From cwalker@aquila.ece.utexas.edu Thu Oct 12 21:45:14 1995 Path: news.math.psu.edu!chi-news.cic.net!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!cwalker From: cwalker@aquila.ece.utexas.edu () Newsgroups: alt.philosophy.objectivism Subject: Objectivist FAQ Date: 12 Oct 1995 21:09:25 GMT Organization: ECE Learning Resource Center, University of Texas at Austin Lines: 919 Message-ID: <45k065$o23@geraldo.cc.utexas.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: corvus.ece.utexas.edu Newsgroups: alt.answers,news.answers,sci.answers,alt.philosophy.objectivism,sci.philosophy.meta,sci.philosophy.tech Subject: FAQ: Ayn Rand's Philosophy of Objectivism Summary: Expires: References: Sender: cwalker@ece.utexas.edu (Chris Walker) Followup-To: Distribution: Organization: University of Texas at Austin Keywords: Archive-name: objectivism/faq Last-modified: 1995/10/12 Here is the current FAQ file on Ayn Rand's ideas that I have compiled. With the explosion of web publishing, one might ask why maintain a FAQ file? The answer is simple: a FAQ file is the best medium for USENET and it provides access to information to the widest possible audience including those around the world who do not yet have access to the Web. Please sent suggestions and corrections to cwalker@ece.utexas.edu Copies of this FAQ and other related information may be found at the following sites via ftp: ftp.uu.net under /usenet/news.answers/objectivism rtfm.mit.edu [18.70.0.209] under /pub/usenet in the *.answers directories ftp.rahul.net under /pub/aradmin/Objectivism/info Note: some versions of this FAQ may be out of date. The document is available in HTML format through WWW (Mosaic, etc) at: http://www.rpi.edu/~pier1/phil/obj-faq.html -------------------- CUT HERE --------------------------------------- Frequently Asked Questions Objectivism: The philosophy of Ayn Rand Author: Chris Walker Date: October 12, 1995 Questions Answered ------------------ I. What is the Role of Philosophy in Human life? II. What is Objectivism? III. Who is Ayn Rand? IV. Ayn Rand and Aristotle V. Was Ayn Rand a Conservative or a Libertarian? VI. Where can one find out more about Ayn Rand's ideas? VII. What about other electronic forums where her ideas are discussed? VIII. What about audio and video recordings of Ayn Rand and others? IX. What about campus clubs? Where can I find out how to start my own? X. Bibliography of Published Articles in Academic Journals XI. Reading List on Objectivism XII. Major Objectivist Events XIII. Local Events and Groups XIV. Suggestions and Corrections Acknowledgements ---------------- Based on suggestions from several users of alt.philosophy.objectivism and OSG either posted publically or sent to me privately. My thanks to Austin Moseley, Brian Yoder, Magnus Kempe, Jay Allen and many others for their assistance in compiling this FAQ. It was originally published in March 1993. (12/19/93) Revised bibliography and expanded references to Jay Allen's ORG file available at most of the ftp sites above. (2/2/94) Changed section I to focus more on Ayn Rand's views on philosophy as well as presenting some essentials of her ideas. (6/9/94) Added references to related information. Changed jobs and hence update address! (6/15/95) Corrected references and edited text. (10/12/95) Minor rewordings, removed obsolete references References for Quotes --------------------- "The Ayn Rand Lexicon", edited by Harry Binswanger. Copyright 1986 by Harry Binswanger. Publisher, New American Library "The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution," by Ayn Rand. ARI (Ayn Rand Institute) biography of Ayn Rand Purpose of this FAQ ------------------- The purpose of this FAQ is to provide pointers to the best information on Objectivism that is available. It intentionally does not reference material that misrepresents Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand. Extensive information on Objectivist organizations and publications may be found in Jay Allen's "Objectivist Resource Guide" posted on the same newsgroups as this FAQ. It is also available at various ftp sites. Disclaimer ---------- Copyright 1995 (C) by Chris Walker except where specified. This is not an official presentation of Ayn Rand's philosophy. The author supports the activities of the Ayn Rand Institute and associated organizations but does not represent these organizations in any way. In my judgement, only those individuals listed in the