Bulletin No. 1, 2010

Chinese University Bulletin No. 1, 2010  Reaffirming the Value of Values Research Centre for Human Values I n The Merchant of Venice , the Prince of Morocco says, ‘Pause there, Morocco, And weigh thy value with an even hand.’ Who we think we are and who we think others are are matters defined by our values. Prof. David Parker, Director of the Research Centre for Human Values (RCHV) and former Professor of English, said, ‘In many disciplines recently, there’s been a shift to seeing the importance of defining values. Businesses have values statements, even universities have value statements. This is a change b e c a u s e v a l u e - f o c u s e d thinking has been excluded from advanced Western consciousness for a long time.’ The RCHV was established in 2009 to provide a renewed focus on research, teaching and public discussion in the humanities to meet challenges to existing systems and practices of ethics and human values. In particular, it strives to promote cross-cultural and intercultural perspectives on such issues. One of its projects is running a joint monthly Luncheon Series for the Morningside College Fellows, in which a Fellow speaks on some value issues raised in his/her discipline as a prelude to discussion. Speakers include Prof. Sian Griffiths from the School of Public Health and Primary Care, Prof. Leslie Young from the Asia- Pacific Institute of Business, Prof. Simon Haines from the Department of English, and Prof. Sir James Mirrlees, Master of Morningside College.