Big Ideas

Is there an afterlife? How does your time on earth determine how you’ll spend eternity? Every culture has its own version of the answer to these questions. Tomson Highway says the Cree indigenous community doesn’t fear death. Your body and spirit simply returns to Mother Earth where your ancestors will always be with you.

Why do humans exist? What is the meaning of life?

Cree Indian writer, Tomson Highway,  says joy and laughter is the reason for existence .The Christian doctrine of sin and damnation , so much a part of his Catholic education , does not sit well with Cree Indian mythology. In this Massey lecture on humour, Tomson describes laughter as the elixir of life.

Monotheism imposes limits on our understanding of gender and the human body. In the world of Indigenous peoples,“the circle of pantheism has space for any number of genders”. So says Cree writer, musician and humorist, Tomson Highway, in this CBC Massey Lecture.

What do Christian, classical, and Cree mythologies contribute to Western thought and culture? And how does North American Indigenous mythologies provide unique, timeless solutions to our modern problems? Let's start with creation. How we think our world came to be shapes how people understand their place in it and their responsibly for nature.

Defence and security analyst, Hugh White, is concerned Australia may be 'sleepwalking' to war with China, because of our alliance with America.

He believes the US is unable to constrain a growing China in East Asia, nor win a future war against them over Taiwan.

What does all this mean for our regional security, and our relationships with the US & China?

Paul Barclay speaks to Hugh White, author of the Quarterly Essay, Sleepwalk to War, in which he also criticises the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, and our strategic and defence planning.

Recorded at the Cinema Nova, for Readings bookstore, on June 29, 2022.

Originally broadcast on July, 20, 2022.

Speaker

Hugh White — Emeritus Professor, strategic studies, ANU; principal author, Australia's 2000 Defence White Paper

Presenter / producer – Paul Barclay

Sound Engineer – David Le May

Much of medicine doesn't do what it is supposed to do: improve health.

That is the view of orthopaedic surgeon, Ian Harris.

He believes too many drugs are being prescribed, too much surgery is being performed, and there are too many unhelpful tests, scans, and overdiagnosis.

The 'business' of medicine, Ian says, is taking precedence over what the science tells us.

We should go back to the first principles of the Hippocratic oath and 'first, do no harm'.

Ian Harris talks to Paul Barclay

Recorded at the Williamstown Literary Festival on June 19, 2022.

Originally broadcast on July 6, 2022.

Speaker

Ian Harris — Sydney based orthopaedic surgeon; Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of NSW; co-author, Hippocrasy

In a global community it’s more important than ever to understand what’s going on in the rest of the world. Despite instant communication over the internet there's nothing like the considered view of a seasoned foreign correspondent. They bring you the news from conflict zones, at high powered summits, or the views of ordinary citizens. But are they telling you the stories you want to hear? Who sets the news agenda?

Queensland Chief Scientist Hugh Possingham is very annoyed with his fellow scientists as well as environmentalist and conservationists: They are too conservative, don’t debate respectfully, are too obsessed with growing their own organisations and can’t compromise a bit.

Make the most of your life and be at peace with death. Easy to say but hard to do.Death is not a topic we’re encouraged to talk about. But its shadow shapes many of the things we do.

Australian, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, endured a living nightmare.

She was arrested and convicted of espionage in Iran, and then sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The charges were baseless; the trial was a sham.

Kylie became a pawn in a high stakes geo-political negotiation.

How did she survive over 800 days of interrogation, psychological torture, and imprisonment, in Iran? What did it take to free her? Why was she arrested in the first place?

Paul Barclay talks to Kylie Moore-Gilbert.

Recorded at the Queenscliffe Literary Festival, on May 14, 2022.

Originally broadcast on June 8, 2022.

Speaker:

Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert — author; Middle East and Islam scholar.