reading list as Objectivists have demonstrated that they are qualified to present Ayn Rand's ideas accurately with professional quality. REPEAT: the best source for Ayn Rand's ideas is the works of Ayn Rand herself. This must be overstated because Rand is frequently misinterpreted, misattributed and misunderstood. Distribution ------------ This list may be distributed anywhere provided that it is distributed in full and that all of the header information is retained. The bibliography and reading list may be distributed separately provided that appropriate credit is given. Otherwise, no extractions, deletions or modifications may be made. Some quotes are from copyrighted works. Any new version posted on USENET by me supersedes any previous version. As with Jay Allen's list, if any altered versions of this file are being distributed, please notify me at cwalker@ece.utexas.edu or chris937@austin.email.net. Corrections ----------- Please send suggestions and updates to cwalker@ece.utexas.edu QUESTIONS --------- I. What is the Role of Philosophy in Human life? ------------------------------------------------- Ayn Rand had the following to say about the nature of philosophy: "Philosophy is the science that studies the fundamental aspects of the nature of existence. The task of philosophy is to provide man with a comprehensive view of life. This view serves as a base, a frame of reference, for all his actions, mental or physical, psychological or existential. This view tells him the nature of the universe with which he has to deal (metaphysics); the means by which he has to deal with it, i.e., the means of acquiring knowledge (epistemology); the standards by which he is to choose his goals and values, in regard to his own life and character (ethics)--and in regard to society (politics); the means of concretizing this view is given to him by esthetics." "The Chicken's Homecoming," from "The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution," p107 Philosophy is the first science, the science of living. It is a science that does not require specialized abilities, knowledge or training to apply to one's life. Though a religion has philosophic content, a philosophy is not the same as a religion. A philosophy appeals to the intellect, the faculty of reason. It is through one's faculty of reason, ie. by observation and persuasion, that one comes to profess allegiance to a philosophy, not an appeal to one's fears in order to elicit faith. Fundamental branch vs derivative branch II. What is Objectivism? ------------------------ Objectivism is the name that Ayn Rand gave to the philosophical system that she created. It is the answer to the questions posed in the five main branches of philosophy as Plato defined them. Ayn Rand is an Aristotelian philosopher. Since Objectivism was created to answer the fundamental questions that Plato posed on the nature of the universe, of the mind, of human life on this earth and man's life in society, it is also a Western philosophy. Objectivism is in the same tradition as other great philosophers as St. Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, David Hume, Thomas Hobbes, Immanuel Kant, Rene Descartes and others. In contract to the great majority of philosophers and philosophies of the last two millenia, Objectivism is a secular philosophy. Moreover, Objectivism is true and as a result, has practical consequences for life on this earth. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, philosophy as a guide to life has become a dead subject. Ayn Rand has breathed life back into this critical necessity for life. Ayn Rand summarized her philosophy in "The Objectivist Newsletter" in 1962 as 1. Metaphysics: Objective Reality 2. Epistemology: Reason 3. Ethics: Self Interest 4. Politics: Laissez-faire capitalism [5. Aesthetics: Romantic Realism] [point 5 was not included in her "standing on one foot" presentation of Objectivism ] 1. Reality exists as an objective absolute--facts are facts, independent of man's feelings, wishes, hopes or fears. 2. Reason (the faculty which identifies and integrates the material provided by man's senses) is man's only means of perceiving reality, his only source of knowledge, his only guide to action, and his basic means of survival. 