Uncommon Sense

Philosopher Dr Kate Kirkpatrick discusses her recent biography, Becoming Beauvoir: A Life. Kate examines with great precision, insight, and balance, the life of French writer, feminist, and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. Beauvoir’s life and work has often been distorted and overshadowed by her working and romantic relationship with Jean-Paul Sartre. Kate debunks some of the major misconceptions about Beauvoir’s life, and shares just how influential and original Beauvoir’s intellectual contribution to philosophy was and is. Dr Kate Kirkpatrick is a Tutorial Fellow in Philosophy at Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford, UK. David Brophy, historian and lecturer in modern Chinese history from the University of Sydney, joins the show to discuss Australia’s deteriorating relationship with China, how this affects the lives of Chinese Australians, and why we must be careful to avoid paranoia and panic about “Chinese influence.” Plus Ben Eltham on the latest in federal politics.

Philosopher Dr Kate Kirkpatrick discusses her recent biography, Becoming Beauvoir: A Life. Kate examines with great precision, insight, and balance, the life of French writer, feminist, and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir. Beauvoir’s life and work has often been distorted and overshadowed by her working and romantic relationship with Jean-Paul Sartre. Kate debunks some of the major misconceptions about Beauvoir’s life, and shares just how influential and original Beauvoir’s intellectual contribution to philosophy was and is. Dr Kate Kirkpatrick is a Tutorial Fellow in Philosophy at Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford, UK.

Biologist and writer Merlin Sheldrake joins Amy from London for an in-depth conversation about his new book, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures. They discuss the mysterious, lively and endlessly fascinating fungi kingdom.

Biologist and writer Merlin Sheldrake joins Amy from London for an in-depth conversation about his new book, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures. They discuss the mysterious, lively and endlessly fascinating fungi kingdom. Poet and aged-care reform advocate Sarah Holland-Batt speaks about the many issues surrounding the coronavirus outbreaks in aged-care homes in Victoria that has led to the early death of so many elderly Australians. Sarah is an Associate Professor in Creative Writing at QUT and Chair of Australian Book Review. Plus Ben Eltham discusses the latest in federal politics.

British writer Robert Macfarlane joins Amy for a special long-form conversation about the connections between landscape, language, people, and place. They delve into Robert’s latest book, Underland: A Deep Time Journey, and also draw on ideas from his past works including, Mountains of the Mind, The Old Ways, and Landmarks. Robert is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge University.

British writer Robert Macfarlane joins Amy for a special long-form conversation about the connections between landscape, language, people, and place. They delve into Robert’s latest book, Underland: A Deep Time Journey, and also draw on ideas from his past works including, Mountains of the Mind, The Old Ways, and Landmarks. Robert is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. Danya Jacobs, senior lawyer from Environmental Justice Australia tells Amy about the federal court case she co-led and won on behalf of Friends of Leadbeater's Possum Inc. against VicForests to protect our old growth native forests and endangered species. What do the final court orders mean for the protection of native forests in Victoria? Plus Ben Eltham discusses the latest in federal politics.

A special National Science Week show! Psychologist Professor Cordelia Fine from the University of Melbourne talks about the real science behind sex differences, drawing on her 2017 book, Testosterone Rex, and her Aeon Magazine essay 'Sexual Dinosaurs'. Cordelia debunks the gender biases in neuroscience and evolutionary biology that exaggerate the role of testosterone in male and female brains and behaviour. Her book, Testosterone Rex won the prestigious Royal Society Science Book Prize in the UK. John Delpratt, horticultural scientist and Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne, tells us about the process of restoring the threatened native grasslands and wildflowers of Victoria, and the fate of the Western Grassland Reserve. These precious grasslands have been taken over by urban development, and just 10% of the agreed land has been acquired by the state government by the 2020 deadline. Plus Ben Eltham chats about the latest on federal politics.

Psychologist Professor Cordelia Fine from the University of Melbourne talks about the real science behind sex differences, drawing on her 2017 book, Testosterone Rex, and her Aeon Magazine essay 'Sexual Dinosaurs'. Cordelia debunks the gender biases in neuroscience and evolutionary biology that exaggerate the role of testosterone in male and female brains and behaviour. Her book, Testosterone Rex won the prestigious Royal Society Science Book Prize in the UK.

LA-based journalist Lesley Blume speaks about her new book, Fallout: the Hiroshima cover-up and the reporter who revealed it to the world. Dr Katja Hogendoorn, an entomologist and native bee expert from the University of Adelaide talks about the dazzling Metallic Green Carpenter Bee, why it's vulnerable to extinction, and how her team is trying to save this species on Kangaroo Island after the devastating summer bushfires. And historian Dr Chloe Ward from RMIT tells us about the latest in UK politics.

LA-based journalist Lesley Blume speaks about her new book, Fallout: the Hiroshima cover-up and the reporter who revealed it to the world