• Breadcrumb navigation uses Javascript

---

Reflections on the philosopher's' stone and other matters:

The Ethics Centre's logo

by Simon Longstaff

For nearly four years now [written in 1996], St James Ethics Centre has been wrestling with the problem of how to capture, in graphic form, the sense of what it is about.

This may seem to be an inordinately long time to spend on a project of this kind. However, the task of defining the Centre's 'essence' in terms precise enough to generate a design brief was a challenge. It has been matched by that of rendering especially elusive concepts into a form that does justice to the founding vision of the institution and how it is evolving.

One of Australia's leading design companies, Emery Vincent, provided the insight and creative talent necessary to find an image to express the ideas put to it. The new mark speaks for itself but does so in a way that is intriguing. Like a symbol, our logo invites exploration of its meaning and the significance of that to which it points. This invitation to engage with meaning is, of course, in alignment with the Centre's own position.

What is the Ethics Centre's position?

There are a number of core characteristics to the Ethics Centre's self-understanding, which continue to inform its work. The founder of the Centre had the vision of creating an independent forum in which people could find help in exploring the complex ethical landscape we inhabit and its character and ethos have continued to be shaped as the Centre has developed.

The first core characteristic is an appreciation of the past combined with an orientation to the future. We are not here to fix bad ethics but to promote good ethics. We are concerned with the task of equipping people to cope with genuinely novel and perplexing issues that continue to emerge in a rapidly changing world.

The second is that we aim to offer practical assistance based on sound theoretical principles. We don't just want to talk about ethics - although this is an important thing to do! We also hope to make a difference and to do this by working with others to create environments in which people are able to give effect to the values and principles they espouse.

The third is that we are independent. The Centre was established by the Parish of St James' as an independent organisation open to all people of good will who are concerned to address the ethical dimension of our lives. This independence is intrinsic to the Centre's ability to challenge some of the received perceptions which inform the character of society. Being seen to be independent signals the Centre's openness and availability to people who need to discuss issues in a secure and supportive environment where their concerns are addressed in confidence.

The fourth core characteristic is that the Ethics Centre is animated by a concern that its independence and effectiveness be complemented by an approach that is gentle in nature. When issues to do with values and principles are raised it is often a confronting experience which some people are very sensitive about. Discussion of these issues usually leads to a consideration of what makes for a good or worthwhile life. This happens both with people using the Centre's counselling service and in the context of the largest and most bureaucratic organisations. In each situation, empathy and sensitivity are essential to an open and effective approach.

The final characteristic is that we are non-judgemental. The Ethics Centre is not a 'moral policeman'. It was established to promote business and professional ethics and to do so by raising awareness of ethical issues and dialogue about the challenge of ethics. Working from basic principles of respect for persons and a recognition of the role of a well- informed conscience in ethical deliberation, we aim to facilitate reflection which begins with a respect for each person's position.

These are the characteristics which needed to be distilled into a logo! The logo is built around four alchemical signs. Each is set on a piece of slightly worn parchment that, paradoxically, bears the sign's denotation in modern typescript. Each sign relates to a process. From what has been said it will be seen that the focus on process is important. Only an appropriate process offers the possibility that a transformation in thinking and understanding might occur.

Why draw on the language of alchemy?

Part of the answer is captured in the idea of transformation. Popular memory tends to recall the Alchemists as a group of proto-chemists who sought to uncover secrets of nature by which base metals were transmuted into gold using the fabled 'Philosophers' Stone', or distillation of the elixir of life was made possible. Understood in these terms, Alchemy might seem to be an inappropriate source of inspiration.

Yet, the Alchemists' quest was at once more complex and refined. Alchemists were not solely concerned with the material world. A further reason for drawing on their symbolism is that it belongs to a time when matter and spirit were not radically separate in the human understanding them.

This touches on the Ethics Centre's conception of its role which includes fostering and supporting practical change while not losing touch with some of the deeper springs of human consciousness and identity. We encourage and participate in the exploration of functional aspects of how individuals and organisations decide what they ought to do. And we try to integrate this with an examination of fundamental questions touching on who we are as human beings and what we stand for.

This suggests transformation occurs against a background of stable forms and essences. It is not the case that everything is in constant flux beyond any stable point of reference. Rather, change is a product of alterations in the arrangement of the parts. This reflects the Centre's understanding that there is a universal ethical sense and that, properly understood, a shared set of values which informs most people most of the time. Difference can be explained by understanding variations in the hierarchy or order of values which people subscribe to.

This also relates to the internal development of the Centre. This year the Board and staff of the Ethics Centre have undertaken a significant review of the Centre's overall strategy. In a sense, we have been involved in our own continuing transformation with reference to those basic values and principles which have informed our position since establishment.

Among the challenges presently facing the Centre is the importance of securing a solid financial base. Particular problems confront charities in the 1990s. We are grateful for the goodwill and generous support we continue to receive from individuals and corporations who donate funds to the Centre. We also depend upon the valuable contribution of volunteers who give freely of their time and energy, among whom we mention Ms Barbara Eddy, whose work as Librarian and counsellor to the staff at the Centre is inestimable.

It has proved difficult to capture the essence of what St James Ethics Centre is about, and it may be that something indefinable remains. The strength of a good symbol is that many meanings to which it points lie hidden for future discovery. We believe the symbol we have now chosen for the Centre has this quality.

discuss this article

---