Big Ideas

Michael Lewis, in his book Flash Boys, shines a light on the practice of high frequency trading and suggests that there’s something seriously wrong with the way stocks are bought and sold.

Are you a cosmopolitan? This ancient concept that we should aspire to be citizens of the world is in fact not about travelling the globe. It’s about being curious about other cultures and about being open to accept differences. Cosmopolitanism has become one of the most pressing issues in modern ethics and political thought: If globalization has become the condition of modern society what are the implications for ethical action? Renowned philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah explores the ethics of cosmopolitanism.

Adrian Wooldridge explores what happens when we move from an era of big institutions and stability to one of constant change and volatility.

What are the moments that define us as a nation and a people; that have shaped who we have become? A list of one hundred defining moments in Australian history has been put together for the National Museum of Australia. It is a starting point for a national conversation, rather than a definitive list, and is certain to trigger some disagreements. In the first of a series of ‘Big Ideas’ discussions, held in conjunction with the NMA and its defining moments project, Paul Barclay seeks out the views of a panel of historians, authors and commentators. Originally broadcast on September 28th, 2015.

Two years ago Edward Snowden, a US National Security Agency contractor made headlines worldwide when he leaked classified documents about a mass surveillance program undertaken by US intelligence agencies.

Women’s rights advocates are calling for a cultural shift away from the acceptance of domestic violence.

Steven Pinker explains how to write clear and coherent prose with a sense of style.

Economics of Dignity. Marilyn Waring no longer believes that we should put monetary values on unpaid work and the environment. Instead she has developed a human rights approach that puts women and other vulnerable people at the centre. What would make women’s lives easier, safer and freer? And what would make women more valued? This in the 2015 Pamela Denoon Lecture.

David Kilcullen is a former Australian army colonel, with a PhD in insurgency movements. He has been a counterterrorist adviser to the US and worked closely with Iraq War supremo, General David Petraeus, and US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. Kilcullen is critical of many aspects of the West’s strategy, post 9/11, which, he argues, led to the rise of Islamic State. He warns the global terrorist threat is now the new normal. So how do we defeat ISIS? Originally broadcast on June 6th, 2015

The brain has a remarkable capacity to heal itself. Low intensity lasers are helping people to recover from stroke. It is possible to teach the brain to block out chronic pain, music is being used to great effect to treat children with autism, and one man regained his sight through meditation.  Norman Doidge, the doctor who introduced us to neuroplasticity, talks to Paul Barclay about these case studies and more.