Menu Close

Articles on Viewpoints

Displaying all articles

Existential suffering refers to an individual experiencing a lack of meaning or sense of purposelessness in life. Zack Minor/Unsplash

Viewpoints: should euthanasia be available for people with existential suffering?

Imagine this situation: a person has no medical illness but wishes to end his or her life purely because he or she no longer wishes to live. Should they be eligible for euthanasia or assisted suicide?
A controversial editorial has questioned whether saturated fats really clog up your arteries and put you at risk of heart disease. But can it really overturn decades of research? from www.shutterstock.com

Viewpoints: is saturated fat really the killer it’s made out to be?

We need to eat a healthy diet, do some exercise and avoid stress rather than blame saturated fat for heart disease, says a recent editorial. But does the evidence stack up?
We’ve long heard we can’t blame people for their addiction because it’s a disease, but is it? from www.shutterstock.com.au

Viewpoints: is addiction a disease?

Some think labelling it a disease is a helpful way to think about addiction; others think this makes the addict helpless in their fight against addiction. Two academics debate both sides of the coin.
Direct links between universities and industry funders pose significant risks – but can they be managed? Shannon Kringen/Flickr

Viewpoints: should universities accept funding from industry?

The University of Sydney’s announcement of a role funded by the Blackmores Institute raises perennial questions about whether industry-funded research can be truly independent.
A World Health Organisation report says e-cigarettes should be regulated, but they are banned in Australia. Lucas Hayas/Flickr

Viewpoints: should Australia lift its ban on e-cigarettes?

The World Health Organisation has just released a report on electronic nicotine delivery systems that calls for their global regulation in the interests of public health. The most well-known such devices…
Investors around the world use ratings from agencies like S&P, Moody and Fitch to make investment decisions. But if all goes wrong, are the agencies to blame? EPA/Ian Langsdon

Viewpoints: should ratings agencies be responsible for inaccurate ratings?

One of the world’s largest ratings agency, Standard & Poor’s, is back in court appealing the Federal Court’s landmark decision that it was responsible for the losses incurred by 13 New South Wales…
Tony Abbott has claimed penalty rates force businesses to close their doors AAP

Viewpoints: should penalty rates be abolished?

With a major review of workplace awards underway, the Federal Government has asked the Fair Work Commission to consider whether penalty rates and other minimum conditions are still relevant. In this Viewpoints…
If we’re fit, does it matter what we weigh? Image from shutterstock.com

Viewpoints: can you be healthy at any weight?

Australians are getting heavier and, as a result, are more likely to suffer life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and strokes. But should we be worried about a bit of excess weight…
Three-parent IVF is about allowing women who carry genetic diseases in their mitochondria to avoid passing them on to their children. Glenn/Flickr

Viewpoints: the promise and perils of three-parent IVF

Far from creating designer babies, three-parent IVF is about allowing women who carry genetic diseases in their mitochondria to avoid passing them on to their children. The process involves replacing the…

Top contributors

More