3. Man--every man--is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life. 4. The ideal political-economic system is laissez-faire capitalism. It is a system where men deal with one another, not as victims and executioners, nor as masters and slaves, but as traders, by free, voluntary exchange to mutual benefit. It is a system where no man may obtain any values from others by resorting to physical force, and no man may initiate the use of physical force against others. The government acts only as a policeman that protects man's rights; it uses physical force only in retaliation and only against those who initiate its use, such as criminals and foreign invaders. In a system of full capitalism, there should be (but historically has not yet been) a complete separation of state and economics, in the same way and for the same reasons as the separation of state and church." The Ayn Rand Lexicon (HC) p344 quoted from "Introducing Objectivism," TON, Aug. 1962, 35. II. Who is Ayn Rand? --------------------- Ayn Rand (1905-1982) was a Russian-born American writer. She grew up in St. Petersburg during the Russian Revolution and graduated from the University of Petrograd in 1924. As a child at the age of nine, she had decided that she would become a writer. Being directly exposed to the Soviet system, she rebelled even as a child against the doctrines and practices of that oppressive culture. In 1926, at the age of 21, she went to the United States to become a Hollywood screen writer and married in 1931. She went on to write not only several screen plays but eventually several novels including the "We the Living" (1936), the best-selling "The Fountainhead (1943)" and "Atlas Shrugged (1957)". Ayn Rand considered her novels to belong to the school of art known as Romanticism as opposed to Naturalism. Additional works include a novelette called "Anthem" and several plays including "Night of January 16th." "'The Fountainhead', the story of an intransigent creator who refuses to surrender his integrity or his intellectual independence to a world of second-handers, was published in 1943--after having been rejected by twelve publishers. It brought Ayn Rand international fame. With the publication of 'Atlas Shrugged' in 1957, Ayn Rand's position in history -- both as novelist and philosopher -- was established. 'Atlas Shrugged' tells the story of what happens to the world when its most intelligent and productive members, the men of the mind, go on strike against the creed of self-immolation. This novel challenges at the root the altruist and philosophical ideas of the 2000-year-old Judeo-Christian tradition." (Ayn Rand Institute information packet) Subsequent to "Atlas Shrugged", she published several newsletters including "The Objectivist Newsletter (1962-1965)", "The Objectivist (1966-1971)", and "The Ayn Rand Letter (1971-1976)" All of these newsletters are still available in print. In the last 20 years of her life, she published several non-fiction works including "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal (1966)", "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology (1979)", "The Virtue of Selfishness (1964)", "For the New Intellectual (1961)", "The Romantic Manifesto (1969)", and "The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution (1971)" In addition, she appeared on radio and television talk shows, wrote editorials in such newspapers as the "LA Times", spoke to enthusiastic audiences at events sponsored by such institutions as "The Ford Hall Forum" in Boston, and taught and helped teach courses on her philosophy and romantic fiction. After her death, the seminal "Philosophy: Who Needs It (1982)", "The Early Ayn Rand", and "The Ayn Rand Column" were published by her intellectual heir, executor, and closest associate Dr. Leonard Peikoff. Ayn Rand is buried in a cemetery near Valhalla, New York. There is some biographical information in the now out-of-print "Who is Ayn Rand?" written in the early sixties. I cannot recommend any subsequent biographical works from the authors of this book. A biography based upon taped interviews with Ayn Rand called "Ayn Rand in Her Own Words" will be out soon. Additionally, "The Letters of Ayn Rand" provides valuable autobiographical information on Rand's life. For a personal testimony of the type of woman that Ayn Rand was, obtain Leonard Peikoff's "My Thirty Years with Ayn Rand". III. Ayn Rand's Debt to Aristotle ---------------------------------- Just as Ayn Rand works within the philosophic tradition established by Plato, she owed a great debt to the man who answered most of Plato's