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William Grey

The University of Queensland, Australia, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, Faculty Member

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William is an Honorary Research Associate Professor in the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland (UQ). He has BA (Hons) and MA degrees from the Australian National University (Canberra) and a PhD in Philosophy from Cambridge University. As well as his academic positions in Philosophy at UQ he has held positions at the University of New England (Armidale), Temple University (Philadelphia), and the Australian National University. Research interests include applied ethics, in particular environmental philosophy and bioethics, and metaphysics. Research (and other) publications can be viewed (and in most cases downloaded) from this Academia web site below. William has participated in Al Gore's climate change leadership program and is a qualified Climate Leader with The Climate Project, whose Australian branch was established in in conjunction with the Australian Conservation Foundation. More comprehensive curricula vitae ('Growing Up—A Childhood in Tasmania', 'Microbiographia Academica', and 'Vale UQ') can be found on this Academia web site below.
Phone: 07 31610253
Address: 16 Tamarang Street
Tarragindi Qld 4121
Australia

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Curricula Vitae by William Grey

Growing Up — A Childhood in Tasmania (1949-1961)

Microbiographia Academica

An informal academic microbiography from the keyboard of William Grey

Farewell address delivered at a Morning Tea on Friday 15 June, 2012 in the School of History Phil... more

Lectures and Presentations by William Grey

Consciousness & the divided brain

The defining character of the mental is first person experience, which is simultaneously utterly ... more The defining character of the mental is first person experience, which is simultaneously utterly familiar and deeply mysterious. The core of the mystery is consciousness, which is, for each of us, the centre of our understanding of the world. In this talk I address some of the difficulties of attempting to make sense of this intractable problem, and suggest that it may be illuminated when viewed through the lens of neuroepistemology.

Sustainability, the Growth Trap and Ethical Eating (2019)

Lecture (2) to University of Queensland postgraduate course PHIL7221 Environmental Philosophy, 15... more

The Many Faces of Environmental Ethics (2019)

Lecture (1) to University of Queensland postgraduate course PHIL7221 Environmental Philosophy, 15... more

Plebiscites (2016)

The Turnbull government has proposed a plebiscite as way of resolving the socially contested prop... more The Turnbull government has proposed a plebiscite as way of resolving the socially contested proposal to legalise same-sex marriage. I argue that this is an unnecessary, divisive and objectionable way of resolving this issue within our representative democracy. Politicians should do their duty and legislate.

Ethical Eating (2016)

Major determinants of food choice are taste, price, health, food safety and (occasionally) animal... more Major determinants of food choice are taste, price, health, food safety and (occasionally) animal welfare and sustainability. Climate change is seldom considered when making food choice. Livestock however accounts for 14.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the direct emissions from the global transport sector. Moderating consumption of meat and dairy would not only deliver health benefits, it may also be necessary if global temperature increase is to be kept below the two degree Celsius danger level.

The Melting Planet (2016)

This paper addresses the paleoclimate history of the planet, the effect of climate change on the ... more

In the wake of Scott, Shackleton and Edgeworth David (2016)

This lecture about Professor Edgeworth David (a great-grandfather) concentrates mostly on his exp... more

The Nature of Mind (2015)

The defining character of the mental is first person experience, which is simultaneously utterly ... more The defining character of the mental is first person experience, which is simultaneously utterly familiar and deeply mysterious. The core of the mystery is consciousness, which is, for each of us, the centre of our understanding of the world. In this paper I address some of the difficulties of attempting to make sense of this intractable problem.

How Scientific Reasoning Works - Lecture 4 (2015)

How Scientific Reasoning Works - Lecture 3 (2015)

Slides for the third in a series of four lectures on reasoning in science for the University of Q... more

How Scientific Reasoning Works - Lecture 2 (2015)

Slides for the second in a series of four lectures on reasoning in science for the University of ... more

How Scientific Reasoning Works - Lecture 1 (2015)

by Dominic Hyde and William Grey

Slides for the second in a series of four lectures on reasoning in science for the University of ... more

Building a Sustainable Future (2014)

This lecture (for World Philosophy Day, Thursday 20 November 2014) outlines the development of re... more

Making Sense of the World: Science and its Rivals and the Demarcation Problem (2014)

Ethics of Migration: Population, Resources and Environment in the 21st Century (2014)

Climate change and obligations to the future (2009)

Climate change poses serious ethical, social, political and technical challenges. The science is ... more Climate change poses serious ethical, social, political and technical challenges. The science is complex and (like all complex science) involves some uncertainty, but because of the potential seriousness of the problem posed by global warming the task of making significant and far-reaching choices in a situation of uncertainty is both urgent and important. Our individuals and collective choices have potentially far-reaching implications for both non-humans and for future generations of humans. This paper explores some of the central issues which arise in this complex debate, which include important concerns of environmental philosophy, such as obligations to the nonhuman world, and in applied ethics, such as issues of intergenerational equity and justice.

