Dr. Damon Young
Contact
Phone: +61 3 8344 5142
Website: www.damonyoung.com.au
Brief biography
Dr. Damon Young is an Honourary Fellow in Philosophy. He is the author of Distraction (MUP, 2008), described by London's Financial Times as 'lucid and optimistic'. His next book, The Mystery of the Garden (MUP), will be published in 2012. Damon also co-edited the recently-released Martial Arts and Philosophy: Beating and Nothingness (Acumen, 2010), with Graham Priest.
Damon's wide-ranging opinion and features have been published in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, Herald-Sun, New York's Daily News, BBC and ABC. He has written poetry and fiction for Overland and Meanjin magazines.
He regularly comments on radio, and has appeared on Channel 7 'Sunrise' and ABC TV. He is 'philosopher-in-residence' on 'Afternoons' with James Valentine on ABC Sydney 702AM, a monthly guest on 'Mornings' with Alan Brough on ABC 774, and was 'sports philosopher' with Francis Leach on SEN 1116FM.
Selected publications
Books
- Young, Damon. The Mystery of the Garden. Melbourne: Melbourne University Publishing (MUP), 2012
- Young, Damon and Priest, Graham (eds.,). Martial Arts and Philosophy: Beating and Nothingness. Open Court, 2010. ISBN 978-0812696844
- Young, Damon. Distraction: A Philosopher's Guide to Being Free. Melbourne: Melbourne University Publishing (MUP), 2008. ISBN 978-0522853742; published in the UK/US/Canada as Distraction. Acumen, 2010. ISBN 978-1844652549
Academic essays
- Young, Damon. "Bowing to Your Enemies: Courtesy, Budo and Japan," in Philosophy East and West 59 2, 2009, pp.188-215
- Young, Damon. "The Fine Arts of Distinction: Bourdieu on Society and Art," in The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art 7 2, 2006
- Young, Damon. "Being Grateful for Being: Being, Reverence and Finitude," in Sophia 44 2, 2005, pp.31-53
- Young, Damon. "Knowing Thyself...In Private: Masturbation and Philosophy," in Sexuality and Culture 9 4, 2005, pp.58-80
- Young, Damon. "The Democratic Chorus: Culture, Dialogue and Polyphonic Paideia," in Democracy and Nature 9 2, 2003, pp.221-235
Opinion pieces, literary essays
- Young, Damon. "Along with our wines, we're maturing nicely," in Canberra Times (24/1/11), p.9
- Young, Damon. "Kicking away the crutches of luxury," in Canberra Times (18/1/11), p.9
- Young, Damon. "Legalizing mixed martial arts in New York," in New York Daily News (16/1/11), p.13
- Young, Damon. "Turn video games into more than child's play," in Sydney Morning Herald (14/1/11), p.9
- Young, Damon. "The paper's place in a digital world," in ABC Unleashed (13/1/11)
- Young, Damon. "The crisis and the cure," in Sydney Morning Herald, News Review (1/1/11), p.13
- Young, Damon. "Time to put down the pen and join the human race," in Canberra Times (27/12/10), p.15
- Young, Damon. "You don't need Jesus to enjoy Christmas," in Sydney Morning Herald (20/12/10), p.7
- Young, Damon. "These feet are made just for walking," in Canberra Times (20/12/10), p.9
- Young, Damon. "The marvels of what is," in ABC Unleashed (17/12/10)
- Young, Damon. "Philosophy as a contact sport," in The Australian, Higher Education (8/12/10), p.5
- Young, Damon. "Feminism: a struggle shared," in ABC Unleashed (3/12/10)
- Young, Damon. "Fighting can nurture the soul," in Sydney Morning Herald, News Review (27/11/10), p.5
- Young, Damon. "Stop and think: it's World Philosophy Day," in ABC Unleashed (18/11/10)
- Young, Damon. "A balanced life holds amazing rewards," in Sydney Morning Herald (15/11/10), p.11
- Young, Damon. "Editors: strange, misunderstood, essential," in ABC Unleashed (15/11/10)
- Young, Damon. "The big four are well overdrawn on humanity," in Canberra Times (10/11/10), p.13
- Young, Damon. "Why backflips by politicians are steeped in such negativity," in Canberra Times (18/10/10), p.9