questions, Aristotle. "The only philosophical debt I can acknowledge is to Aristotle. I most emphatically disagree with a great many parts of his philosophy--but his definition of the laws of logic and of the means of human knowledge is so great an achievement that his errors are irrelevant by comparison." "About the Author," Appendix to "Atlas Shrugged" quoted from "The Ayn Rand Lexicon", p344 IV. Ayn Rand on Aristotle -------------------------- Knowledge of philosophy in general and Aristotle's contribution in particular is important in learning how to use philosophy to guide one's life. Ayn Rand and her followers had much to say about Aristotle. "Aristotle's philosophy was the intellect's Declaration of Independence. Aristotle, the father of logic, should be given the title of the world's first intellectual, in the purest and noblest sense of that word. No matter what remnants of Platonism did exist in Aristotle's system, his incomparable achievement lay in the fact that he defined the basic principles of a rational view of existence and of man's consciousness: that there is only one reality, the one which man perceives--that it exists as an objective absolute (which means: independently of the consciousness, the wishes or the feelings of any perceiver)--that the task of man's consciousness is to perceive, not to create, reality--that abstractions are man's method of integrating his sensory material--that man's mind is his only tool of knowledge--that A is A. If we consider the fact that to this day everything that makes us civilized beings, every rational value that we possess -- including the birth of science, the industrial revolution, the creation of the United States, even of the structure of our language -- is the result of Aristotle's influence, of the degree to which, explicitly or implicitly, men accepted his epistemological principles, we would have to say: never have so many owed so much to one man." Quoted from "For the New Intellectual, HC(20),pb(22)" from "The Ayn Rand Lexicon", p35 V. Was Ayn Rand a Conservative or a Libertarian? ------------------------------------------------- The answer to both parts of this question is emphatically no. While no one is likely to mistake Ayn Rand for a liberal, some of her statements sound similar to that of Conservatives and Libertarians. However, she is neither. In one way or another, both conservatives and Libertarians repudiate the principles of a rational philosophy. Conservatives by believing in an all-powerful, all-knowing God repudiate existence, reason and any possibility of a rational ethics. On that basis, claims to support individual rights can only be regarded as lip-service. Libertarians hold the idea that there are many roads to liberty, all equally valid and true, including religion or a relatively new aberration, communitarianism. There is but one road to liberty, reason. Here is a quote from Objectivist philosopher Dr. Harry Binswanger: "The "libertarians"...plagiarize Ayn Rand's principle that no man may initiate the use of physical force, and treat it as a mystically revealed, out-of-context absolute.... In the philosophical battle for a free society, the one crucial connection to be upheld is that between capitalism and reason. The religious conservatives are seeking to tie capitalism to mysticism; the "libertarians" are tying capitalism to the whim-worshiping subjectivism and chaos of anarchy. To cooperate with either group is to betray capitalism, reason, and one's own future." Binswanger, "The Ayn Rand Lexicon", p254 from "Q & A Department: - Anarchism," "The Objectivist Forum", Aug. 1981, 12. The definitive answer to the nature of Libertarianism is provided by the article, "Libertarianism: The Perversion of Liberty" by Peter Schwartz. This tract (and a revised version which appears in "The Voice of Reason: Essays on Objectivist Thought") is available at Second Renaissance Books. (address below) Read "Religion vs America" by Dr. Leonard Peikoff for an explanation of why the revival of religion in America constitutes a threat to everyone's freedom. VI. Where can one find out more about Ayn Rand's ideas? -------------------------------------------------------- Ayn Rand's books and the most important works of the advocates of her philosophy, especially "Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand" by Leonard Peikoff and "The Ayn Rand Lexicon" by Harry Binswanger can be found in most metropolitan