Ethical Dilemmas of the 21st Century (2003)

Growing Up — A Childhood in Tasmania (1949-1961)

Microbiographia Academica

An informal academic microbiography from the keyboard of William Grey

Farewell address delivered at a Morning Tea on Friday 15 June, 2012 in the School of History Phil... more

Consciousness & the divided brain

The defining character of the mental is first person experience, which is simultaneously utterly ... more The defining character of the mental is first person experience, which is simultaneously utterly familiar and deeply mysterious. The core of the mystery is consciousness, which is, for each of us, the centre of our understanding of the world. In this talk I address some of the difficulties of attempting to make sense of this intractable problem, and suggest that it may be illuminated when viewed through the lens of neuroepistemology.

Sustainability, the Growth Trap and Ethical Eating (2019)

Lecture (2) to University of Queensland postgraduate course PHIL7221 Environmental Philosophy, 15... more

The Many Faces of Environmental Ethics (2019)

Lecture (1) to University of Queensland postgraduate course PHIL7221 Environmental Philosophy, 15... more

Plebiscites (2016)

The Turnbull government has proposed a plebiscite as way of resolving the socially contested prop... more The Turnbull government has proposed a plebiscite as way of resolving the socially contested proposal to legalise same-sex marriage. I argue that this is an unnecessary, divisive and objectionable way of resolving this issue within our representative democracy. Politicians should do their duty and legislate.

Ethical Eating (2016)

Major determinants of food choice are taste, price, health, food safety and (occasionally) animal... more Major determinants of food choice are taste, price, health, food safety and (occasionally) animal welfare and sustainability. Climate change is seldom considered when making food choice. Livestock however accounts for 14.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the direct emissions from the global transport sector. Moderating consumption of meat and dairy would not only deliver health benefits, it may also be necessary if global temperature increase is to be kept below the two degree Celsius danger level.

The Melting Planet (2016)

This paper addresses the paleoclimate history of the planet, the effect of climate change on the ... more

In the wake of Scott, Shackleton and Edgeworth David (2016)

This lecture about Professor Edgeworth David (a great-grandfather) concentrates mostly on his exp... more

The Nature of Mind (2015)

The defining character of the mental is first person experience, which is simultaneously utterly ... more The defining character of the mental is first person experience, which is simultaneously utterly familiar and deeply mysterious. The core of the mystery is consciousness, which is, for each of us, the centre of our understanding of the world. In this paper I address some of the difficulties of attempting to make sense of this intractable problem.

How Scientific Reasoning Works - Lecture 4 (2015)

How Scientific Reasoning Works - Lecture 3 (2015)

Slides for the third in a series of four lectures on reasoning in science for the University of Q... more

How Scientific Reasoning Works - Lecture 2 (2015)

Slides for the second in a series of four lectures on reasoning in science for the University of ... more

How Scientific Reasoning Works - Lecture 1 (2015)

by Dominic Hyde and William Grey

Slides for the second in a series of four lectures on reasoning in science for the University of ... more

Building a Sustainable Future (2014)

This lecture (for World Philosophy Day, Thursday 20 November 2014) outlines the development of re... more

Making Sense of the World: Science and its Rivals and the Demarcation Problem (2014)

Ethics of Migration: Population, Resources and Environment in the 21st Century (2014)

Climate change and obligations to the future (2009)

Climate change poses serious ethical, social, political and technical challenges. The science is ... more Climate change poses serious ethical, social, political and technical challenges. The science is complex and (like all complex science) involves some uncertainty, but because of the potential seriousness of the problem posed by global warming the task of making significant and far-reaching choices in a situation of uncertainty is both urgent and important. Our individuals and collective choices have potentially far-reaching implications for both non-humans and for future generations of humans. This paper explores some of the central issues which arise in this complex debate, which include important concerns of environmental philosophy, such as obligations to the nonhuman world, and in applied ethics, such as issues of intergenerational equity and justice.

