The great contrarian journalist and editor Paddy McGuinness died on Saturday, days after his final issue of Quadrant magazine appeared. Love him or loathe him, McGuinness was a huge force in the world of ideas here in Australia. Speaking for myself, he'll be sadly missed. He was a wonderful editor to work with, and very supportive of my work on bioethics and the (post)human future - among other topics. Much of what he accepted from me for the pages Quadrant must have driven his readership crazy, as the magazine's letters pages confirmed, but Paddy recognised quality material and cultivated talent. His support had a big part in my development as a commentator on these issues.
I'm so sorry to see him leave us, notwithstanding my disagreement with him on a pretty wide range of issues.
Vale, Paddy. I won't be able to get to the funeral on Friday, but I'll drink a glass in your honour, my friend.
About Me
- Russell Blackford
- Australian philosopher, literary critic, legal scholar, and professional writer. Based in Newcastle, NSW. My latest books are THE TYRANNY OF OPINION: CONFORMITY AND THE FUTURE OF LIBERALISM (2019); AT THE DAWN OF A GREAT TRANSITION: THE QUESTION OF RADICAL ENHANCEMENT (2021); and HOW WE BECAME POST-LIBERAL: THE RISE AND FALL OF TOLERATION (2024).
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