bookstores or from Second Renaissance Books. The most complete collection of the works of major interpreters of Objectivism and of works which support the values of reason, individual achievement, and individual rights and capitalism may be found at: Second Renaissance Books 143 West Street, P.O. Box 1988 New Milford, CT 06776 For information, call 800-757-6149, or fax (203) 355-7160. Look for their upcoming World Wide Web page! For free information on Ayn Rand's ideas including the following pamphlets: "Playboy's Interview with Ayn Rand" "Philosophy of Objectivism: A Brief Summary" by Leonard Peikoff "Man's Rights and the Nature of Government" by Ayn Rand "Philosophy: Who Needs It?" by Ayn Rand before West Point and many more, please contact: The Ayn Rand Institute 4640 Admiralty Way, Suite 715 Marina del Rey, CA 90292 Their web page is located at "http://www.ayn-rand.org". Additional sources of information about Objectivism: (Dr. George Reisman and Edith Packer's publications) The Jefferson School (TJS) P.O. Box 2934 Laguna Hills, CA 92654 (The TIA publishes articles, reviews and information on current events including an Objectivist Calendar) The Intellectual Activist P.O. Box 262 Lincroft, NJ 07738 Lyceum International P.O. Box 4315 South Colby, WA 93384-031 Phone: (360) 876-5868 Fax: (360) 876-2902 (Stay Tuned for their upcoming World Wide Web page!) Second Renaissance Conferences 130 Federal Road, Suite 56 Danbury, CT 06811 VII. What about other electronic forums where her ideas are discussed? ----------------------------------------------------------------------- There are several private e-mail discussion groups on which Ayn Rand's ideas are discussed. One such group is the Objectivism Study Group, a commercial mailing list for serious students of Objectivism. It is moderated by the publisher of "The Intellectual Activist", Bob Stubblefield. Please send a message to "info-osg@osg.com" to receive a contract and application form. Other public discussions on Ayn Rand's ideas occur on sci.philosophy.meta, talk.philosophy.misc, sci.philosophy.tech and more. Since most of these groups are unmoderated, it is up to the reader to decide if a posting which is critical of Rand's ideas is basing this criticism on fact or is based on an irrational premise or hasty generalization. [see disclaimer] Please consult Jay Allen's ORG file for information on how to join the Internet Relay Chat discussion in the forum #AynRand which is moderated by Mark J. Gardner. VIII. What about audio and video recordings of Ayn Rand and others? ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ayn Rand appeared on several TV shows including the Tonight Show, Donahue, and others. She spoke before West Point, before businessmen and the aforementioned Ford Hall Forum. The majority of her extant recordings as well as those by other prominent Objectivists are available at Second Renaissance Books. IX. What about campus clubs? Where can I find out how to start my own? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ An extensive list of campus clubs can be found in Jay Allen's Objectivist Resource Guide. The Ayn Rand Institute now supports more than 100 campus clubs throughout the world. It sponsors a broad range of activities including essay contests for high school students based on *The Fountainhead* and the Objectivist Graduate Center, an institute for the advanced study of Objectivism. To quote from the ARI Campus Club Manual, "Campus clubs operate independently of ARI. We do not officially endorse or sanction any clubs. We provide assistance to those in harmony with the principles described in our Intellectual Charter. Our role is solely that of helper as we work together to achieve our common goal: the advancement of Objectivism" (p. ii) Please contact the ARI at the following address: The Ayn Rand Institute 4640 Admiralty Way, Suite 715 Marina del Rey, CA 90292 The web page for the University of Texas Objectivist Study Group may be found at present at "http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~cwalker/osg". X. Bibliography of Published Articles in Academic Journals ------------------------------------------------------------- This bibliography is of works by individuals of whom I am certain are in agreement with the fundamental principles of Ayn Rand's philosophy. This bibliography contains works in academic journals, magazines or collections of articles. Other Objectivist works