For those living far away from the Middle East – for example, in countries like Australia – it seems that everyone has a strong view about the events occurring there. What’s more, everyone is convinced their view is the morally correct one. In all discussions, ethical-sounding language abounds: depending on the perspective, we might hear references to “human rights”, “freedom”, “self-defence”, “security”, “terrorism”, “war crimes”, “humanitarian aid”, “human shields”, or even “genocide”. (more…)
Paul Komesaroff
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Israeli physicians have reminded us that the care and protection of Gaza’s children is a human obligation — will we heed their call?
The organisation Physicians for Human Rights Israel issued an urgent global appeal on 17 June on behalf of the children of Gaza, demanding “immediate and decisive action from the international community to prevent further loss of life and to address the dire and immediate needs of Gaza’s most vulnerable population”. (more…)
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There are no valid ethical arguments in support of attacks on health facilities in Gaza
The conflict in Gaza has generated vigorous discussion about the assumed ethical prohibition against attacks on health facilities in times of war and the circumstances in which this prohibition might be validly circumvented. (more…)
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The Voice debate is about more than who wins: this is a battle for fundamental values
We need to return to respectful dialogue. We are facing a critical test of Australian democracy and the resilience of the peaceful infrastructure of the public sphere and civil society. (more…)
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Why a First Nations Voice should come first
Since the advent of European colonisation, the absence of an effective process for conducting dialogues between the broader community and First Nations people has been a festering sore at the heart of Australian society. (more…)
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Australian politics and the banality of immorality
One of the most striking aspects of the public response to the revelations about former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s secret self-appointment to multiple ministries was that, after the initial expressions of incredulity, there was so little surprise that such an outrage could have occurred. (more…)
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Paul Komesaroff, Michael Komesaroff and Roger Mendelson: Australia’s response to the Ukraine crisis is a missed opportunity
Not only did diplomacy fail spectacularly but the responses of governments around the world was, perversely, to turn away from the search for a solution and instead to engage, unintentionally or otherwise, in deliberate and sustained actions to inflame the conflict further. (more…)
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Omicron wave has exposed the battle lines of a new ‘ethics’ war
From my Omicron sickbed, I am watching my healthcare colleagues deal with a true disaster, writes Paul Komesaroff.
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There is a conspiracy about the origins of COVID-19. But it has nothing to do with China’s secrecy
The WHO report into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, released on March 30, supported what the scientists have long known: that the SARS-CoV2 virus most likely originated in an animal reservoir and, after a process of mutations, in complex settings of environmental and ecological change, eventually found its way into human populations. It also raised a curious question: why, if it is clear that the origin of COVID-19 is no different to other zoonoses to have emerged in the last century, are the public debates focusing on quite different issues? (more…)
