Lightbringers: A Philosophy Journal

Address at the Melbourne Unitarian Church, June 26, 2011

Nature is a gift of Providence and, as a result, one which we all have an equal right to. But this also means responsibility, that we must pay for whatever damage that is done to nature, and those who are responsible should carry that cost. Where that cost is not applied in accordance to responsibility a social cost arises, and indeed, is encouraged.

Address to the Melbourne Unitarian Church, Sunday May 22, 2011

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a disease which has been the subject of much commentary by religious-minded people since its discovery in 1981, many of whom sought to blame those infected. This was primarily due the discovery of the disease among gay men and injecting drug users, especially through the irregular increase of cases of pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and a previously-rare skin cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma. Tabloid media, displaying the usual sensitivity and accuracy, called this the "Gay Plague".

The Kardashev Scale, created by Nikolai Kardashev in 1964, is a theory of advanced energy consumption. There are four types - and Earth isn't even one of them. We are currently below the scale because we can not yet make use of all available Earthly energy. The next few steps involve using an entire planet's energy, then expanding to other planets, then to galaxies, then the universe. There might be something beyond that, but let's not get too far into theory.

In 1903, the well-known member of the French Academy of Science, Prosper-René Blondlot, responsible for the first measurement of the speed of radio waves, announced a new form of radiation at the University of Nancy, whilst attempting to polarise X-rays. Excitement rose, and no less than 120 other scientists in 300 published articles also expressed the ability to detect this new radiation, which acquired the title "N-Rays"; notably there was a very disproportionate number of French scientists among the number. There was even debate over who discovered them first.

The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves

Presentation to the Unitarian Philosophy Forum, Sunday May 2, 2011

1.0 Matt Ridley, The Rational Optimist

Service to the Melbourne Unitarian Church's address Egypt's Revolution and the Awakening of the Arab Street, Samah Sabawi, Public Advocate, Australians for Palestine, May 1st, 2011

Opening Words

Presentation to the Melbourne Philosophy Forum, Sunday April 3, 2011

1.0 Leadership, Charisma and Management

Address to the Melbourne Unitarian Church, March 27, 2011

Of War and Violence