Ethical Dilemmas of the 21st Century (2003)

Last man arguments

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UNESCO World Philosophy Day 2010

An international event established by UNESCO in 2002• Observed annually on the third Thursday of ... more

Beyond Environmentalism: A Philosophy of Nature

Australasian Journal of Philosophy, 2011

clear scientific basis. Normative evaluation is not introduced into his metaphysics in a non-arbi... more clear scientific basis. Normative evaluation is not introduced into his metaphysics in a non-arbitrary way. There is room for metaethicists of various stripes to push rival ideologies. Specifically, his claim that a realist cannot consistently base behavioural choices on self-interest depends on the fact that others deciding the same way will thwart one’s interests. But how does realism imply that one cannot coherently deny to others one’s own basis for decisions? The reduction of ethical judgments to social ideals recalls Ellis’s earlier epistemic reduction of truth, which he now rejects as incompatible with a realist ontology. There would seem to be the same objection: ideal justification does not provide truth makers for science; no more do subjective preferences provide truth makers for ethics. Ellis opts for reduction over elimination because he takes facts about human decision and deliberation to be brute facts that anymetaphysics must explain. But this is contrary to the spirit of scientific realism, which allows science to displace the deepest intuitions. If science can determine that Schrödinger’s cat is neither alive nor dead, that a particle can go through both slits at once, that effects can precede their causes, then it cannot be bound to respect standard intuitions about human consciousness. As soon as one exceeds the minimal realism of hypotheses and posits needed to generate the data, the ambitious metaphysical realist has options, and the history of the choices both scientists and philosophers have made is not reassuring. Past incarnations of Ellis’s project endorsed, variously, discrete atomism, a material medium for electromagnetic waves, and caloric heat, just as Ellis now holds particle realization potentials, causal propensities, and time-irreversible wave collapses to be a posteriori metaphysical necessities. Contemporary science denies the existence of much that past science held ontologically indispensable. Today’s scientific realist may favour the minimalist option of eschewing metaphysical explanation altogether. And it does not take a metaphysical overlay to achieve Ellis’s purpose of a first philosophy that adjudicates among rival theories of what there is in the natural world; the physics alone does this. Ellis’s technical discussions are sophisticated but some of his presentations are questionable, for example his arguments for restricting relativity. It is not clear how the cosmological red shift is supposed to generate inequivalent inertial systems. This just seems a mistake. And it is unclear how the collapse of a wave packet violates the limiting velocity of light, since the collapse is not a signal transmission. Rather than concluding that relativity is wrong or limited, why not just conclude that it is inapplicable? But overall the physical arguments appear cogent and the philosophy is well grounded in them. Philosophers sympathetic to Ellis’s metaphysical project will find much to learn from his exposition. Unquestionably, if you want to do metaphysics, contemporary physics is the place to start, and Ellis’s construction upon it is a major contribution.

Metaphor and meaning

name Minerva-An Internet Journal of Philosophy

Any dictionary will quickly confirm that most of the words which we recognise as straightforward ... more Any dictionary will quickly confirm that most of the words which we recognise as straightforward and literal are dead (or &quot;frozen&quot;) metaphor. Moreover if one attends carefully to the sentences of any fluent speaker one finds that they contain a steady stream of metaphors. The fluid ...

Time and Becoming

Cogito, 1997

COGITO, VOLUME 11, NUMBER 3, 1997, pp. 215-220 Time and Becoming WILLIAM GREY There are two diffe... more

Right to Die or Duty to Live? The Problem of Euthanasia

Journal of Applied Philosophy, 1999

Argument about euthanasia in Australia intensified following the world’s first legal euthanasia d... more Argument about euthanasia in Australia intensified following the world’s first legal euthanasia death of Bob Dent under the Northern Territory’s short‐lived Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995. This paper takes stock of the implacably opposed positions on euthanasia following Bob Dent’s death, which provides a focus for the controversy, and identifies the key doctrines which separate adversaries in the euthanasia debate and their associated incommensurable intuitions.

