Product Description
The definitive statement of Ayn Rand's philosophy, written by the preeminent Rand exponent and scholar. Illustrated with excerpts from her published works, complete with an abundance of new material that Rand communicated only in private conversation with Peikoff, this book illuminates Objectivism--and its creator--with brilliant clarity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (77)

#17 The best book ever penned on philosophy.
For a very in depth understanding of Philosophy, Ayn Rand made Leonard re write this book completely 4 times...so it is really her book. Before reading Objectivism the Philosophy of Ayn Rand (OPAR) you should read all of her non fiction...it is heavily referenced. OPAR is the only full description of her philosophy, objectivism and it is the best book ever penned on philosophy. Among fixing all the philosophical mistakes of the last 2000 plus years including the mistakes even Aristotle made, she even solved the problem of universals. Ayn Rand allows you to clearly follow and understand how you can know if an abstract idea, concept or philosophy is true or not by starting at the axiomatic level and working up!

Objectivist Philosophy and Ethics
"There is only one primary vice, which is the root of all other human evils:irrationality".That quote from this volume might sum up Ayn Rand's entire philosophy, Objectivism.Leonard Peikoff, another adherent of Objectivism, in this book argues the major tenets of that philosophy, including discussions of consciousness, reality, objectivity, reason, and art, and discusses the difference between emotion and emotionalism, as well as why it is important for people to have a philosophy at all.

There is an in-depth discussion of ethics, and Peikoff asserts the importance of virtue.Objectivism advocates following the evidence wherever it leads, regardless of consequences, and the book also examines the age-old discussions of whether the ends justify the means and whether "white" lies are moral.

Politically, the author asserts that subjectivism always leads to statism, to the point that he advances a sort of the slippery-slope argument.However, there have been some politicians such as Margaret Thatcher in Britain and Rudy Giuliani in New York City that have been able to reverse the slippery slope to a degree.

There has been a renewed interest in Ayn Rand on the part of conservatives in the last year.Conservatives will not be able to swallow Rand's philosophy whole, but the book is still a great study of some of the most important issues in philosophy.

Philosophy, clear and simple
Hey, I'm a Rand fan. But that isn't why I like this book. The reason I like this book is that it is the most accessible and comprehensive exploration of philosophy mine eyes have ever laid upon.

What I mean is that when you browse the philosophy section of any bookstore, you'll find hundreds of books written to other philosophers on obscure niche topics couched in a lot of jargon. Peikoff keeps out of this specificity to show you "the forest, not the trees" of philosophy, through the eyes of Ayn Rand.

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to get a grasp of what philosophy is all about, who also doesn't want to get bogged down in the minutae of arguments. I'd also recommend this for anyone who is interested in politics, either in thought or action.

The Best Tool
If you want to find a solid, accessible tool for understanding Objectivism, this is it.

The Philosophy of Objectivism
If you take this book for what it really is - a presentation on the basics of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism, then you will learn a lot in spite of Leonard Peikoff's annoying writing style.Unfortunately, Peikoff writes as if his thumbnail sketches of the various aspects of Objectivism are the last word on anything and you are a moron if you don't find his arguments persuasive. ... Read more

Product Description
For the millions of readers who love Ayn Rand's novels and who seek to understand her revolutionary philosophy of Objectivism, there has not been available a simple and concise introduction to her thought. Objectivism in One Lesson is that book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

This is must reading for intelligent people
Slogging through this book is like studying for an exam in college on a subject you hate because you have to have it to graduate.

This book is very poorly written; but I recommend every mature, intelligent individual who is interested in preserving our way of life to read it.The attitude present in this book is bubbling up through our population and the stench is frightening.

The book is written as if intended for middle school or junior high, and maybe it is.Cults such as objectivism usually try to capture people's interest at an early age.Bernstein spends a lot of time giving examples of how you should determine your own values, whether they be business, family, or art; and then he goes on to condemn one of the people I have admired most in my lifetime, Mother Theresa.He talks of Saddam Hussein, and those like him, who only take and produce nothing.In the next sentence he says, "But the Mother Theresas of the world equally produce nothing; at best, they seek to convince the productive to take care of the non-productive."

