The Shape of Dialogue

About Brett Hall

Brett Hall is an expert in epistemology (the theory of knowledge) and the philosophy of science. From childhood, Brett was motivated by the big questions about the universe. He studied an unconventional Bachelor of Science in astronomy, quantum theory, general relativity, mathematics, logic, and, in particular, the philosophy of science at the University of New South Wales. His degree introduced him to Karl Popper and David Deutsch, whose ideas on knowledge, science, physics, ethics, and philosophy shaped his thinking. Subsequently, Brett gained a Bachelor of Teaching (Mathematics and Science) from the University of Western Sydney, a Postgraduate Certificate in TESOL from Macquarie University, a Postgraduate Certificate from the Australian Catholic University, focusing on further mathematics and a Master of Science in Astronomy from Swinburne University, which he regards as his most rigorous and satisfying qualification. This fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming an astronomer, though he never pursued it professionally. He also briefly started a Diploma of Geoscience (Geophysics).

Brett worked as a security guard while studying and later as a science communicator at the University of New South Wales’ Outreach Centre, running planetarium shows and science demonstrations.

Read Brett’s writings on the physics, epistemology, the philosophy of science and more at www.bretthall.org

Follow Brett’s Theory Of Knowledge (TOK) podcast on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmP5H2rF-ER33a58ZD5jCig

X - https://x.com/ToKTeacher

Also mentioned: David Deutsch - https://www.daviddeutsch.org.uk

https://peterboghossian.com

https://www.youtube.com/@drpeterboghossian

https://x.com/peterboghossian?s=20

Dr. Peter Boghossian's main focus is bringing the tools of professional philosophers to people in a wide variety of contexts. Peter has a teaching pedigree spanning more than 25 years and 30 thousand students - in prisons, hospitals, public and private schools, seminaries, universities, Fortune 100 companies, and small businesses. His fundamental objective is to teach people how to think through what often seem to be intractable problems. Peter's primary research areas are critical thinking and moral reasoning. His doctoral research studies, funded by the State of Oregon and supported by the Oregon Department of Corrections, consisted of using the Socratic method to help prison inmates to increase their critical thinking and moral reasoning abilities and to increase their desistance to criminal behavior.

Music: Bach B Minor Mass Performed by John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/j-s-bach-mass-in-b-minor-bwv-232/1053521016 https://open.spotify.com/album/3ELfX4GIPcYOTJBl8PdoKi?si=I8bz8nhaTyK3Qq4E5-ZtXg

Australian Popperian philosopher, Rafe Champion, outlines the five pillars of peace, freedom and prosperity that are the foundations for our Western civilisation.

About Rafe Champion: http://www.the-rathouse.com/aboutRafe.html

The Philosophy Site of Rafe Champion - The Rat House

http://www.the-rathouse.com/index.html

Five pillars of peace freedom and prosperity

https://rafechampion.substack.com/p/five-pillars-of-peace-freedom-and?utm_source=publication-search

1. Critical rationalism as articulated by Karl Popper
2. The principles of classical or non-collectivist liberalism in politics
3. In economics, the importance Free trade, entrepreneurialism and a market underpinned by the rule of law
4. A moral framework founded on honesty, compassion, civility, personal responsibility, community service, and enterprise.
5. Energy - abundant, reliable, and cheap energy.

I, Pencil

About I, Pencil: https://fee.org/ebooks/i-pencil/

Read I, Pencil here:

https://dn790006.ca.archive.org/0/items/i-pencil-pdf-2019/I%2C%20Pencil%20%28PDF%202019%29.pdf

Music: Bach B Minor Mass

Performed by John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/j-s-bach-mass-in-b-minor-bwv-232/1053521016

https://open.spotify.com/album/3ELfX4GIPcYOTJBl8PdoKi?si=I8bz8nhaTyK3Qq4E5-ZtXg

Ani O'Brien is a women's rights advocate and political commentator. She has worked previously for the Leader of the Opposition (National) and is a council member of the Free Speech Union. https://aniobrien.substack.com/

Juliet Moses is spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council and is a trust lawyer.

This podcast features a discussion between Ani O'Brien (women's rights advocate, political commentator, Free Speech Union council member, and self-described TERF), and Juliet Moses (spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council and trust lawyer), exploring how grand narratives -overarching moral stories that define heroes/villains, good/evil, and acceptable discourse - powerfully shape public conversations, media framing, policy, and perceptions, often inverting reality and sidelining facts through emotional appeals, institutional capture, and social pressure.

