Friday, 18 April 2008

Our first seminar "Seeking a wisdom for the 21st century" 16 April 2008

Around 80 people came to the first seminar in our Semester 1 "Seeking wisdom" series, and enjoyed presentations from Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Don Markwell, Associate Professor Neville Bruce, Associate Professor Veronica Brady, and Professor Graeme Martin.


Professor Don Markwell introduced the seminar and gave some background about the new Centre for Integrated Studies (CIHS), which was established this year after a long incubation. Professor Markwell values an integrated approach to research and education and supports the development of new courses of study in IHS.


The inaugural director of the CIHS, Associate Professor Neville Bruce, began the seminar with a presentation on the ideology of Integrated Human Studies. The last century has delivered vast scientific and technological advances, he explained, but left the planet in crisis. While human beings will need technology to address problems, narrow approaches will not deliver the results we need. We need to thoroughly understand the challenges of the 21st century and only by seeking wisdom will human beings begin to be able to deal with them.


Integrated Human Studies seeks to understand what it is to be a human being, and to promote human wellbeing in a sustainable world. Thus it starts with human biology, and moves through an array of fields of study including anthropology, economics, the arts, ecology and politics.


Associate Professor Veronica Brady, who has had a long and distinguished academic career and is currently the Senior Honorary Research Fellow in the School of English and Cultural Studies, approached the idea of wisdom firstly through an examination of the word's etymology. Wisdom, therefore, entails understanding the true nature of a thing. Veronica drew on philosophical, poetic and indigenous references to remind us that the task of acquiring wisdom is one that requires openness and humility.
Professor Graeme Martin spoke about how Integrated Human Studies might be applied to the examination of complex problems, such as global carbon emissions. Academic rigour is hugely important and full understanding of issues is necessary for the formulation of policies. Graeme suggested that with political and community will, behavioural change is not only possible, but easy - he gave the highly successful "slip, slop, slap" health campaign as an example.


Professor Dennis Haskell led the panel discussion and took a variety of insightful questions from the audience.


Detailed notes and slides from this seminar will be available on the website soon.

  • Next seminar:

Our next seminar in the "Seeking wisdom" series will be held in the same place, Seminar room 1.81 in the School of Anatomy and Human Biology at the University of Western Australia (two buildings south of Shenton House on the Matilda Bay side of the campus).

Seminar 2, 30 April 08 Keeping the arts and culture alive in an economically booming Australia

The resource boom has fuelled a surge in the Australian economy; unemployment is at a historic low; wages and corporate profits have soared - at least for many. But has materialism run rampant? Have our culture, our identity and our enjoyment of life in its fullest meaning soared or suffered coincidentally with our 'prosperity'?

What is the value of the arts and humanities to our society, our humanity, our future? Do they need to be revitalised, actively nourished and supported by government, industry, benefactors and the public? How can and how should this be done?

Chair Dr Martin Forsey

Presenters:
Oron Catts , artistic director, SymbioticA, will speak about the contribution of art to research;

Noel Nannup, Aboriginal cultural custodian, will talk about the impact of the economic boom on indigenous Australians, and the importance of story and song in maintaining cultural health;

and Vivienne Glance, actor, playwright and performer, will speak about the role of the arts in generating cultural debate and development.


There is no charge to attend the seminar, and refreshments are provided.

  • Next seminars in our "Seeking wisdom" series

(Find more details at www.ihs.uwa.edu.au . )
May 14 Eternal/infernal economic growth
May 28 Human altruism, local and global, in theory and practice
June 11 From information to wisdom
June 25 Greening Australia: why, when and how

  • About the Centre for Integrated Human Studies

You can find out more about the Centre and about IHS at our web site www.ihs.edu.au . If you are interested in enrolling in postgraduate courses in IHS, please contact the Director, A/Prof Neville Bruce on 6488 3292 or email [email protected] .

  • Tip for people writing about Integrated Human Studies

Autocorrect of "IHS" to "HIS" will drive you mad! You can fix it in Word as follows:
Select Tools/AutoCorrect options and on the AutoCorrect tab, scroll down in the list of symbols and words and delete ‘ "ihs" replace with "his" '.

  • Tell us what you think

Please feel free to give us your comments, thoughts or suggestions for future seminar topics by emailing Karen on [email protected] . Also, if you know people who might be interested in IHS or our seminar series, forward them this e-newsletter.

Media references

Karen Connolly (IHS) School of Anatomy and Human
Biology

+61 08 6488 3647

email: [email protected]

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