are referred to in the "Reading List on Objectivism." This includes a bibliography posted last year on alt.philosophy.objectivism. An excellent source for other Objectivist works is to consult the book catalog from Second Renaissance Books. ARTICLES IN ACADEMIC JOURNALS This is a sampling of articles by Objectivists in academic journals. Author: Harry Binswanger Title: Volition as Cognitive Self-Regulation Journal: Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 1991, 50, 154-178 Author: Harry Binswanger Title: Life-based Teleology and the Foundations of Ethics Journal: *The Monist*, Jan 1992, v75, n1, p84. Author: Allan Gotthelf Title: Aristotle's Conception of Final Causality Journal: *Review of Metaphysics*, 1977, 30, 226-254 Author: Allan Gotthelf Title: 'The Place of the Good in Aristotle's Natural Teleology' Journal: 'The Proceedings of the Boston Colloquium on Ancient Philosophy', Vol. 4, p. 113-139, 1988. Author: Allan Gotthelf Title: Science and Philosophy in Classical Greece. (book review) Journal: *Review of Metaphysics* : June 1993, v46, n4, p834 Author: Allan Gotthelf Title: Theophrastus of Eresus: Sources for His Life, Writings, Thought and Influence. (book review) Journal: *Review of Metaphysics*, Sept 1994, v48, n1, p133 Author: Leonard Peikoff Title: 'Platonism's Inference from Logic to God' Journal: 'International Studies in Philosophy', Vol. 16, p. 25-34, 1984. Author: Edwin Locke Title: 'The Contradiction of Epiphenomenalism' Journal: 'British Journal of Psychology', Vol. 57, p. 203-204, 1966. Author: Edwin Locke Title: 'The Virtue of Selfishness' Journal: American Psychologist, Vol. 43 (6), p. 481, 1988. Author: Edwin A. Locke Title: The effects of goal setting, self-efficacy, competition, and personal traits on the performance of an endurance task. Journal: Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology : June 1995, v17, n2, p138 / 15 page(s) Author: Robert Mayhew Title: 'Aristotle on Property' Journal: 'Review of Metaphysics', Vol. 46, p. 803-831, 1993. Author: Leonard Peikoff Title: 'Aristotle's Intuitive Induction' Journal: 'The New Scholasticism', Vol. 59, p. 30-53, 1985. Author: George Reisman Title: Getting Parallels Straight Journal: Reason, June 1983 Author: John Ridpath Title: 'Ayn Rand's Novels: Art or Tracts' Journal: The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Vol. 35, p. 211-217, 1976. Author: Tara Smith Title: 'Why a Teleological Defense of Rights Needn't Yield Welfare Rights' Journal: 'The Journal of Social Philosophy', Vol. 23 (3), p. 35-50, 1992. Author: Tara Smith Title: 'Rights, Friends, and Egoism' Journal: in 'The Journal of Philosophy', Vol. 90 (3), p. 144-148, 1993. Author: Tara Smith Title: 'On Deriving Rights to Goods from Rights to Freedom' Journal: 'Law and Philosophy', Vol. 11 (3), p. 217-234, 1992. Author: Tara Smith Title: 'Why Do I Love Thee? - A Response to Nozick's Account of Romantic Love' Journal: 'Southwest Philosophy Review', p. 47-57, 1991. Author: Tara Smith Title: 'Moral Realism: Blackburn's Response to the Frege Objection', in Journal: 'The Southern Journal of Philosophy', Vol. 25, p. 221-228, 1987. ARTICLES IN MAGAZINES Author: Michael S. Berliner Title: Capitalism and Selfishness Journal: Commentary, March 1987 Author: Jerry Kirkpatrick Title: 'Ayn Rand's Objectivist Ethics as the Foundation of Business Ethics', p. 67-88 Journal:'Business Ethics and Common Sense', ed. Robert W. McGee, Quorum Books, 1992. Author: Edwin Locke Title: Microsoft vs. the Valley.(Microsoft's commitment to open-platform model,Letter to the Editor. Journal: Fortune, April 17 1995, v131, n7, p13 Author: Arthur Mode, Mike Berliner Title: Ayn Rand (Replies to Herbert) Journal: Book World Author: Cynthia Peikoff Title: Capitalism and Selfishness Journal: Commentary, March 1987 Author: Leonard Peikoff Title: Atlas Shrieked Journal: Esquire, October, 1962 Ayn Rand: 'A Screen Guide For Americans', Plain Talk, Nov. 1947. Ayn Rand: 'JFK- High Class Beatnik?', Human Events, Sept. 1960. Ayn Rand: 'The New Left Represents an Intellectual Vacuum', New York Times Magazine, 17th of May 1970. ARTICLES (OR CHAPTERS) IN BOOKS Author: George Reisman Title: Classical Economics Versus The Exploitation Theory Book: Essays in Honor of F. A. Hayek, 1984 Author: George Reisman Title: Freedom of Opportunity, Not Equality of Opportunity Book: Essays in Honor of Hans Sennholz, 1992 Author: George Reisman Title: The Toxicity of