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Objectivism: The
Philosophy of Ayn Rand
The Ominous Parallels
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Objectivism: The Philosophy
of Ayn Rand
These seminars intensively examine the material in Dr. Peikoff's book of the
same title. He explains the reason for the precise wording of key formulations,
defines striking integrations among the philosophy's complex elements and, above
all, presents a detailed analysis of Objectivism's logical structure.
PART I
1-2. Reality
The basic axioms of Objectivism and their validation. Integration of mind and
body.
3. Sense Perception
The function and validity of the senses. Consciousness as possessing identity.
The integration of sensations into percepts.
4. Volition
The primary choice as the choice to focus. "Focus," "drift,"
"evasion." Human actions as both caused and free. Volition as
axiomatic.
5-6. Concept-Formation
"Unit" as the key to the conceptual level of consciousness.
Abstraction as measurement-omission; concept-formation as a mathematical
process. The "crow-epistemology."
PART II
7-8. Objectivity
Concepts and definitions as objective. The full definition of
"objectivity." The need of integrating concepts and of reducing them
to the perceptual level. Rand's Razor.
9. Reason
The definition of "reason." Reason and emotion. The arbitrary. The
fallacy of agnosticism. Certainty without omniscience.
10. Man
The essence of life; organisms as goal-directed and conditional. Reason as man's
basic means of survival.
11. The Good
"Life" as the root of "value." The standard and the purpose
of morality. Integration vs. evasion. Values as objective.
12. Virtue
The virtues as crucial expressions of rationality. What each is in regard to
thought and action. Initiation of force as evil.
13. Happiness
Happiness as the good man's experience of life. The unity of the moral and the
practical. Self-esteem. The benevolent universe. Sex.
14. Government
The validation of individual rights. Government's proper function. The
irrationality of statism (including anarchism).
15. Capitalism
Capitalism as the only moral social system. Capitalism as the politics of
objectivity. The role of epistemology in defending (or in attacking) capitalism.
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