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Peace with Justice: Noam Chomsky in Australia
In November 2011, the cognitive scientist, philosopher and political activist Noam Chomsky arrived in Australia to receive the Sydney Peace Prize. He delivered lectures and answered questions about economics, history, international relations, linguistics, philosophy, justice and much more: What is unique about human language? How is it related to core components of human nature: cognition, moral judgement and other human activity? How can peace in the Middle East be achieved? What does the rise of China mean? What ought to be done about global economic problems? Is there a difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter?
Chomsky’s intellectual stature has been compared to that of Galileo, Newton and Descartes. His influence has been felt in fields as diverse as artificial intelligence, cognitive neurology, music theory, anthropology, law and theology. His moral stature has been described as prophetic. He was the only scientist or philosopher on the White House ‘Enemies List.’ His Sydney Peace Prize citation reads, in part, ‘For inspiring the convictions of millions about a common humanity and for unfailing moral courage.’
This book is an edited reconstruction of extemporaneous talks, informal notes, interviews and transcripts during his few days in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
Chomsky’s intellectual stature has been compared to that of Galileo, Newton and Descartes. His influence has been felt in fields as diverse as artificial intelligence, cognitive neurology, music theory, anthropology, law and theology. His moral stature has been described as prophetic. He was the only scientist or philosopher on the White House ‘Enemies List.’ His Sydney Peace Prize citation reads, in part, ‘For inspiring the convictions of millions about a common humanity and for unfailing moral courage.’
This book is an edited reconstruction of extemporaneous talks, informal notes, interviews and transcripts during his few days in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
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Published June 15, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 24, 2021
I was excited to read this because I like Noam Chomsky. But the format was a bit repetitive.
He interviews her ...
Q: Do you think Chomsky would be, overall, happy or disappointed with the direction America has taken since the early 2010's?
A: "Disappointed".
Q: Who would be your ideal next president of the United States and why?
A: "Oh, I don't know. Any ideas?"
Q: Um. You still like Sanders? Or perhaps a Catholic? Maybe another celebrity, only more respectable than Trump?
A: "I don't know. I would say Dorothy Days but I think she's dead".
Q: If you were elected president of the US of A, what would be your top three priorities?
A: "Universal healthcare. Gun laws based on the Australian model. Restricted abortion".
Q: If Chomsky was a chocolate bar, what would be its featured ingredient?
A: Probably walnuts or something. Healthy but sometimes difficult. Not everybody would like it.
He interviews her ...
Q: Do you think Chomsky would be, overall, happy or disappointed with the direction America has taken since the early 2010's?
A: "Disappointed".
Q: Who would be your ideal next president of the United States and why?
A: "Oh, I don't know. Any ideas?"
Q: Um. You still like Sanders? Or perhaps a Catholic? Maybe another celebrity, only more respectable than Trump?
A: "I don't know. I would say Dorothy Days but I think she's dead".
Q: If you were elected president of the US of A, what would be your top three priorities?
A: "Universal healthcare. Gun laws based on the Australian model. Restricted abortion".
Q: If Chomsky was a chocolate bar, what would be its featured ingredient?
A: Probably walnuts or something. Healthy but sometimes difficult. Not everybody would like it.
January 24, 2021
As one of the few left-wing thinkers that actually talks sense much of the time, I don't mind Noam Chomsky. In fact, through the YouTube channel of Jimmy Dore (an obnoxious but nevertheless entertaining asshole), I have come to find I hold some things in common with the actual progressives (that is, not the divisive lunatics who espouse safe spaces, big-tech censorship and identity politics) of the United States. Just as opposed to establishment Democrats as Republicans are, there are, I think, some good things the non-elitist fringe of both sides could achieve if they somehow came together to take down the status-quo hacks, of which Biden is the latest.
This is the only thing of Chomsky's that I have read, and it was chosen by my wife for us to read together. All in all, being a mostly unabridged transcription of his speeches and addresses when he came to Australia in 2011, it deals with a range of issues that have, for the most part, only become more dire now, ten years later. Some of the rubbish about anarchism and the moronic applauding of the audience (as stated in parentheses) over this lost me, and I found he took a too one-sided view of the Palestine/Israel conflict, but he also made a lot of good points.
And boy, is it refreshing to have an esteemed leftie shitting on Obama - a Nobel Peace Prize winner with a healthy bodycount to immortalise his virtue.
This is the only thing of Chomsky's that I have read, and it was chosen by my wife for us to read together. All in all, being a mostly unabridged transcription of his speeches and addresses when he came to Australia in 2011, it deals with a range of issues that have, for the most part, only become more dire now, ten years later. Some of the rubbish about anarchism and the moronic applauding of the audience (as stated in parentheses) over this lost me, and I found he took a too one-sided view of the Palestine/Israel conflict, but he also made a lot of good points.
And boy, is it refreshing to have an esteemed leftie shitting on Obama - a Nobel Peace Prize winner with a healthy bodycount to immortalise his virtue.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews