Essential Ethics for Safety and Safety Prohibitions Whilst it seems ethical to talk about ethics in safety some critical elements of ethical conduct are often missing in these discussions. So let’s talk about some ethical essentials when we discuss the notion of ethics. Here are a few basics when … [Read more...] about Essential Ethics for Safety and Safety Prohibitions
critical thinking
CSEE Proposal for an OnLine Ethics Course
CSEE Proposal for an OnLine Ethics Course I see with interest the Canadian Society for Safety Engineering (CSSE) advertising for the development of an ‘Ethics Course’. Of course it’s not an ad for the development of an ethics course, it is an ad to develop a course that confirms a code of ethics. A … [Read more...] about CSEE Proposal for an OnLine Ethics Course
The Swiss Cheese Addiction and Covid Delusion
The Swiss Cheese Addiction and Covid Delusion Symbols say much more than themselves just as intuition is more than we can say (Polanyi). However, when it comes to safety that deems symbols to be truth and metaphors to be reality we have addictions to models and symbols that are neither truthful nor … [Read more...] about The Swiss Cheese Addiction and Covid Delusion
Meerkat Mythology in Safety
Meerkat Mythology in Safety The meerkat is the ultimate symbol of the mob, the gang, ruthless horde and the vicious pack. Aspiring to be like a meerkat is like elevating the Hells Angels to the status as a charity service. Ah yes, but this is Safety. When we look at the social behaviour of the … [Read more...] about Meerkat Mythology in Safety
Education in Safety
Education in Safety I am on several discussion lists across a number of disciplines and one such list in Education surfaced this week about what readings were considered essential for First Year Education students. The group is populated mostly by experienced teachers and a few academics. The … [Read more...] about Education in Safety
Hello, I’m on the gravy train
Hello, I’m on the gravy train Technological progress has merely provided us with more efficient means for going backwards Aldous Huxley At the turn of the millennium the Australian federal government under John Howard embarked on a sinister sociopolitical and economic crusade to emasculate and … [Read more...] about Hello, I’m on the gravy train
Paying the Price for the Pooling of Ignorance
One of the rewards of ‘dumb down’in post social media age is the rewarding of ignorance, conspiracy theories, armchair experts and lunacy. Amazing what one can learn on the back of a postage stamp. Kakutani calls this the ‘Death of Truth, Hedges The ‘Empire of Illusion’, Carr ‘The shallows’ Nichols … [Read more...] about Paying the Price for the Pooling of Ignorance
The Challenge of the Consciousness Taboo
One of the by-products of STEM-only thinking in safety is the taboo of consciousness. You won’t find this challenging issue being discussed anywhere in the industry. How strange, because if there was any one subject that should be of critical importance to this industry it would be about conscious … [Read more...] about The Challenge of the Consciousness Taboo
The Need for Critical Thinking in Safety
The moment one invokes that special word ‘safety’ it seems all critical thinking ends. You can’t criticize safety what, don’t you want people to be safe? If you want to cut off criticism and scrutiny, just invoke the magic word ‘safety’ and all critical thinking and critique ends. This is … [Read more...] about The Need for Critical Thinking in Safety
Triarchic Thinking and Risk
Triarchic Thinking and Risk The language and symbols of the risk and safety industry are plagued with everything binary. The imagined certainty of black and white thinking in a random and fallible world affords the idea that human behavior is predictable and mechanical. Nothing is more delusional … [Read more...] about Triarchic Thinking and Risk