A Critique of Deep Green Theory

Beneath the surface: critical essays in the philosophy of …, 2000

A Critique of Deep Green Theory William Grey The death of Richard Sylvan (formerly Richard Routle... more

The Value of Wilderness

Environmental Ethics, 1979

In this paper I explore various grounds on which wilderness can be regarded as something which we... more In this paper I explore various grounds on which wilderness can be regarded as something which we should value, and I draw attention to the problems of re solving conflict which are generated by these diverse grounds. I conclude that our attitudes toward nature are partially determined by a background of metaphysical assumptions which derive in particular from the philosophy of Descartes. These metaphysical preconceptions lead to the misconception that various alternative views about the natural environment are mystical or occult. Thus, an alternative non-Cartesian node of conception involving holistic or systemic modes of thought is required in order to develop a satisfactory basis for our attitude toward the natural world_ Wilderness is the raw material out of which man has hammered the artifact called civilization.

Design constraints for the post-human future

Gasking's proof

Metaphor and meaning

Minerva, 2000

In this paper I explore the question: Can what is said metaphorically be said literally? I provi... more In this paper I explore the question: Can what is said metaphorically be said literally? I provide a qualified affirmative answer to this question. However I also suggest that although a paraphrase can be provided which satisfactorily conveys the sense of the metaphor, the paraphrase is unable to provide the insight which the metaphor did. I go on to argue that the tendency to take an ex post facto view of metaphor obscures the central role which metaphor plays in concept formation.

Troubles with time travel

Talk about time travel is puzzling even if it isn't obviously contradictory. Philosophers however... more Talk about time travel is puzzling even if it isn't obviously contradictory. Philosophers however are divided about whether time travel involves empirical paradox or some deeper metaphysical incoherence. It is suggested that time travel requires a Parmenidean four-dimensionalist metaphysical conception of the world in time. The possibility of time travel is addressed (mainly) from within a Parmenidean metaphysical framework, which is accepted by David Lewis in his defence of the coherence of time travel. It is argued that time travel raises formidable difficulties which are not satisfactorily resolved by Lewis's ingenious defence of time travel. Objections to time travel considered include: (1) travel to other times is impossible because there is nowhere (or “nowhen”) to go to; (2) the problem that upon setting out on a journey to the past a time machine will collide with itself; (3) time travel generates a mysterious temporal dualism between experiential time and physical time; (4) travel to the past permits reverse causation, raising the possibility of causal loops and attendant problems arising, for example, from the prospect of empirical contradiction and the possibility of someone being one of their ancestors.

Epicurus and the harm of death

Epistemic evolution

Right to die or duty to live? The problem of euthanasia

Pathological belief

Ockham, Hume and epistemic wisdom

Philosophy Now, Vol 21: 25-28, 1998

The attached paper is the text used for a talk-back radio program (1992) at the University of New... more

Environmental value and anthropocentrism

Time and becoming

Possible persons and the problems of posterity

The moral status of future persons is problematic. It is often claimed that we should take the in... more The moral status of future persons is problematic. It is often claimed that we should take the interests of the indefinite unborn seriously, because they have right to a decent life. It is also claimed (often by the same people) that we should allow unrestricted access to abortion, because the indefinite unborn have no rights. In the paper I argue that these intuitions are not in fact inconsistent. The aim is to provide an account of trans-temporal concern which resolves the prima facie inconsistency between commonly held intuitions about our obligations about future persons. I argue that our intuitions can be reconciled provided that we explicate our obligations to the future in terms of impersonal principles subject to retroactive person-affecting constraints.

Philosophical issues in ecology: recent trends and future directions

by William Grey and jay odenbaugh

Philosophy of ecology has been slow to become established as an area of philosophical interest, b... more Philosophy of ecology has been slow to become established as an area of philosophical interest, but it is now receiving considerable attention. This area holds great promise for the advancement of both ecology and the philosophy of science. Insights from the philosophy of science can advance ecology in a number of ways. For example, philosophy can assist with the development of improved models of ecological hypothesis testing and theory choice. Philosophy can also help ecologists understand the role and limitations of mathematical models in ecology. On the other side, philosophy of science will be advanced by having ecological case studies as part of the stock of examples. Ecological case studies can shed light on old philosophical topics as well as raise novel issues for the philosophy of science. For example, understanding theoretical terms such as "biodiversity" is important for scientific reasons, but such terms also carry political importance. Formulating appropriate definitions for such terms is thus not a purely scientific matter, and this may prompt a reevaluation of philosophical accounts of defining theoretical terms. We consider some of the topics currently receiving attention in the philosophy of ecology and other topics in need of attention. Our aim is to prompt further exchange between ecology and philosophy of science and to help set the agenda for future work in the philosophy of ecology. The topics covered include: the role of mathematical models, environmental problem formulation, biodiversity, and environmental ethics.