Environmentalism Book: Rational Readings on Environmental Concerns, Edited by Jay Lehr Author: Richard Sanford Title: Part of a collection Book: Rational Readings on Environmental Concerns, Edited by Jay Lehr XI. Reading List on Objectivism --------------------------------- This is my reading list for learning Objectivism. All works listed are by Ayn Rand unless specified otherwise. In addition, I list some other works recommended in the past by Objectivists to broaden your study. Credit goes to Austin Moseley for his suggestions and thanks to everyone else for their corrections and assistance. For those who have little or no familiarity with philosophy, the best introduction to Objectivism is through Ayn Rand's fiction. Ayn Rand was primarily a novelist. In order to write the novels about the kinds of men can and should exist in the world, she developed Objectivism to support it. This philosophy of hero worship captures the spirit of youth and its concomitant love of life. A note on selection. I have freely borrowed from the reading list in the Second Renaissance Books catalog and from other sources. My general criterion is to point people to works whose writers provide models of rational discourse and will enable readers to find the same spirit in whatever works they encounter on their own. Ayn Rand's Novels ----------------- "We The Living" -- Ayn Rand considered this novel to be the ideal Romantic novel. This novel is about the destruction of the human spirit under dictatorships. The specifics are the Soviet dictatorship, but it addresses all such societies. It was made into a movie in Fascist Italy without permission and when the authorities finally realized its anti-authoritarian message, the movie was banned. "The Fountainhead" -- The leitmotif of this novel is independence, of the worship of man as heroic creator of values through means of the use of his own mind. Howard Roark is the hero who remains true to himself in the entire novel, never allowing his work to be compromised no matter the temptation. He wins. "Atlas Shrugged" --This is Ayn Rand's 'magnum opus', a great novel beyond ordinary greatness. It is a novel of the role of man's mind in civilization, of its enslavement to the looters who refuse to use their own mind to produce the values they need to live. The plot is in answer to the question, "What if the men of the mind were to go on strike?" Read it and find out. "Anthem" -- This is a novel of the rediscovery of the most important word in all of human life, without which, true human existence is impossible. Introductory Philosophical Works by Ayn Rand -------------------------------------------- These works present basic aspects of Objectivism and discuss the value of philosophy. They also address the most important issues of philosophy for everyday life. "Philosophy: Who Needs It?", edited by Leonard Peikoff "For the New Intellectual" Basic Philosophical Essays by Ayn Rand -------------------------------------- "The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism" "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal" "The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution" "The Romantic Manifesto" Introductory and Intermediate Objectivist Works ----------------------------------------------- These works are intended for those who already know the basic principles of Ayn Rand's ideas and are ready to flesh out their knowledge. "The Ayn Rand Lexicon" by Harry Binswanger "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology" by Ayn Rand "Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand" by Leonard Peikoff "The Ominous Parallels" by Leonard Peikoff "The Voice of Reason: Essays in Objectivist Thought" by Leonard Peikoff Posthumous Publications ----------------------- "The Letters of Ayn Rand" edited by Michael Berliner "The Ayn Rand Column" edited by Leonard Peikoff "The Early Ayn Rand" edited by Leonard Peikoff Study Aids ---------- "A Study Guide to Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand" by Gary Hull (Highly Recommended) "How to Study Ayn Rand" by Dr. Harry Binswanger, Audiotape Recommended Courses/Lectures by Leonard Peikoff ----------------------------------------------- These courses and taped lectures are currently for sale from Second Renaissance Books. Having heard the majority of these courses, I believe that they are of superior quality. Objectivism courses: "The Philosophy of Objectivism" -- 12 lecture