issue an historical perspective, showing how priorities have changed from an emphasis on memory and personal notebooks to an acceptance of retrieval from external sour ....Memory, notebooks and archives: making early modern science. What information should be memorized? To what extent should we rely on looking things up? Striking the proper balance between what we retain in memory and what is best checked in books, databases or archives is a preoccupation in public discussion. The project gives this issue an historical perspective, showing how priorities have changed from an emphasis on memory and personal notebooks to an acceptance of retrieval from external sources. Focussing on the period of the Scientific Revolution, it contributes to the understanding of our early modern European heritage - a field in which Australian scholars have a strong reputation.
Read moreRead less
Child, Nation, Race and Empire: a critical analysis of child rescue narratives in Britain, Australia and Canada 1850-1915. The aftermath of past child welfare practices has generated pain and anger across Australia. Through an analysis of the literature which informed such practices the project will strengthen Australia's social fabric by providing a much-needed historical context for the individuals, voluntary and government organizations seeking to understand how actions cast as benevolent cou ....Child, Nation, Race and Empire: a critical analysis of child rescue narratives in Britain, Australia and Canada 1850-1915. The aftermath of past child welfare practices has generated pain and anger across Australia. Through an analysis of the literature which informed such practices the project will strengthen Australia's social fabric by providing a much-needed historical context for the individuals, voluntary and government organizations seeking to understand how actions cast as benevolent could cause such harm. Such an understanding will also be cautionary for those engaged in the promotion of intercountry aid and adoption programs, which make similarly emotional appeals thus enhancing Australia's capacity to interpret and engage with its regional and global environment.Read moreRead less
An intellectual history of theoretical innovation in the Anglo-American Humanities. This project makes an important contribution to the debate over humanities education. Post-structuralist theory in the humanities is attacked by some as modish and lacking in values, and defended by others as supporting critical reflection and progressive political and ethical values. The project explores the degree to which the 'moment of theory' represents the return of earlier European university metaphysics t ....An intellectual history of theoretical innovation in the Anglo-American Humanities. This project makes an important contribution to the debate over humanities education. Post-structuralist theory in the humanities is attacked by some as modish and lacking in values, and defended by others as supporting critical reflection and progressive political and ethical values. The project explores the degree to which the 'moment of theory' represents the return of earlier European university metaphysics to the centre of the humanities curriculum. The project will study these shifts in theory in the humanities and show these to be highly relevant to contemporary debates about teaching and learning.Read moreRead less