Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand in Atheists and Skeptics

Feb 03, 2008 Ben rated it it was amazing

Shelves: atheism, philosophy

This is by far the most systematic explanation of Objectivism anyone is ever likely to get. While there is nothing here that can't be found in Ayn Rand's numerous essays and fictional novels this book collects all of the thoughts and puts them in order so that they are easier to understand for those who are new to Objectivism.

For those who don't know what Objectivism is I will try to provide a brief explanation here. Objectivism is the philosophy of writer and philosopher Ayn Rand. Rand created This is by far the most systematic explanation of Objectivism anyone is ever likely to get. While there is nothing here that can't be found in Ayn Rand's numerous essays and fictional novels this book collects all of the thoughts and puts them in order so that they are easier to understand for those who are new to Objectivism.

For those who don't know what Objectivism is I will try to provide a brief explanation here. Objectivism is the philosophy of writer and philosopher Ayn Rand. Rand created it while writing "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged", which are fictional novels driven by heroes who follow a different set of ideals than those espoused by the current society (both then and now). The philosophy has five bases. First, that existence exists independently of our minds. Secondly, that our senses and our minds are not faulty but completely healthy and competent tools for perceiving existence. This does not mean that the tools are PERFECT; if they were we would not need to invent tools to enhance our perceptions (such as microscopes, telescopes, x-rays, etc.). Instead it simply means that unless there is a physical defect with our senses they do in fact feed us accurate data about the world. Thirdly, all living organisms, including humans, act for their own survival. Thus the standard for all of our actions should be our own survival, as opposed to our own (self)destruction. Fourthly, all human beings are independent individuals by nature and should be treated as such. The violation of other human beings' independence through the use of force is anti-life and therefore immoral. Last, but not least, the human mind needs models to look up to, an embodied set of ideals that we can contemplate to inspire ourselves to heroic heights in our daily lives. Such is the proper function of art. This is all explained in detail, step by step, starting with the most basic observations and building to the final conclusions (which I don't have nearly enough space to do here). So if these ideas are in any way intriguing, whether because you agree or disagree, I would recommend you read this book.

Some people, having heard all sorts of slanders and slurs of Ayn Rand and her work without ever having taken the opportunity to read it may be leary of picking this book up. Just keep in mind that people who try to prevent you from seeing something generally have a vested interest in doing so. Are such people afraid that their own ideas are easily proven wrong and therefore the only way to convince people to follow them is to keep them away from all other ideas? I would strongly encourage people to read the book for themselves and make up their own minds, rather than relying on the judgments of others.

I would especially recommend this book to those who are already committed atheists. Because Rand's philosophy is based on an objective universe, it rejects outright any claim to the supernatural. Furthermore, her philosophy, and Peikoff's formulation in particular, offers unique philosophical arguments against religion which can't be found anywhere else. For instance, it explains why atheists Stalin and Mao were every bit as oppressive and evil as their religious counterparts(a common argument from Christians which I have found few, if any, atheists able to accurately argue against).

For those who may not be interested in plain philosophy and technical arguments I would recommend "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged" which contain the same ideas expressed through characters and their actions (the most ideal means of expressing them in Rand's view).

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May 29, 2012 Mark Gowan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Objectivism is the full explanation of Rand's often misquoted and even more often misunderstood philosophy. Objectivism is not a novel, but a full and well organized approach to living life starting with her metaphysical definition and methodically leading to her aesthetic concepts through epistemology and ethics. For those who are not readers of philosophy this book may be difficult, but if you are interested in understanding or refuting Rand's viewpoints, reading this book is a must.

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