Writers Festival: Searching for Civilisation
- Posted:
- August 22nd, 2009
- Editor
- AEST
Presented by John Armstrong, University of Melbourne
What is civilisation, really? It can mean a lot of different things: technlology, art, medicine, education, cooking, economic or political progress; and sometimes it has been a fig leaf for imperialism. I want to get beneath the surface: What are the more personal issues at stake here? Why should civilisation matter to me? I trace the idea to its core: the hope of integrating material needs and ‘higher longings’ (beauty, love, wisdom). But is this hope realistic? This is a great issue of both private life and public culture.
Chaired by Nick Trakakis, School of Philosophy and Bioethics.
Further information: Melbourne Writers Festival