introductory course presented in 1976 with Ayn Rand in the Q&A "Understanding Objectivism" -- 12 Lecture course. This is his best course to my knowledge. "Objectivism: The State of the Art" -- 6 lecture course "Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand" -- 15 lecture advanced course 1-6 (1990), 7-15 (1991) "Certainty and Happiness"--achieving success in thought and action "Seminar on OPAR: Ayn Rand's Philosophy of Objectivism" Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic: (This is the trivium of classical heritage) "The Philosophy of Education" -- 5 lecture course "Introduction to Logic" -- 10 lecture course "Principles of Grammar" -- 8 lecture course "Objective Communication" -- 10 lecture course (Principles of Communication, Writing, Speaking, Arguing) Ayn Rand in Q&A on lecture 1 "The Art of Thinking" -- Polemical Presentations: "The American School: Why Johnny Can't Think" "Medicine: The Death of a Profession" "Assault from the Ivory Tower" "Religion vs. America" "The Ominous Parallels" "Some Notes about Tomorrow" "Philosophy and the Real World Out There" "What to do about Crime", 1995 "Modernism and Madness", 1994 Misc: "My Thirty Years with Ayn Rand: An Intellectual Memoir" Important Polemnical Essays --------------------------- "Libertarianism: The Perversion of Liberty" by Peter Schwartz "The Toxicity of Environmentalism" by George Reisman "Education and the Racist Road to Barbarism" by George Reisman OTHER WORKS TO EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS ----------------------------------- These works have been recommended in the past by Objectivists or I have found them valuable in my own personal studies. Philosophy ---------- "The Basic Works of Aristotle" by Richard McKeon "Aristotle" by John Hermann Randall, Jr. "A History of Western Philosophy" by W.T. Jones (in 5 volumes) "Philosophical Issues in Aristotle's Biology" edited by Allan Gotthelf and James G. Lennox. "Religion vs Man" by John Ridpath (2 lecture course) "A History of Philosophy", Wilhelm Windelband, 2 vols., New York: Harper Torchbooks. (This book is out of print but it sometimes reappears in used book stores) Economics --------- "The Government Against the Economy" by George Reisman "Economics in One Lesson" by Henry Hazlitt "Socialism" by Ludwig von Mises "Human Action" by Ludwig von Mises "Introduction to Pro-Capitalist 'Macroeconomics'" -- 6 lecture course "Economic Sophisms" by Frederic Bastiat "Economic Harmonies" by Frederic Bastiat "Planning for Freedom" by Ludwig von Mises History ------- "Modern Times" by Paul Johnson "History of Christianity" by Paul Johnson "Birth of the Modern" by Paul Johnson "The Discoverers" by Daniel Boorstin "The Creators" by Daniel Boorstin "The Story of Civilization" by Will and Ariel Durant "How the West Grew Rich" by Nathan Rosenberg and L.E. Birdzell "John Locke's Political Philosophy" by Harry Binswanger -- 3 lecture course Science ------- "The Beginnings of Western Science" David C. Lindberg "Flim-Flam" by James Randi Environmentalism ---------------- "Rational Readings on Environmental Concerns" edited by Jay H. Lehr "Trashing the Planet" by Dixie Lee Ray "Environmental Overkill" by Dixie Lee Ray "Toxic Terror" by Elizabeth Whelan "Panic in The Pantry" by Elizabeth Whelan and Fredrick J. Stare Politics -------- "The Law" by Frederic Bastiat "Second Treatise on Civil Government" by John Locke XII. Major Objectivist Events ------------------------------ Lyceum International is planning a series of international conferences. Contact them at the number above for specific listings. The Hill Country Objectivist Society is having a conference the weekend of October 20-22, 1995. If you are interested, consult their web page at "http://www.eden.com/~toc". XIII. Local Events and Groups ------------------------------ The most complete list of local groups may be found on Jay Allen's "ORG" file. -The Austin Objectivist Society (TAOS) sponsors a range of activities in the Austin, Texas area. For a nominal fee, a newsletter called "GoodPremises" containing not only calendar information but articles by prominent Objectivists is available. For membership information, please write to: The Austin Objectivist Society 12300 Painted Bunting Austin, TX 78726 XIV. Suggestions and Corrections --------------------------------- Please direct your suggestions, complaints, praise, and updates for this FAQ to Chris Walker, cwalker@ece.utexas.edu