Raimond Gaita
Encyclopedia
Raimond Gaita was until 2011 Foundation Professor of Philosophy
at the Australian Catholic University
and Professor of Moral Philosophy at King's College London
. He is currently Professorial Fellow in the Melbourne Law School and the Faculty of Arts, UNiversity of Melbourne and Emeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy and KIng's College London He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities
.
Born in Dortmund
, Germany
in 1946 to a Romanian father (Romulus Gaiţă) and a German mother (Christine Anna Dörr), he arrived in Australia
in 1950 at the age of four. The story of his childhood and the lives of his family members and close friends is told in his award winning memoir Romulus, My Father
, which was made into an award winning film starring Eric Bana
(Romulus), Franka Potente
(Christine), Kodi Smit-McPhee
(Raimond) and Marton Csokas
(Hora). His most recent book is After Romulus, a collection of essays in which (as his publisher puts it) “he reflects on the writing of the Romulus, My Father, the making of the film, his relationship to the desolate beauty of the central Victorian landscape, the philosophies that underpinned his father’s relationship to the world and, most movingly, the presence and absence of his mother and his unassuaged longing for her”.
In 2009 the University of Antwerp awarded Gaita the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa “for his exceptional contribution to contemporary moral philosophy and for his singular contribution the role of the intellectual in today’s academic world. In 2011, Routledge published Christopher Cordner (ed.) Philosophy, Ethics, and a Common Humanity: Essays in Honour of Raimond Gaita.
Gaita attended St. Patrick's College, Ballarat (Victoria) Melbourne High School
(Victoria), University of Melbourne
(BA Hons, MA) and University of Leeds
(PhD). He is married to Yael Gaita, who was born in Tel Aviv and was until 2008 a teacher at The King David School, where she taught Hebrew. Gaita has two children, Katerina and Eva and two step children, Dahlia and Michelle.
Because he believes that it is generally a good thing for philosophers to address an educated and hard-thinking lay audience as well as their colleagues, Gaita has contributed extensively to public discussion about reconciliation, collective responsibility, the role of moral considerations in politics, genocide and the alleged uniqueness of the Holocaust, education (the nature of teaching as a vocation, the role of love in learning) and about the plight of the universities. Most recently he has been active in speaking and writing against people who advocate that in order to protect ourselves against terrorists we should legalise some forms of torture.
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at the Australian Catholic University
Australian Catholic University
Australian Catholic University is a national public university. It has six campuses and offers programs in five faculties throughout Australia.-History:...
and Professor of Moral Philosophy at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. He is currently Professorial Fellow in the Melbourne Law School and the Faculty of Arts, UNiversity of Melbourne and Emeritus Professor of Moral Philosophy and KIng's College London He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities
Australian Academy of the Humanities
The Australian Academy of the Humanities was established by Royal Charter in 1969 to advance scholarship and public interest in the humanities in Australia...
.
Born in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1946 to a Romanian father (Romulus Gaiţă) and a German mother (Christine Anna Dörr), he arrived in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1950 at the age of four. The story of his childhood and the lives of his family members and close friends is told in his award winning memoir Romulus, My Father
Romulus, My Father
Romulus, My Father is a biographical memoir, first published in 1998, by Australian philosopher Raimond Gaita, which outlines the life of his father, Romulus Gaita . A film adaptation of the same name was released in 2007, starring Eric Bana, Franka Potente and Kodi Smit-McPhee.-Plot...
, which was made into an award winning film starring Eric Bana
Eric Bana
Eric Bana is an Australian film and television actor. He began his career as a comedian in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal before gaining critical recognition in the biopic Chopper...
(Romulus), Franka Potente
Franka Potente
Franka Potente is a German film actress and singer. She first appeared in the comedy After Five in the Forest Primeval and gained critical recognition in the action thriller Lola rennt . Potente received Germany's highest film and television awards for her performances in Run Lola Run and...
(Christine), Kodi Smit-McPhee
Kodi Smit-McPhee
Kodi Smit-McPhee is an award-winning Australian actor, most known for his roles as The Boy in the The Road and Owen in Let Me In. He has also appeared in Australian films, Romulus, My Father and Matching Jack....
(Raimond) and Marton Csokas
Marton Csokas
-Early life:Csokas was born in Invercargill, New Zealand. His mother, a nurse, is of Irish and Danish descent; his Hungarian-born father, also named Márton Csókás, worked as a mechanical engineer...
(Hora). His most recent book is After Romulus, a collection of essays in which (as his publisher puts it) “he reflects on the writing of the Romulus, My Father, the making of the film, his relationship to the desolate beauty of the central Victorian landscape, the philosophies that underpinned his father’s relationship to the world and, most movingly, the presence and absence of his mother and his unassuaged longing for her”.
In 2009 the University of Antwerp awarded Gaita the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa “for his exceptional contribution to contemporary moral philosophy and for his singular contribution the role of the intellectual in today’s academic world. In 2011, Routledge published Christopher Cordner (ed.) Philosophy, Ethics, and a Common Humanity: Essays in Honour of Raimond Gaita.
Gaita attended St. Patrick's College, Ballarat (Victoria) Melbourne High School
Melbourne High School
Melbourne High School is a selective entry state school for boys in years 9 to 12 located in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. Being a selective school, it is known mainly for its strong academic reputation...
(Victoria), University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
(BA Hons, MA) and University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
(PhD). He is married to Yael Gaita, who was born in Tel Aviv and was until 2008 a teacher at The King David School, where she taught Hebrew. Gaita has two children, Katerina and Eva and two step children, Dahlia and Michelle.
Because he believes that it is generally a good thing for philosophers to address an educated and hard-thinking lay audience as well as their colleagues, Gaita has contributed extensively to public discussion about reconciliation, collective responsibility, the role of moral considerations in politics, genocide and the alleged uniqueness of the Holocaust, education (the nature of teaching as a vocation, the role of love in learning) and about the plight of the universities. Most recently he has been active in speaking and writing against people who advocate that in order to protect ourselves against terrorists we should legalise some forms of torture.
Further reading
- J. Franklin, (2003), Corrupting the Youth: A History of Philosophy in Australia, Macleay PressMacleay PressMacleay Press is a small press Australian publishing company founded in 1993 by Keith Windschuttle.Authors published include Leonie Kramer, Michael Connor and Windschuttle.-Publications:Publications include:...
, ch. 16
External links
- Professor Raimond Gaita at King's College LondonKing's College LondonKing's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
- Professor Raimond Gaita interviewed on the Australian Broadcasting CorporationAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
- Raimond Gaita interviewed about Torture on Philosophy Bites
- Gaita and Robert Connolly discuss Romulus, My Father (the film)
- Video: Raimond Gaita lecture on Plato