Music: Bach B Minor Mass

Performed by John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/j-s-bach-mass-in-b-minor-bwv-232/1053521016 https://open.spotify.com/album/3ELfX4GIPcYOTJBl8PdoKi?si=I8bz8nhaTyK3Qq4E5-ZtXg

About Nigel Biggar: https://nigelbiggar.uk/about/

Nigel Biggar CBE is Emeritus Regius Professor of Moral Theology at the University of Oxford and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Pusey House, Oxford. He holds a B.A. in Modern History from Oxford and a Ph.D. in Christian Theology & Ethics from the University of Chicago. He was appointed C.B.E. “for services to Higher Education” in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

The Treaty of Waitangi

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/maori/treaty-waitangi/treaty-close/full-text-te-tiriti-o

Chris Hipkins: How shared values can unite Aotearoa and not divide

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/chris-hipkins-how-shared-values-can-unite-aotearoa-and-not-divide/74ZQEKGFARAWZN7W5OHN27KY3A/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

David Seymour: Treaty should mean equal rights, not race-based policy

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/david-seymour-treaty-should-mean-equal-rights-not-race-based-policy/UBZ5PT56HNCJDCZZEJN6S4PHEU/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Music: Bach B Minor Mass

Performed by John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/j-s-bach-mass-in-b-minor-bwv-232/1053521016

https://open.spotify.com/album/3ELfX4GIPcYOTJBl8PdoKi?si=I8bz8nhaTyK3Qq4E5-ZtXg

Katharine Birbalsingh, CBE, is the Headmistress and co-founder of Michaela Community School in Wembley, London. She was Chair of the Social Mobility Commission from 2021 to 2023.

Michaela School is renowned for its high standards of behaviour and academic achievement, knowledge curriculum and teaching of kindness and gratitude. In 2017, Ofsted graded the school as ‘Outstanding’ in every category. In 2022, almost 75% of all GCSEs were graded 9 to 7 (A* to A). 98% of pupils achieved a 4+ (C or above) in both English and Maths, with 99% of all pupils achieving grade 9 to 4 (A* to C) in at least 5 subjects.

Katharine read Philosophy and Modern Languages at the University of Oxford and has always taught in inner London. She has made numerous appearances on television and radio and has written for several UK publications. Katharine has written 2 books and edited 2 more, including The Power of Culture (published in June 2020). Katharine was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours by the Queen.

https://michaela.education/

About Steven Pinker - https://stevenpinker.com/biocv

When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life

https://stevenpinker.com/publications/when-everyone-knows-everyone-knows-common-knowledge-and-mysteries-money-power-and

Tickets: An Evening with Steven Pinker

https://www.ticketmaster.co.nz/event/2400635CC1573F86

Antisemitic protest outside the Sydney Opera House chanting "Gas the Jews"

https://youtube.com/shorts/cQcoLR4y1P8?si=ajGQYmsC_lPzylHN

Music: Bach B Minor Mass

Performed by John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/j-s-bach-mass-in-b-minor-bwv-232/1053521016

https://open.spotify.com/album/3ELfX4GIPcYOTJBl8PdoKi?si=I8bz8nhaTyK3Qq4E5-ZtXg

Brett Hall talks about why the Australian government can’t name the cause of the Bondi Beach massacre of Jews.

About Brett Hall - https://www.bretthall.org/about.html

Josh Frydenberg urges PM Anthony Albanese to take tougher action after Bondi massacre

https://youtu.be/PPVkyzg5x9M?si=o2_DKw5ymqJHih0u

Music: Bach B Minor Mass Performed by

John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/j-s-bach-mass-in-b-minor-bwv-232/1053521016

https://open.spotify.com/album/3ELfX4GIPcYOTJBl8PdoKi?si=I8bz8nhaTyK3Qq4E5-ZtXg

Alex Ryvchin is co-Chief Executive Officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the author of internationally acclaimed books of history and politics, and a best-selling children’s author. He writes for leading publications and speaks, debates and teaches around the world on the Arab-Israeli conflict, foreign and national affairs, antisemitism and the Holocaust, and religion and identity, and is a regular commentator on TV and radio.

About Alex Ryvchin - https://www.alexryvchin.com/bio

Books - https://www.alexryvchin.com/books

Music: Bach B Minor Mass

Performed by John Eliot Gardiner, The Monteverdi Choir and The English Baroque Soloists

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/j-s-bach-mass-in-b-minor-bwv-232/1053521016

https://open.spotify.com/album/3ELfX4GIPcYOTJBl8PdoKi?si=I8bz8nhaTyK3Qq4E5-ZtXg

Vaishnavi Sundar - Feminist, Writer, Filmmaker & Activist

Vaishnavi Sundar discusses the narcissistic transgressions of trans ideology and its negative impact on women and girls.

https://vaishnavisundar.com/

https://vaishnavisundar.com/about/

Behind The Looking Glass - FIRST EVER Documentary about the Wives & Children of Trans-Identified Men

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frffv2sB8zE&t=6s

https://limesodafilms.com/btlg/

https://limesodafilms.com/

Music: Bach B Minor Mass

Performed by

The Monteverdi ChoirThe English Baroque SoloistsJohn Eliot Gardiner

https://music.apple.com/nz/album/j-s-bach-mass-in-b-minor-bwv-232/1053521016