2006 Media Releases
Friday, 25 August 2006
La Trobe University philosopher wins ‘Eureka Prize’
La Trobe University philosopher, Associate Professor Janna Thompson, has received a prestigious Eureka Prize – one of Australia’s leading awards for science and science communication.
Dr Thompson’s win was for her book ‘Taking Responsibility for the Past’ (Polity Press) and other publications on this subject.
She received the $10,000 Australian Catholic University Eureka Prize for Research in Ethics for explaining why members of societies have responsibilities for the deeds of their predecessors and what they ought to do in reparation for historical injustices.
The result is a theory that deals with central issues in political ethics which has implications for policy making in Australia.
Dr Thompson teaches environmental ethics, feminism, political philosophy and her major research deals with intergenerational justice and global justice.
She has spent the last three years as head of an ARC Special Research Centre dealing with applied philosophy and public ethics based at the University of Melbourne.
Dr Thompson says her work in applied ethics arises from a conviction that it is important for philosophers to critically assess the values of their society and to participate in debates about important public issues.
Some of these issues are: what historical obligations do we inherit from our family, community or nation? Are we responsible for the sins of our parents? Should we say ‘sorry’ for past treatment of indigenous people?
The Eureka Prize announcement says Dr Thompson’s research provides an ethical basis to discussion of these controversial issues.
‘Many people,’ she explains, ‘believe that the historical past of their family, community or nation is a source of moral obligation.
‘They lay claim to possessions or land on the basis of history, they demand recompense for historical injustices.
‘They regard themselves as having an obligation to honour their dead, especially those who sacrificed themselves for their community or nation, to acknowledge the wrongs done by their group, and to remember those who have made a contribution.’
Dr Thompson argues that treaties (or agreements) that one political community (or ‘nation’) makes with another must be understood as ‘transgenerational’.
As one reviewer said : ‘In other words, the treaties our nation makes today place a significant moral obligation on us and our descendants to honour those treaties, if not exactly to the letter, then at least according to our considered evaluation of them in light of our genuinely held standards of justice.’
• The Australian Museum Eureka Prizes were awarded in Sydney this week in front of more than 900 leaders of government, science, industry, academia and the media. Among them were Australian of the Year, Professor Ian Frazer, 2005 Nobel Laureate, Professor Barry Marshal, and Australian astronaut, Dr Andy Thomas. More than $200,000 in prize money was awarded to 29 winners.
For further information:
For interviews and further information, please contact Dr Thompson on Tel: (03) 9479 1093 Or Email: J.Thompson@latrobe.edu.au
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