PUBLIC LECTURE: SCIENCE, LITERATURE AND SPIRITUALITY: RETELLING THE WESTERN STORIES AND THE WESTERN DREAMING

What are the stories in the western culture that help us understand who we are as a people? Currently the most dominant story is that of science and economics. But are these big enough to solve the current problems facing our society? Why is it that as we definine more pathologies in health science, we are not getting any closer to understanding what 'being normal' means? Has the consumer culture created unparalleled desire which can lead to resentment and violence? Is the auditing culture in all our institutions undermining trust? Using other stories within the western culture, including tehe Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian stories may help us to imagine a new future.

Dr Neil Preston is the Senior Research Psychologist in Fremantle Hospital and Health Service. He has published over 20 international articles in medical science including in the British Medical Journal, Australian Journal of Medicine, Psychological Medicine and Comprehensive Psychiatry. Neil is an Organisational Psychologist who specialises in multivariate statistics (including structural equations modeling) and organisational systems analysis. His current academic interests lie in spiritual psychology, a discipline that explores the interface between spirituality and psychological transformation.

David Buchanan is in the final stages of his transdisciplinary Ph D in Neuroplasticity, Pain Theory and Writing. He works with pain medicine physician academics Dr John Quintner (UWA) and Assoc Prof Milton Cohen (UNSW) and on evidenced based medicine with Dr Owen Wilkinson (Monash) and has published in the journal of Theoretical Medicine (New York and Dordrecht). He is also an award winning playwright.

Course Code 052118 Tue 7.30-9pm Mar 1 8 15 22 29

$129 Booking Essential 6488 2433 or online: http://www.extension.uwa.edu.au - click on Extension Courses then go to Intellectual Adventures