Rational Realm

In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we met with Karyn Robinson, who describes herself as a Pantheist....

In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we met with Michael Dello-Iacovo, who describes himself as a Sent...

In this series of podcasts, we explore what it's like to think and walk in someone else's shoes. You've given up on your mission of pleasing the divine being/s and saving others. So, what do you believe now, how do you live and what do you care about? There is a smorgasbord of world views and stances to choose from. In this session, we meet with Leo Brewin, who describes himself as a Rationalist....

In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she discusses how religious disillusionment can often introduce tension into relationships with friends and family who are still religious. Many people experience a profound loss when they leave a religion from the severed or strained ties with loved on...

In this series of podcasts, professional counsellor, Caroline Winzenried, delves deeper into various aspects of religious trauma. In this session, she reveals how "purity culture" began as a movement within the American evangelical Christian community, starting in the 90s, and places a strong moral emphasis on abstinence until marriage. Since then, it has spread to several countries and denominati...

Mental health professionals are increasingly noticing a pattern of symptoms in both those who have left religion and those who are still practicing that mirror the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In 2011, Dr. Marlene Winell coined the term 'Religious Trauma Syndrome' (RTS) to give a name to the unique trauma that many face from their experiences with religion. Like PTSD, RTS symptoms s...

In this episode, Akiva Quinn and Usha Sista examine the notion of "The Good Life" from various viewpoints. We all want our lives to actualise some conception of "The Good Life" where this notion will generally include fulfilment, happiness or wellbeing for ourselves, our family, friends and other people. In addition, for many, to live the good life also entails living with concern for both self an...

How does one create or pursue "meaning IN life" if there is no cosmic "meaning OF life"? Does the absurdity of suffering and banality of repetitive human activities undermine meaning? Akiva Quinn offers perspectives on life as meaningful based on the projects and purposes we each adopt, drawing on existentialist and absurdist thinkers including Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Martin Buber and Vikt...

Recently, there has been a plethora of books and articles on the topic of democracy's demise. We find authors who point to a number of countries that are moving towards authoritarian rule (such as America, Hungary, Turkey and the Philippines), while others argue that, despite these exceptions, democracy is alive and well. In particular, Dr Vince Giuca will examine two important threats to democrac...

While democracy has widespread appeal, many consider it to be under threat. Dr Vince Giuca will open this discussion by asking what is 'democracy', teasing out the implications of 'rule of the people' — an amorphous concept for some who ask whether it is meaningless and should be abandoned altogether. This will be followed with consideration of where democracy is today with special attention to Am...

Subjectivists about morality say that all of our moral judgments are about nothing more than our personal preferences. Objectivists, on the other hand, claim that our moral valuations are based on a human-independent realm of moral facts. Is there a way to reconcile these two opposing views? In this second part of a two-part series, Leslie Allan explains the expressive function of moral language t...

Subjectivists about morality say that all of our moral judgments are about nothing more than our personal preferences. Objectivists, on the other hand, claim that our moral valuations are based on a human-independent realm of moral facts. Is there a way to reconcile these two opposing views? In this first part of a two-part series, Leslie Allan will get us thinking about this vexed problem by intr...

In this episode, Leslie Allan shares his early experiences and how they shape his humanist outlook today. He then outlines what he considers to be the three core principles underlying the humanist world view and illustrates their application with historical and contemporary examples. He concludes by drawing upon each of these principles to tease out what it means to live a good life; a life of mea...

This synopsis tracks the story of Henrietta Dugdale, a leading light of the women’s liberation movement in pre-Federation Australia. Throughout the nineteenth century, women were treated as emotional and fragile, unable to govern themselves. In this social setting, Dugdale challenged the suffocating patriarchal structures of the day with her provocative prose and political willpower. She campaigne...

The rise of Donald Trump and the outcome of the Brexit vote indicate that our democratic systems of government are under stress. Leslie Allan outlines the key principles underpinning democracy and some ideas on how to buttress them.