Philosophical issues in ecology: recent trends and future directions

by jay odenbaugh and William Grey

Ecology and …, Jan 1, 2009

Philosophy of ecology has been slow to become established as an area of philosophical interest, b... more Philosophy of ecology has been slow to become established as an area of philosophical interest, but it is now receiving considerable attention. This area holds great promise for the advancement of both ecology and the philosophy of science. Insights from the philosophy of science can advance ecology in a number of ways. For example, philosophy can assist with the development of improved models of ecological hypothesis testing and theory choice. Philosophy can also help ecologists understand the role and limitations of mathematical models in ecology. On the other side, philosophy of science will be advanced by having ecological case studies as part of the stock of examples. Ecological case studies can shed light on old philosophical topics as well as raise novel issues for the philosophy of science. For example, understanding theoretical terms such as "biodiversity" is important for scientific reasons, but such terms also carry political importance. Formulating appropriate definitions for such terms is thus not a purely scientific matter, and this may prompt a reevaluation of philosophical accounts of defining theoretical terms. We consider some of the topics currently receiving attention in the philosophy of ecology and other topics in need of attention. Our aim is to prompt further exchange between ecology and philosophy of science and to help set the agenda for future work in the philosophy of ecology. The topics covered include: the role of mathematical models, environmental problem formulation, biodiversity, and environmental ethics.

Persons and personification

by William Grey, Adrian Carter, and Wayne Hall

A Case for Investigating the Ethics of Artificial Life

The authors have undertaken an exploration of some significant social and ethical issues that ari... more The authors have undertaken an exploration of some significant social and ethical issues that arise in relation to the emerging field of Artificial Life (A-life). These issues have been approached from a philosophical perspective, taking into account reports of current developments in A-life research, and the application of A-life software in elementary school education. It has been suggested that the use of such systems may impact on the development of moral character in children, and illuminate that of adults. In addition, it is argued that if A-life researchers achieve their aims and evolve digital biota that are both intelligent and autonomous, they may be responsible to their creations for the quality of the worlds in which they live. The authors conclude that, given the stated aims and current progress of A-life researchers, there is a clear need for further consideration of the potential social and ethical implications of these technologies.

Ethical Issues in A-Life: Cyber Gods as Moral Monsters?

A major stream of Artificial Life (ALife) research aims to build synthetic life forms, operating ... more A major stream of Artificial Life (ALife) research aims to build synthetic life forms, operating in virtual worlds, implemented as computer programs. A clear long-term target for this research is the evolution of digital life-forms with a complexity of structure and behaviour analogous to biological life-forms, potentially exhibiting intelligence and self-awareness. The creation of intelligent, self-aware digital life-forms has clear ethical implications, but there is no current research into how these ethical issues might be addressed. This paper argues that such ethical research is needed. Furthermore, it describes our future research plans to build a solid philosophical foundation for the consideration of these ethical issues.

Ethical issues confronting dentists in Queensland

Gaia Theory - Reflections on Life in the Universe (2023)

Death And Anti-Death, Vol 21 (ed) Charles Tandy: 137-172

An examination of the genesis, development, and reception, of James Lovelock's Gaia Theory, which... more An examination of the genesis, development, and reception, of James Lovelock's Gaia Theory, which has significantly influenced the way we think about the origin, nature, and prospects of life on planet Earth and beyond. Gaia's synoptic planetary perspective provides a platform for reflecting on extra-terrestrial life. Our lateralized brains provide two distinct cognitive modes of understanding which we use to make sense of the world. These differences provide the neuroepistemological framework of the inquiry which helps to make sense of, inter alia, the relationship between Gaian and Darwinian theory.

The ethics of enhancement (2008)

Death and Anti-Death, Vol 6 (ed) Charles Tandy:

Time wounds all heels (2006)

Death and Anti-Death, Vol 4 (ed) Charles Tandy: 165-180, 2006

The harm of death (2003)

Death and Anti-Death (ed) Charles Tandy: 359-376, 2003

Diachronic obligation (2003)

Time and Ethics (ed) Heather Dyke: 219-235, 2003

A critique of deep green theory (2000)

Beneath the Surface (eds) Eric Katz, Andrew Light and David Rothenberg: 43-58, 2000

Right to die or duty to live? The problem of euthanasia (2000)

Death, Dying and Bereavement (eds) Donna Dickenson, Malcolm Johnson and Jeanne Katz: 270-282, 2000

