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Embiggen books ppt

The changing Climate of Skepticism The Changing Climate of Skepticism (ppt)

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On the cusp of [political] greatness

Q: Have we become accustomed to thinking of political greatness as involving moments of symbolism rather than as involving reform achievements? Ask the Philosopher, The Australian, 27 Mar 2010. ‘. . .the ultimate test of greatness is to be able … Continue reading

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A nod to traditional owners

Q: Is an acknowledgment of traditional ownership by public officials tokenistic political correctness or a genuine effort to achieve reconciliation with Aboriginal Australians? From: A nod to traditional owners, The (Weekend) Australian, 20 March 2010, Tim Soutphommasane mentions this ritual … Continue reading

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Ask the Philosopher column in The Australian

Tim writes the “Ask the Philosopher” column in The Weekend Australian, which offers a philosophical take on politics, society and public policy. From his website: http://www.soutphommasane.com.au/home http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/columnists/tim-soutphommasane (Uploaded by Katherine Cheng.)

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Do home-schooled kids get enough social education?

Q: * Do home-schooled kids get enough social education? *Should we be concerned with the potential effects of home schooling on children’s social integration? *Are some countries, such as Germany, right to ban home-schooling? Ask the Philosopher column in The … Continue reading

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Three essays about France’s response to the veil (hijab, burqa, etc.)

Three essays in response to France’s ban on women wearing veils and other full body coverings in secular spaces. Two of the essays are written by women; the other by a political writer (Greg Sheridan). Themes: Secularism, nationalism, identity politics, … Continue reading

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Putting a brake on tolerance

by Julie Hosking about the sentiments expressed by bumper stickers. ‘F*** off, we’re full’, says one bumper sticker. Useful for discussing the paradox of tolerance. *What are the limits of tolerance? Of free speech? *If racist and other sentiments are … Continue reading

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Is there a difference between patriotism & jingoism?

Q: How do we define patriotism? And how does it compare to jingoism? Ask the philosopher by Tim Soutphommasane in The Australian on January 2010 Ask the philosopher 2010 Jan 30 Patriotism (docx) (Uploaded by Katherine Cheng.)

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Casting the profiling net

Q: Should we apply racial or national profiling when screening passengers at our airports? by Tim Soutphommasane in The Australian, January 16 2010, ASK THE PHILOSOPHER Ask the philosopher 2010 Jan 16 Racial profiling (docx) (Uploaded by Katherine Cheng.)

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Civics should be a class act

Opinion piece about the teaching of ethics in NSW public schools, as an alternative to scripture classes. Written by Tim Soutphommasane, political theorist and author of Reclaiming Patriotism. Ask the Philosopher 2010 Mar06 Home schooling – social education (docx) (Uploaded by … Continue reading

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Making ethical investment decisions

Q: MOST of us would recoil from being investors who support unsavoury or harmful activities . . . but must we refrain, then, from making investment decisions based on financial considerations, free from ethical concerns? Ask the philosopher by Tim … Continue reading

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Climate Change: science & responsibility

Ask the philosopher by Tim Soutphommasane, The Australian Dec 12 2009 ‘WITHOUT presuming that claims about climate change must be immune from scrutiny, the science appears, in my humble opinion, to be persuasive enough. Yet much within the climate change … Continue reading

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When to lead and when to follow

Q: When must leaders lead and back their judgment against their followers, and when must they follow? by Tim Soutphommasane, The Australian Dec 05 2009 ‘EVERY political actor aspires to master the elusive art of leadership. During the Middle Ages … Continue reading

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Where life imitates sport

Q: If sport is to be a metaphor for life, what are we to make of professional athletes’ bad behaviour on the sporting field? ASK THE PHILOSOPHER: Tim Soutphommasane, The Australian, November 28, 2009 AskthePhilosopher29Nov2009 Where life imitates sport (docx) (Uploaded … Continue reading

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The dilemma of giving

Q: If giving to charity can save lives, am I morally obliged to donate all of my excess income and live on the bare essentials? – N. C., Oxford, England ASK THE PHILOSOPHER: Tim Soutphommasane The Australian Nov 21 2009 … Continue reading

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Neuroscience for kids

Found this American site via Scientific American Mind’s website. Created by Eric Chudler, Ph.D, A neuroscientist (Research Associate Professor) and Director of Education and Outreach at University of Washington Engineered Biomaterials in Seattle, Washington. There is a POETRY COMPETITION for … Continue reading

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Should we seek a perfect world?

Tim Soutphommasane’s Ask the Philosopher from The Australian Nov 14 2009 ‘The anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall reminds us how destructive utopian philosophies can become. Does this mean we should never strive for utopia? ICH bin ein … Continue reading

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UNESCO’s Philosophy Portal

http://www.unesco.org/new/index.php?id=19176&L=0 (Uploaded by Katherine Cheng.)

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How to understand racism

Do you have to be black, or a member of a minority ethnic group, to understand racism? ASK THE PHILOSOPHER: Tim Soutphommasane from The Australian October 31, 2009 AskthePhilosopher31Oct2009 How to understand racism (pdf) (Uploaded by Katherine Cheng.)

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Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller

Wiley Miller’s cartoons often pose questions about life in general. He also has a number of cartoons which illustrate particular -isms that can be used in a philosophy classroom. Fundamentalism is one of his ‘pet’ subjects. One of my favourites … Continue reading

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