My good, wise friend Martin Fitzgerald – Head of Philosophy at Redfield College in Sydney – joins me to provide the philosophical side of human ecology.

He provides a definition of freedom that differs from those held today. He speaks on the rise of etiquette coaches, the role of convention in reducing anxiety, a fresh perspective on cancel culture and hatred, episodes of cultural change, the value of the HSC, and more.

He responds to Ross Gittins’ (episode 2) perspective on ethics and religion and to Trisha Jha’s perspective on education (episode 1).

(00:00) Introducing Marty

(00:38) Education, convention and social change

(10:09) Virtue

(14:05) Making virtue second nature

(18:25) Values clarification

(24:05) What is freedom really?

(43:13) The interplay between freedom and morality

(46:16) Speculating on causation

(49:14) Hate and judgement

(51:38) Balance in feminine and masculine virtues

(54:43) Instinct & socialism, civilisation & natural law

(1:01:35) The re-emergence of natural law after WWII

(1:03:05) Establishing normalcy vs rejecting drudgery

(1:04:17) The Bloomsbury Group and cultural change

(1:08:32) Can you separate ethics from religion? Marty responds to Ross Gittins

(1:13:50) Does government interfere too much in education?