This chapter is a reprint of the paper published in the 'Journal of Applied Philosoophy', which c... more

Philosophy and the paranormal (1997)

All us apes--and other scientific wisdom from Ockham's Razor (ed) Robyn Williams: 1-8, 1997

This chapter is based on the paper 'Ockham, Hume and Epistemic Wisdom', a version of which can be... more

Some problems about time travel (1994)

Time, Self and Freedom (ed) Aubrey Townsend: 78-83, 1994

This is an early version of 'Troubles with time travel' published in 'Philosophy', Vol 74 (1999):... more

The distaste for disorder (1988)

Ockham's Razor 2 (ed) Robyn Williams: 127-132, 1988

The rights of nonhumans and intrinsic values (1980)

Environmental Philosophy (eds) D.S. Mannison, M.A. McRobbie and R. Sylvan: 30-47, 1980

Review of J.E. Foss 'Beyond Environmentalism' (2011)

Gaia theory: reflections on life on earth (2010)

Australian Review of Public Affairs, Feb 2010

Last man arguments (2009)

The Encyplopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy (eds) J Baird Callicott and Robert Frodeman, Vol 2: 40-41, 2008

Richard Sylvan (2009)

The Encyclopedia of Environmental Ethics and Philosophy (eds) J Baird Callicott and Robert Frodeman, Vol 2: 298-299, 2008

Climate change is nothing to be sceptical about (2007)

UQ News, Nov 7, 2007

Review of A.N. Prior 'Papers on Time and Tense, New Edn' OUP (2005)

Indeed, this point about the priority of natural language is one Girle is very sympathetic toward... more Indeed, this point about the priority of natural language is one Girle is very sympathetic towards. For instance, in many places he raises the question of whether logic should play a descriptive role, showing logical connections between concepts employed in ordinary language or whether it should play a normative role, showing how natural language should behave. The author shows sympathies for the first approach, so one might think that a more ordinary language conception of possible worlds would fare better. But this is not Girle's line of argument. Although he tells us that '[m]odal logic is not the final arbiter when it comes to possible worlds and modality' [23] and that 'possible worlds will take us beyond formal systems ' [24], he rarely discusses the use of possible worlds outside the context of modal logic (although Chapter 9 is an exception to this). This suggests that perhaps one should see the book's main thesis as a more restricted one; for the most part it argues for the limits of applicability of possible worlds semantics and modal logic.

Playing God (2001)

The Concise Encyclopedia of the Ethics of New Technologies (ed) Ruth Chadwick: 335-339, 2001

Playing God (1998)

Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics (ed) Ruth Chadwick, Vol 3: 525-530, 1998

This is the Encyclopedia entry updated in the 2001 edition of the Concise Encyclopedia (listed ab... more

Determinism and punishment (1998)

Much ado about Manning (1996)

Review of Johnson 'A Morally Deep World' CUP (1995)

Campaign Ethics Questioned (1995)

The Weekend Independent, p.5, Jul 14, 1995

Is lying, chicanery, deceit, misrepresentation and distortion an unavoidable part of the politica... more

Against misrepresentation (1995)

When world views collide (1995)

Skeptical Briefs, Vol 5, No 2: 13, 1995

Philosophy and the paranormal, part 2: skepticism, miracles and knowledge (1994)

Philosophy and the paranormal, part 1: the problem of "psi" (1994)

'Is the scientific approach relevant to astrology?': A comment (1994)

Correlation, Vol 13, No.1: 23-24, 1994

Review of William Gray 'Thinking Critically About New Age Ideas' (1993)

The Sceptical Student 2 (1993)

Scepticism and knowledge (1992)

Memoir for DH Mellor (1938-2020)

Recollections of my Cambridge PhD supervisor David Hugh Mellor

Report on Three Capes Walk (March 2019)

The party (of nine) could not be accommodated easily in a single vehicle, so we hired two vehicle... more The party (of nine) could not be accommodated easily in a single vehicle, so we hired two vehicles (from East Coast Car Rentals, which offered much the best rental deal for our needs): an eight-seater Kia Carnival (a people-mover hired by and mostly driven by William) and a Hyundai Accent (hired by and mostly driven by Warwick).

