Philosopher Hanno Sauer offers profound insights into the history of morality in this examination of the concepts of good and evil.
What is the story of morality? Where do our conceptions of good and evil come from? And in an era of competing ideologies and widening divisions, is a shared understanding of what it means to be good or what it means to be right a thing of the past?
In this edition of The Fifth Estate, philosopher Hanno Sauer unravels the evolutionary story explaining the major moral transformations of humanity over the past 500 years. Delving into topics such as punishment, social justice, moral standards, inequality and identity politics, he draws on elements of neuroscience, cognitive science, politics and social psychology to illuminate how we have arrived at the current moral zeitgeist.
Join Sauer as he shows how our moral disagreements of the past can give us a clearer understanding of our fractured present, and hope for a better, more equitable future. With host Sally Warhaft.
Poetry Month aims to increase the profile of Australian poetry and poets. At this event, poet Anders Villani will open with a reading of their work, thanks to support from Red Room Poetry.
Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Thursday 20 August
6.30 - 7.30pm
Tickets
$22.50
Full
$19.50
Concession
$19.50
Under 30
Members get standard 10% discount across all reserves. For more information on Memberships, click here.
Groups 6+ can access exclusive discounts and other benefits. Contact us to find out more.
Location
Accessibility
Accessible toilets available
Assistive Listening
Auslan interpreting available by-request
Companion tickets available
Registered Assistance Animals welcome
Wheelchair accessible
For information regarding accessibility at The Wheeler Centre, click here.
Please notify us of all access requirements when booking online so we can assist you with your visit. If you require further information, please contact ticketing@wheelercentre.com.
Additional Notes
Hanno Sauer will be signing books after the event.
The bookseller for this event is the Sun Bookshop.
Melbourne was designated the world’s second UNESCO City of Literature in 2008. As part of this global network, we strive to support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, a set of 17 goals designed to promote fairness, health and environmental sustainability worldwide. 
This event addresses Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
Featuring
Hanno Sauer
Hanno Sauer is a writer & philosopher from Germany. He is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utrecht, The Netherlands. He has published numerous academic articles and monographs. In ...
Sally Warhaft
Sally Warhaft is a Melbourne broadcaster, anthropologist and writer. She is the host of The Fifth Estate, the Wheeler Centre’s live series focusing on journalism, politics, media, and international relations, and The Leap ...
Anders Villani
Anders Villani is the author of three poetry collections: Aril Wire (Five Islands Press, 2018); Totality (Recent Work Press, 2022); and Nespola (Recent Work Press, 2026). He holds an MFA from the University of ...