- Young, Damon. "Digitally surfing on the flushable sea," in ABC Unleashed (20/10/10)
- Young, Damon. "Playing outside has many benefits," in Canberra Times (13/10/10), p.19
- Young, Damon. "The wisdom of illness," in ABC Unleashed (1/10/10)
- Young, Damon. "Spring's gentle nudge to leave winter's walls behind," in The Age (15/9/10), p.11
- Young, Damon. "Why write?," in ABC Unleashed (10/9/10)
- Young, Damon. "Father knows best: don't buy into this false festival," in Sydney Morning Herald (4/9/10), p.13
- Young, Damon. "My Melbourne Spring," in Meanjin 69 3, 2010, pp.16-17
- Young, Damon. "Instructive lesson in class at the auctioneers," in Sydney Morning Herald (18/8/10), p.13
- Young, Damon. "Guiltlessly myopic electioneering," in ABC Unleashed (17/8/10)
- Young, Damon. "Mentally sexy dads," in ABC Unleashed (30/7/10)
- Young, Damon. "Too much screen time means our lives lack dimension," in The Age (28/7/10), p.13
- Young, Damon. "Quiet now, your soul is healing," in Sydney Morning Herald (17/6/10), p.14
- Young, Damon. "A little smut goes a long way," in Sydney Morning Herald (23/6/10), p.11
- Young, Damon. "A rhythmic, sweaty meditation," in ABC Unleashed (18/6/10)
- Young, Damon. "Not just for geeks," in ABC Unleashed (11/6/10)
- Young, Damon. "Empty pockets and wonky careers can provide a richer life', The Age (19/5/10), p.15
- Young, Damon. "Taking a bite out of Apple's vision," in Sydney Morning Herald (18/5/10), p.13
- Young, Damon. "The distraction society," in BBC News (7/5/10)
- Young, Damon. "In moments like these, we need mentors," in Sydney Morning Herald (26/4/10), p.13
- Young, Damon. "Forget cheap shots, cage fighting is a virtuous sport," in The Age (12/4/10), p.11
- Young, Damon. "Skinny vs healthy debate," in ABC Unleashed (4/4/10)
- Young, Damon. "Autumn glory lets us count our blessings," in Sydney Morning Herald (2/4/10), p.13
- Young, Damon. "Wealth and Illth," in Miscellaneous Voices, ed. Karen Andrews (2010), pp.15-18
- Young, Damon. "Canvassing Creativity," in Child magazines across Australia (1/3/10), pp.24-6
- Young, Damon. "Back to your roots," in Men's Health (1/3/10), pp.124-5
- Young, Damon. "Channel your rage, young man," in Sydney Morning Herald (9/01/10), p.21
Fiction
- Young, Damon. "The Lesson," in Meanjin 67 3, 2008
Poetry
- Young, Damon. "Beauty" and "Ground Control" in Around the Block. Preston: Flat Chat Press, 2007
- Young, Damon. "The Idea of a Great Gallery," in Overland 179, 2005, p.41
- Young, Damon. "Howard Watches the Oscars and Weeps With Joy," in Overland 174, 2004, p.124
Philosophy in schools
- 'Matisse's Hernia', Baccalaureate 'Festival of Ideas', Geelong Grammar, 2008
- 'Plato, Art and Truth', Baccalaureate 'Festival of Ideas', Methodist Ladies' College, 2006, 2007, 2008
- 'Proust at Balbec', at 'Aesthetics Today', Professional Development Day, National Gallery of Victoria, 2007
- 'Picasso: Love and War' workshop, National Gallery of Victoria, 2006
Philosophy of sport
In 2007 Damon was the 'sports philosopher' on SEN 1116 AM, on the 'Social Club' with Francis Leach, fortnightly on Saturdays. Damon and Francis are now working on a book based on the series, tentatively-entitled Go In Hard and You Won't Get Hurt: Sports Philosophy For Domesticated Males.
Philosophy and the martial arts
Together with Professor Graham Priest, Damon is developing two books on philosophy and the martial arts - one for Open Court's 'Philosophy and Popular Culture' series, and an anthology of scholarly essays. A conference, 'Philosophy and the Martial Arts', was hosted by the School in 2006. Another will be held in mid 2009. (More information can be found at the Philosophy and Martial Arts Books web page).
Contact details
Damon can be reached through his website: www.damonyoung.com.au