Toast to Rebecca and Colin (2018)

Bride's father's toast to Rebecca Anne Katherine Sweett (née Grey) and Colin Owen Sweett at their... more

Anne Edgeworth Fellowship (December 2017)

Announcement of the 2017 winners of the Anne Edgeworth Fellowship for Young Writers (an award est... more

Report on Luke's Farm Trip (August 2017)

Reminiscences about Launceston Grammar School (May 2017)

Longstanding Launceston Grammar classmate Rafe Champion wrote to me at the beginning of 2017 aski... more Longstanding Launceston Grammar classmate Rafe Champion wrote to me at the beginning of 2017 asking if I would contribute to a book of reminiscences about the School over the period 1940 to 1965, being prepared by himself and fellow classmate Paul Richards. Here are my initial thoughts on the matter.

Memoir for Edgeworth David McIntyre (1925-2015)

A reflection on the life of my (maternal) uncle Edgeworth David McIntyre

Report on Border Track Cross-over Walk (2015)

The Second Winders' walk between Binna Burra and O'Reillys in the Lamington National Park, Februa... more

Toast to Sarah and Tom (2015)

Delivered by the father of the bride at the wedding of Sarah and Tom Ryrie at Micalago Station, M... more

Report on Mt Barney Weekend (2014)

The Second Winders' trip to Mt Barney in September 2014

Reminiscence for Tony Godfrey-Smith’s 70th birthday (2013)

This anecdote was recounted at a family dinner held at the Canberra Hyatt Hotel on 22 June 2013 t... more

Toast to Rebecca and Colin (2013)

Delivered at the celebration of the engagement of Rebecca Grey and Colin Sweett held at my brothe... more

Memoir for Anne Edgeworth (1921-2011)

Reflections on the life of my mother read at the Queanbeyan Lawn Cemetery, Lanyon Road, Queanbeya... more

Memoir for Robert Mackay (1926-2009)

This memoir was prepared for delivery at the funeral of my some-time step-father (which I was una... more

Memoir for Elizabeth Godfrey-Smith (1925-2006)

A tribute to my step-mother presented at the 'Celebration for Boo' at the Queen Victoria Museum a... more

Memoir for R.A. Godfrey-Smith (1919-2005)

Reflections on the life of my father presented at the C.T. Finney Centre, Nunamina Ave, Kings Mea... more

Jorge Luis Borges - Labyrinths (2017)

Rudd call has a cost (2016)

Letter to 'The Saturday Paper', August 6-12, 2016

Government focused on now (2014)

Letters, 'The Saturday Paper', November 22-28, 2014

Disparity in MH17 response (2014)

Letters, 'The Saturday Paper', August 2-8, 2014

Bias in the ABC (2014)

A-Theory and B-Theory (2005)

unpublished

Events (or 'times') may be characterized in two distinct, but related, ways. On the one hand they... more Events (or 'times') may be characterized in two distinct, but related, ways. On the one hand they can be characterized as past, present or future, normally indicated in natural languages such as English by the verbal inflection of tenses or auxiliary adverbial modifiers. Alternatively events may be described as earlier than, simultaneous with, or later than others. Philosophers are divided on whether the tensed or tenseless mode of expressing temporal fact is fundamental. Those who take the tensed notions associated with the past, present and future to be the irreducible foundations of temporality and our conceptions of temporal fact, are called A-theorists. A-theorists deny that past, present and future are equally real, and maintain that the future is not fixed and determinate like the past. Those who wish to eliminate all talk of past, present and future in favour of a tenseless ordering of events are called Btheorists. B-theorists believe that the past the present and the future are equally real. These labels are derived from the analysis of time and change developed by J.M.E. McTaggart, in which events are ordered via a tensed A-series or a tenseless B-series.

Conservationism

unpublished

unpublished

unpublished

A word (derived from the Greek oikos, household or living place) first used by Ernst Haeckel in 1... more A word (derived from the Greek oikos, household or living place) first used by Ernst Haeckel in 1873 for the branch of biology dealing with the relationships between plants and animals and their environment. Often it is characterised as the study of the distribution and abundance of organisms. In particular, ecology examines the biological and physical factors which determine the presence or absence of species in particular places and the causes of the diversity, density and distribution of species in those places. Ecology is sometimes divided into subdivisions such as population ecology, evolutionary ecology and human ecology.

Environmental Ethics

unpublished

Environmentalism

unpublished

Metaphysics (1999)

The Skeptic, Vol 19, No 1: 46, 1999

As a philosopher it often saddens me to survey the books which are regularly allocated to the sec... more

Environmental Philosophy (1980)

Habitat, Vol 8, No 3: 24-25, 1980