Russell Blackford - Official Home Page

Russell Blackford's Website

I am an Australian writer, philosopher, and literary critic, based in Newcastle, NSW. I am a Conjoint Lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Newcastle, and editor-in-chief of The Journal of Evolution and Technology. As of 2012, I have joined Free Inquiry as a columnist (this puts me in a distinguished team that includes, among others, Richard Dawkins).

You can find my philosophy-related curriculum vitae (including a short list of relevant academic publications) here. My qualifications include First Class Honours degrees in both Arts and Law, and a Master of Bioethics degree. I hold separate Ph.Ds in English literature (from the University of Newcastle) and philosophy (from Monash University).

In recent years, I was a postgraduate student in the School of Philosophy and Bioethics, Monash University, where I also taught in a wide range of subjects. After 30 years in Melbourne, Vic, Jenny Blackford and I returned in 2009 to Newcastle, where we grew up.

Within Australia, I may still be best known for my articles in intellectual and literary magazines such as Quadrant and Meanjin (though perhaps that has changed since the publication of 50 Voices of Disbelief and Freedom of Religion and the Secular State - see below). I post at Talking Philosophy and on my personal blog, Metamagician and the Hellfire Club.

I'm an experienced public speaker and presenter, and I love to talk about ideas. In September 2011, I was third speaker for the opposition in an IQ² debate in Sydney on the subject "Atheists are wrong". This was broadcast on national television in Australia, and the video is available here. (My team won the debate convincingly!)

To contact me directly, use this link.

To book me to talk to schools, libraries, and the like, especially around Newcastle or Sydney, you can check out the Ford Street Publishing Creative Net website.

MY WRITING

My new book is Freedom of Religion and the Secular State, which was released by Wiley-Blackwell in January 2012. AC Grayling says: "This is a must-read: Blackford has given us a forceful and persuasive book that will have a big impact on the debate it addresses."

In the book, I argue that religious freedom is more than a crude quid pro quo arrangement – "We won’t persecute you if you don’t persecute us." Instead, it goes to the heart of what state power is really for. Do we think it's to give citizens spiritual guidance, or is the state an essentially secular institution? That question lies at the heart of many intransigent hot-button issues that cause so much angst in current societies. What, if anything, should we do about the burqa? Should anti-religious satire be allowed? Should our laws enforce religious notions of morality – as with abortion restrictions, attacks on gay rights, and opposition to stem-cell research? I propose a way ahead that should be acceptable to most religious people, as well as to non-believers.

My previous book is an edited collection, put together by Udo Schuklenk and myself, 50 Voices of Disbelief: Why We Are Atheists (Wiley-Blackwell 2009). It contains fifty essays by prominent witers, philosophers, journalists, and others who reject belief in religious dogma, including the existence of the Abrahamic God. These are new essays (not reprints) by contributors from all over the world.

As a creative writer, I specialise in science fiction and fantasy. My most recent novel was Kong Reborn, released in the US in October 2005. Kong Reborn is a contemporary/near-future sequel to King Kong (the original 1933 movie).

For more about these books, and details of my earlier books, short stories and articles, see my Books page, my page of Selected Articles and Stories, or my full Bibliography. Some of my published articles (and extracts from my published fiction) are available free here.

Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies and Journal of Evolution and Technology

In 2004, I accepted an honorary appointment as a Fellow with the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET). IEET is an international think tank that seeks to contribute to the understanding of the impact of emerging technologies on individuals and societies. In early 2008 I was appointed by IEET as editor-in-chief of its flagship on-line journal, The Journal of Evolution and Technology.

The current issue is the Minds and Machines Special Issue (Volume 22 Issue 1), which I co-edited with distinguished bioethicist Linda MacDonald Glenn.

Latest news Update

23 January 2012: I will be appearing at Embiggen Books in Melbourne on 2 February 2012, launching my new book Freedom of Religion and the Secular State with a talk about the principle of freedom of speech. Please RSVP to events (at) embiggenbooks (dot) com, call 03 9662 2062, or drop in to the shop in person.

Go here for an archive of earlier news.

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