Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand
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- Full Title: Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand
- Author(s): Leonard Peikoff
- Year Published: 1991
- Publisher: Dutton (hardcover); Meridian (paperback)
- Publication Type: Commercial
- ISBN-10: 0-525-93380-8 (hardcover), 0-452-01101-9 (paperback)
- ISBN-13:
- Description: In the preface, Peikoff describes his own book as "the definitive statement of Ayn Rand's philosophy -- as interpreted by her best student and chosen heir." The book is based on Peikoff's 1976 lecture series on "The Philosophy of Objectivism," which Rand assisted with and endorsed, although Peikoff states that he has rewritten the material with some new formulations and arguments.
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- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Chapter 1: Reality
- Existence, Consciousness, and Identity as the Basic Axioms
- Causality as a Corollary of Identity
- Existence as Possessing Primacy over Consciousness
- The Metaphysically Given as Absolute
- Idealism and Materialism as the Rejection of Basic Axioms
- Chapter 2: Sense Perception and Volition
- The Senses as Necessarily Valid
- Sensory Qualities as Real
- Consciousness as Possessing Identity
- The Perceptual Level as the Given
- The Primary Choice as the Choice to Focus or Not
- Human Actions, Mental and Physical, as Both Caused and Free
- Volition as Axiomatic
- Chapter 3: Concept-Formation
- Differentiation and Integration as the Means to a Unit-Perspective
- Concept-Formation as a Mathematical Process
- Concepts of Consciousness as Involving Measurement-Omission
- Definition as the Final Step in Concept-Formation
- Concepts as Devices to Achieve Unit-Economy
- Chapter 4: Objectivity
- Concepts as Objective
- Objectivity as Volitional Adherence to Reality by the Method of Logic
- Knowledge as Contextual
- Knowledge as Hierarchical
- Intrinsicism and Subjectivism as the Two Forms of Rejecting Objectivity
- Chapter 5: Reason
- Emotions as the Product of Ideas
- Reason as Man's Only Means of Knowledge
- The Arbitrary as Neither True nor False
- Certainty as Contextual
- Mysticism and Skepticism as Denials of Reason
- Chapter 6: Man
- Living Organisms as Goal-Directed and Conditional
- Reason as Man's Basic Means of Survival
- Reason as an Attribute of the Individual
- Chapter 7: The Good
- "Life" as the Essential Root of "Value"
- Man's Life as the Standard of Moral Value
- Rationality as the Primary Virtue
- The Individual as the Proper Beneficiary of His Own Moral Action
- Values as Objective
- Chapter 8: Virtue
- Idependence as a Primary Orientation to Reality, not to Other Men
- Integrity as Loyalty to Rational Principles
- Honesty as the Rejection of Unreality
- Justice as Rationality in the Evaluation of Men
- Productiveness as the Adjustment of Nature to Man
- Pride as Moral Ambitiousness
- The Initiation of Physical Force as Evil
- Chapter 9: Happiness
- Virtue as Practical
- Happiness as the Normal Condition of Man
- Sex as Metaphysical
- Chapter 10: Government
- Individual Rights as Absolutes
- Government as an Agency to Protect Rights
- Statism as the Politics of Unreason
- Chapter 11: Capitalism
- Capitalism as the Only Moral Social System
- Capitalism as the System of Objectivity
- Opposition to Capitalism as Dependent on Bad Epistemology
- Chapter 12: Art
- Art as a Concretization of Metaphysics
- Romantic Literature as Illustrating the Role of Philosophy in Art
- Esthetic Value as Objective
- Epilogue: The Duel Between Plato and Aristotle
- References
- Index
The following perspectives on this book are available online:
- Review by Harry Binswanger for The Intellectual Activist
- Review by Roy A. Childs, Jr. for Laissez Faire Books
- Review by Nicholas Dykes for Free Life
- Review by David Kelley for the IOS Journal
- Review by Daniel Ust (originally for The Connection)
- Commentary on individual chapters by participants in the MDOP mailing list: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are covered.
Additional keywords: Ann Rand, Anne Rand, Ayn Rad, Ayn Ran, Any Rand, Leonard Peikof, Leonard Piekoff, Lenard Peikoff
About the Objectivism Reference Center
The philosophy of Ayn Rand, a twentieth-century novelist and philosopher, is known as Objectivism. The Objectivism Reference Center provides resources about Rand, her ideas, her works, and places where those are discussed and debated. Visit the Site Information page for details on site policies. Suggestions for additional materials or additional links are welcomed.
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