William Thomas

Is America Socialist?

Social Security is a socialist program. But being forced to use a socialist program doesn’t make one a socialist. A socialist, after all...

Mar 17, 2016

Ayn Rand is Bad Taste

That’s the one thing the New York literary world can agree on, it seems.In the New York Times Book Review on Sunday, November 2, two...

Nov 2, 2014

Virtue and Selfishness

Atlas Summit 2014 -- The Objectivist ethics is based in a recognition that, for each organism, its life is its ultimate value. This is the

Jul 18, 2014

Values in Atlas Shrugged (Part 1: Career)

Atlas Summit 2012 -- The heroes of Atlas Shrugged are rational, productive businesspeople. In Ayn Rand's thought, a career represents the

Jan 14, 2013

The Gumshoe of Quandaries

Summer 2011 -- A mysterious woman walks in on a man sitting behind a desk in a solitary private office. Is this the kick-off of a new detective story? Not really. Instead, it is a light journey into the meaning of life. Competent novels that represent the value system of Objectivism are pretty rare on the vine. The Philosophical Practioner is one, and it is one that is both a pleasure to read and thought-provoking, too.

Jul 28, 2011

Myth: Ayn Rand was Simply Pro-Wealthy and Pro-Business

Ayn Rand supported a laissez-faire capitalist economic system and defended the morality of making a profit through private business.

May 4, 2011

Myth: Ayn Rand was for Dog-Eat-Dog Selfishness

Many people still think Ayn Rand advocated a take-what-you-want-and-damn-everyone-else kind of selfishness.

May 2, 2011

Myth: Ayn Rand Wasn't a Serious Philosopher

On August 2nd, 2009, The New York Times profiled BB&T’s John Allison , who put Ayn Rand’s principles to work at that bank when he was CEO...

May 2, 2011

Reason vs. Anti-Reason

This audio program addresses Rand's conception of happiness as an end in itself, including differences in her formulations of that end...

Apr 13, 2011

The Unity of Mind and Body

Ayn Rand rejected the dichotomy between mind and body and correlate dichotomies such as theory vs. practice, the moral vs. the practical, reason vs. emotion, and love versus lust.

Apr 13, 2011

What is the Objectivist View of Reality (Metaphysics)?

Objectivism holds that there is one reality, the one in which we live. It is self-evident that reality exists and is what it is; our job is

Apr 5, 2011

Freedom of Speech

Objectivists absolutely hold that we have a right to freedom of speech. It is an aspect of our broader right to liberty: the right to take..

Jan 25, 2011

Progressivism and Objectivism

If only Progressivism could be a genus of Objectivism! But, alas, no.The Progressive movement was originally an intellectual and political

Sep 29, 2010

Property Rights and Native Americans

Every initial property rights claim involves seizure of property, in a sense. As no property rights exist before property rights are founded

Sep 29, 2010

Objectivism and Individualism

"Individualism" is a term for classifying theories, such as ethical or social theories. Any theory that places the individual foremost or

Natural Rights

Rights are fundamental political principles. As such, they are based in morality. They summarize how human beings ought to be treated in a

Nature and Wilderness

What Objectivism opposes is the idea that nature has inherent value, apart from any human needs, values, or purposes. In general, Objectivis

Philosophy Scholarship and Rand

Ayn Rand is not a revered figure in academic philosophy at this time. But there is a growing body of scholarship on her ideas by academic

Parapsychology

Objectivism does not recognize "parapsychological phenomena." As far as I know, there is no reliable evidence for any of them. Some forms...

Prisoner's Dilemma

First, let me remark that you are right that Objectivism doesn't share Singer's idea of interest. We can see this by looking at the real...

Polygamy

Objectivism does not have a fixed position on consensual polygamy. Note that I mean this answer to apply to polyandry (a committed relations

Needy Children

"The needy" come in two classes: those who are unable to care for themselves, and those who are able. Objectivism holds that it is not...

Organized Government

Please see our Q&A " What is the Objectivist View of Law and Government ?" which describes the general Objectivist approach to politics. Thi

Parental Obligations

Objectivists hold that parents are obliged to care for and raise their children. While Objectivism does not accept any unchosen obligations

Problems with Subjective Arguments for Statism

Subjective criteria like "I like it" of course can't be proven as you say. And that is, in fact, why they are wrong. I can't add any more..

Pre-Emptive Strikes and Iraq

Pre-emptive use of force may be proper when one is faced with a clear and present danger. This might be a credible threat from someone, or

Poverty and Disabilities

The Objectivist answer to poverty and other social problems is: 1) create a society in which people have clear reasons to be responsible...

Pornography

There is not to my knowledge a well-established position on pornography in Objectivism . However, here is my attempt to give an Objectivist

Enron's Lessons for Capitalism

March 2002 -- The sudden bankruptcy of Enron Corporation is a scandal that has rocked support for the free market. Living in a division-of..

Sep 9, 2010

Book Review: "Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged"

BOOK REVIEW: Edward W. Younkins, Editor, Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged: A Philosophical and Literary Companion (Ashgate Publishing, Aldershot

Sep 8, 2010

The Morality of Money

In reacting to the Enron scandal, many cultural commentators have been quick to recur to a favorite theme: the corrupting power of commerce

Sep 1, 2010

War: An Objectivist View

Consider two horrific acts. Number one: a depressed father enters his living room, shoots his wife and children, and then himself. Number

Jul 1, 2010

Does Being Your Brother's Keeper Cause You Strife?

