The Armchair Sceptic

In memory of Dr Roderick (Rodd) Rothwell

Dr Roderick Rothwell was, in every sense of the phrase, The Australian Armchair Sceptic. A gentleman scholar with an insatiable curiosity, he questioned accepted wisdom, challenged fashionable ideas and believed that no proposition should escape careful scrutiny.

His interests ranged far and wide – from science, philosophy and history to politics, language, plants, animals and the curious habits of humankind. Whether examining a scientific theory or the latest social fad, Rodd approached every subject with intelligence, wit and a healthy measure of scepticism.

Away from his writing, he delighted in preparing adventurous, wonderfully spicy meals shared with family or friends over a good bottle of the rich, buttery Chardonnays he favoured from an earlier era. For Rodd, good food, good wine and good conversation were among life’s greatest pleasures.

This website has been recreated in his memory to preserve his essays and observations for new generations of readers. They are presented much as he would have wished: thoughtful, provocative, occasionally irreverent, and always inviting debate. The publication continues in that same spirit, with new articles inspired by curiosity, evidence and a lifelong love of learning.

So, pull up a comfortable armchair, pour yourself a generous glass of your finest Chardonnay, and settle in.