Rationale: Monthly digest for October

Published: Mon, 10/31/22

Welcome to the monthly digest for October

Hi ,

During October, regular contributor Hugh Harris wrote about the Andrew Thorburn-Essendon saga. John Wright outlined how inequality of ‘epistemic power’ impacts on democracy. Cordelia Fine wrote about the decision of a prominent scientific journal to introduce new 'ethics guidance' with the aim of preventing harm to some people and groups. And Collin Acton OAM made the case for why the Defence Force needs to transition away from religious-based chaplaincy.

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If you’d like to send a Letter to the Editor or submit an article for publication, please contact me via editor@rationalist.com.au.

Si Gladman
Editor

Highlights from Rationale

‘Infiltrate, Impact, Impel’: Raising up Christians for the Liberal Party

By Si Gladman

Upon signing up as a member of the Liberal Party in Victoria, some churchgoers have been handed a one-page document with the title ‘Political Participation for Godly good’, according to a Liberal Party member. The document provides a flowchart matrix to guide new members on how they can participate in their local branch meetings, known as State Electorate Convention and Federal Electorate Convention meetings. It also details how they can influence the party’s State Council and State Assembly. In the top right-hand corner appears the italicised motto: Infiltrate, Impact, Impel.

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In the Defence Force, religion is a barrier to care – and it shouldn’t be

By Collin Acton OAM

In February 2018, as head of the Royal Australian Navy’s Chaplaincy Branch I attended an international Chiefs of Chaplains conference in Helsinki, Finland. It was a fascinating experience. I remember one conversation with a participant – a fellow runner and the then US Army’s Chief of Chaplains. He mused that it would be difficult to conceive that anything like today’s chaplaincy model would exist if the US Department of Defence were starting over again with a clean sheet of paper. He was, and continues to be, right. When more than 60 per cent of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) – or, more tellingly, when 80 per cent of new recruits – have no religious affiliation, why would you have religious clergy as the most accessible and available support to ADF people?

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The need for caution when prioritising employers’ values over individuals’ rights

By Hugh Harris

Many would see the removal of Andrew Thorburn from his position as a victory for progressive values over intolerance. While this messy saga illustrates how swiftly our society is moving away from traditional values, it also indicates a chilling effect on freedoms that should give us reason for pause. The first key takeaway is that the conversative beliefs of Christianity are not just out of step with society, they are now viewed as completely unacceptable. Given recent debates on marriage equality and the legalising of abortion, this is hardly surprising. The stand taken on traditional values has only solidified the opposition to them.

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Democracy and inequality of epistemic power

By John Wright

Many hold that growing inequality is one of the most serious problems we face. But there are others who hold that it does not matter. There are even those who hold that inequality is a good thing and that there ought to be more of it. But at least two questions arise when we address the matter of ‘inequality’. The first question is: ‘Inequality of what?’ Economic inequality? Racial inequality? Gender inequality? The second is: If it is held that some, or all, of these forms of inequality matter, precisely why do they matter? This article examines one particular form of inequality: inequality of ‘epistemic power’.

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New ‘ethics guidance’ puts science publishing under the microscope

By Cordelia Fine

The British journal Nature was founded in 1869 and is one of the world’s most influential and prestigious outlets for scientific research. In August, the company published new ethics guidance for researchers. The new guidance is part of Nature’s “attempt to acknowledge and learn from our troubled deep and recent past, understand the roots of injustice and work to address them as we aim to make the scientific enterprise open and welcoming to all”. An accompanying editorial argues the ethical responsibility of researchers should include people and groups “who do not participate in research but may be harmed by its publication”.

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