The Reith Lectures
2002 - A Question Of Trust
In
the course of five lectures, Dr Onora O聮Neill, Principal of
Newnham College Cambridge examines, from a philosopher聮s point
of view, the nature of trust and how it operates.
She
believes that too much auditing can undermine trust; too much emphasis
on "open government" can increase deception. She calls
for a radical re-examination of traditional approaches to accountability,
transparency and press freedom.
She
argues that the pursuit of ever more perfect accountability and
trustworthiness has gone badly wrong. "If we want a culture
of public service," she says, "professionals and public
servants must be free to serve the public rather than their paymasters."
The
lectures are recorded in London, Belfast, Cambridge, Liverpool and
Glasgow. The audiences have the opportunity to raise questions and
comment on the views outlined. The programmes are introduced and
chaired by Sue Lawley.
The
lectures
1.
Spreading Suspicion. The Royal Institution, London
In
her first lecture, Onora O聮Neill looks from a philosopher聮s
point of view at the nature of trust and its role in society, and
examines whether there聮s real evidence of a crisis of trust.
She says we may not have evidence for a crisis of trust: but we
have massive evidence of a culture of suspicion. Her suspicions
fall on: the human rights movement; our new conceptions of accountability,
which superimpose managerial targets on bureaucratic process, burdening
and even paralysing those who have to comply; transparency, which
has marginalised the more basic obligation not to deceive and finally
on our public culture, which is so often credulous about its own
standards of communication and suspicious of everyone else聮s.
She says we need genuine rights, genuine accountability, genuine
efforts to reduce deception, and genuine communication.
(broadcast
Wednesday 3 April, 8.00pm)
2.
Trust And Terror. Waterfront Hall, Belfast
In
her second lecture, Onora O聮Neill discusses the search for
justice in conditions where the basis for trust is threatened by
violence and intimidation. She rejects an approach which relies
on the state alone to establish human rights and argues for a more
active view of citizens聮 duties.
(broadcast
Wednesday 10 April, 8.00pm)
3.
Called To Account. Addenbrooke聮s Hospital, Cambridge
In
recent years, a barrage of new techniques has been developed and
deployed to make professional groups and public services more accountable,
with the aim of restoring public trust in them. In her third lecture,
Onora O聮Neill asks: "Have these instruments for control,
regulation, monitoring and enforcement worked?"
(broadcast
Wednesday 17 April, 8.00pm)
4.
Trust And Transparency. Maritime Museum, Liverpool
Open
government and transparency have become new watchwords, and are
supposed to be important for restoring trust. But have we been too
ready to accept that greater openness is the sure-fire antidote
to mistrust and suspicion? In her fourth lecture, Onora O聮Neill
argues that transparency may not improve trust, and may even add
to the ways in which the public can be deceived.
(broadcast
Wednesday 24 April, 8.00pm).
5.
Licence To Deceive? Gilmorehill G12, Glasgow
In
daily life we trust those whom we can question, check and observe.
It is much harder to know when to trust strangers. In her fifth
and final lecture, Onora O聮Neill asks how we can decide when
to trust those who inform us about the wider world, and in particular
newspaper, radio and TV reporters.
(broadcast
Wednesday 1 May, 8.00pm).
The
Reith Lectures 2002 - A Question Of Trust are broadcast on 大象传媒 Radio
4 on Wednesdays at 8.00pm (with repeats on Saturdays at 10.15pm),
starting on 3 April.
The
lectures are also available on the website
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