Objectivism reads "I am my brother's keeper" as a short-hand for an ideal of self-sacrifice and service to the group. In other words, it...

Libertarianism and Objectivism: Compatible?

Libertarianism is the political position that all human relationships should be voluntary, i.e. not subject to the initiation of force by...

Transhumanism: How Does it Relate to Objectivism?

Transhumanism (e.g. H+ ) or Extropianism is an ideological coalition centered on the idea that, in the near future, substantial....

How Can One Create a Harmony of Interests Among People?

The Objectivist ethics holds the human good does not require human sacrifices and cannot be achieved by the sacrifices of anyone to anyone.

Choose or Lose: How Regulation Destroys Value

When economic crises hit, politicians of both parties are demanding more regulation of the economy. Failures in banking and finance...

Jun 26, 2010

The Individualist's Guide to Progressive Change

If socialism were a respectable affiliation, Progressives would probably call themselves “democratic socialists.”But socialism died as a....

Jun 26, 2010

Why Should One Act on Principle?

A person of "principle" is commonly thought to be one who cleaves to his moral ideals and shuns "expediency" and compromise. Objectivism....

Jun 18, 2010

What is the Objectivist Theory of Knowledge (Epistemology)?

Reason is the faculty which… identifies and integrates the material provided by man's senses. Reason integrates man's perceptions by means

Jun 15, 2010

What is the Objectivist Position in Morality (Ethics)?

My morality, the morality of reason, is contained in a single axiom: existence exists—and in a single choice: to live. The rest proceeds ...

Jun 15, 2010

Nationalism: Will It Help a Country Thrive?

Nationalism is the doctrine that a unitary cultural and political entity, the nation, should be the organizing principle of society....

Jun 11, 2010

TAS vs. ARI: A Question of Objectivity and Independence

The Atlas Society (formerly known as The Objectivist Center) works with students to spread the revolutionary ideas of......

Jun 10, 2010

Illegal Means Illegal in Arizona Now

Arizona has enacted a law that makes illegal immigration to the U.S. a state crime. As the top state for border-crossings from Mexico...

May 3, 2010

Mises and Rand

Ayn Rand and Mises knew each other, and they were on good personal terms, though never close friends. There is reason to think Rand read....

How is Marxism different than Objectivism?

Marxism and Objectivism are similar in very few respects: —They are systems of thought. But Marxism is primarily a political and economic

Drug Prohibition, Prostitution, and Pornography

Objectivism holds that the sole purpose of government is to secure our right to live free from force. This implies property rights and

Objectivism and the Military

Objectivism has no position on most of the questions you ask, and in many cases the same general answer applies: We'll see when we get there

Military Service and Liberty

In life, we take risks to achieve and maintain values. Objectivism holds that you should choose a course in life that will be conducive to

Rights and Self-Interest

Objectivism's social ethic (which underlies its theory of rights) is based on the recognition of a complex fact about rational beings: that

Apr 8, 2010

Reflections on the Journalists' War Chatter

April 5, 2003 -- I am trained as an economist, and so it especially irks me when ignorant journalists attempt to comment on the economy...

Apr 4, 2010

What Does Objectivism Consider to be Art (Aesthetics)?

Art is a selective re-creation of reality according to an artist's metaphysical value judgments. Man's profound need of art lies in the fact

Mar 25, 2010

Anti-Globalism and Nihilism

July 25, 2001 -- This week, people will travel inexpensively from all over the globe to Genoa, Italy—to protest the policies that made their

Mar 15, 2010

American World Conquest? It's More Likely Than You Think

October 21, 2003 -- Osama bin Laden's latest screed threatens further attacks "inside and outside the United States" and goes on to name

Mar 15, 2010

Why is Objectivism a System of Ideas?

I am not primarily an advocate of capitalism, but of egoism; and I am not primarily an advocate of egoism, but of reason. If one recognize

Mar 11, 2010

Why Does Anyone Need a Philosophy?

Mar 11, 2010

Scott Brown's Pro-Life Victory

Republican Scott Brown has been elected to fill the U.S. Senate seat for Massachusetts that arch-Liberal Ted Kennedy had filled...

Feb 27, 2010

Poverty, Capitalism, and Class

When Objectivists speak of capitalism, we mean laissez-faire capitalism, a political system based on the individual rights to life...

Jun 19, 2009

Individual Rights: The Objectivist View

The Declaration of Independence states that the purpose of government is to secure the rights of man. Most Americans know and assent to the

May 5, 2009

Ayn Rand's Philosophical Stunt Novel

Ayn Rand called Atlas Shrugged a “stunt novel.” She meant that it is a rollicking entertainment: a mystery novel with dramatic twists and

Oct 7, 2007

Freedom, Achievement, Individualism, Reason: Objectivism

Objectivism is the philosophy of rational individualism founded by Ayn Rand (1905-82). In novels such as The Fountainhead and Atlas

Dec 1, 2004

American Heroism

The terrorist attacks of September 11 showed us good and evil, heroism and villainy. There were people who stared death in the face and, set

Nov 1, 2001