I believe we need to seriously consider a set of complex problems – economic, social, and scientific – that pose great threats to our world. However, if we continue to talk about these problems in ways that create fear rather than inspiration, and look for protection rather than for possibilities, then we may always default to fearing the unknown, rather than embracing change. I also believe that no one perspective or discipline, neither side of politics, nor any one country or group, can solve the world’s problems alone – so I would love to have the Brains Trust’s diversity of experience and expertise applied to identifying the modern world’s great opportunities.

Millions of dollars are spent every year regulating firearms ownership for no obvious measurable or verifiable benefits. Has it stopped massacres on Australian soil and are the increases/decreases in crime related? Also with the claims by the government that lone wolf terrorist attacks are becoming increasingly more likely do we need to rethink self defence? To quote David Leyonhjelm are we “a nation of victims”

Why not?

Because this is bizarre!

I have many relatives and friends who have died from tobacco related illnesses. We should all care about this. Tobacco is different even from other ‘vices’ (including alcohol) in that it has no health benefit even at low doses. Selling tobacco with its known problems is a ‘dangerous act that knowingly puts the health of others at risk’. These are two important manslaughter criteria. Is the absence of ‘intent to kill’ enough to exclude it?

I have a deep concern that our continued inability to seriously confront this climate change issue will result in massive and irreversible damage and ultimately destruction of our beautiful home,Planet Earth.

Viewed from an economic perspective, does the arts suffer from something similar to the military-industrial complex, minus the extreme violence? It seems like everyone in the arts think that more funding will fix all our problems. I was thinking of this in the light of ever growing artistic output and too much choice that the inner city life has to offer, and the idea that art is like violence in the sense that it will continue to be practiced impulsively by humans regardless of funding. To me, what seems to motivate reasonable decisions and priorities as governments struggle to allocate resources justly is the education and learning environment people have access to rather than the size of our arts or “defence” budget.

We largely ignore the thoughts and ideas of children, when they are active participants in their cities and towns. Children have their own culture, and histories. They have more time to observe, make lateral connections, and have a heightened sensory perception. They have such valuable input and are shamefully undervalued in conversations, which have a direct impact on their environment. I fear that the absence of their voices in the planning and analysis of our social infrastructure is to our detriment as a society.

To me that is the fundamental question which humanity has too ask itself, and, depending on the answer, ask many more about our role in the world and our responsibilities, to the rest of humanity and the all that makes up the world as we know it.

2. Give me the fife.

One of the most infamous examples was the Lindy Chamberlain case and I noticed other such cases also. I wonder how many lives have been ruined because public opinion, along with the media are happy to make ill-informed judgements.

Our society professes to be concerned about animal welfare but sanctions very different treatment of animals according to their perceived utility and the vested interests that benefit from their use. The law as it stands reflects this contradiction. As a result millions of animals suffer routinely, whether it be for live export, domestic agricultural use, feral animal control, research or entertainment purposes. Not even companion animals are immune from suffering; treated as disposable property and with little or no restriction on their breeding and sale, hundreds of thousands are euthanased every year in Australia. All of this is both inhumane and dishonest. Either we believe in the humane treatment of animals or we don’t. If the latter, let’s be honest about it; if the former, we need significant legal change. A good start would be the creation of independent statutory bodies to administer and enforce animal welfare laws instead of the current primary industries departments with their conflicts of interest.

I am quite interested in the metaphysics of physics and in particular time.