He also makes disparaging remarks about Jesus.I am not a church member.Sometimes I think there is a God and sometimes I think there is not, but never would I ridicule someone who had faith.What are we to become? -- A society who dumps those less fortunate in the sewer.This book seems to advocate that.I, personally, do not wish to live in that kind of a world.

An Excellent Introduction to Objectivism
This short book is written for those who have read and enjoyed Ayn Rand's novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, and who want to take the next step in learning about her philosophy.Bernstein gives many concrete and down-to-earth examples that make clear the connection between philosophy and everyday life, and show how Ayn Rand's ideas are incredibly valuable for those wanting to get the most our of their lives.In 12 short chapters, the book gives an overview of the main ideas of Objectivism, omitting only the Objectivist esthetics (theory of art) and the more technical issues.For these, readers should get Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, and of course the nonfiction writings of Rand herself.

Orthodox Objectivism in One Lesson
If you are interested in Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism and wish to study it from the Orthodox perspective, there are two introductions.The first is Leonard Peikoff's OBJECTIVISM: THE PHILOSOPHY OF AYN RAND and the second is Allan Gotthelf's ON AYN RAND.Peikoff's work is detailed and quite long.Gotthelf's work is shorter, but is technical and somewhat off-putting (and Peikoff didn't like it, for some reason).

Andrew Bernstein's new introduction fills a gap.Unlike Gotthelf, he is successful at showing why hundreds of thousands of people have been excited by Rand's ideas.Organizing his book around the claim that human rationality is the center of Objectivist thought, he purports to show that reason is man's exclusive means of knowledge and his only way to happiness.He illustrates his point using examples from life and also Rand's works of fiction.

Unfortunately, Bernstein skates over some of the more technical areas of Rand's philosophy.For example, there is no discussion of Rand's theory of concepts, which her followers consider her greatest achievement.Of course, like most Orthodox Objectivists, he constantly refers to Rand as "Ayn Rand."He also mistakenly calls Peikoff Rand's "intellectual heir."

I'd recommend that people interested in Objectivism also read Chris Sciabarra's AYN RAND: THE RUSSIAN RADICAL and Ron Merrill's THE IDEAS OF AYN RAND.

For those who wish to see how the various parts of Objectivism "fit together" on a more advanced level, I'd recommend the David Kelley and Will Thomas book THE LOGICAL STRUCTURE OF OBJECTIVISM, which is available on the web.(This book is still in "beta" version and it doesn't look like it will get done soon, which is too bad.)

A Common Sense Philosophy
I very much enjoyed reading this book which explains a common-sense philosophy based on the laws of nature.

Mr. Bernstein made this philosophy very understandable by his explanations of the Philosophy of Objectivism in simple, understandable terms.

I would recommend this book as required reading for anyone who would like to understand the morals one obtains from using one's own mind based on the laws of nature.

Hannelore ... Read more

Product Description
This brilliantly conceived and well-organized book is based on a lecture course given by Dr. Leonard Peikoff in 1976, prepared with the help of Ayn Rand and entitled "The Philosophy of Objectivism." Ayn Rand said of these lectures: "Until or unless I write a comprehensive treatise on my philosophy, Dr. Peikoff's course is the only authorized presentation of the entire theoretical structure of objectivism--that is, the only one that I know to be fully accurate."

As Rand's designated heir and foremost interpreter, Peikoff here reveals both the abstract fundamentals of objectivism and its practical applications, covering topics from certainty to money, from logic to art. With much new material that Rand offered only in private conversations with Peikoff, these clear, cogent chapters illuminate objectivism and its creator with startling clarity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Earlier Version Of Without A Prayer
Some years ago I reviewed John Robbins' book WITHOUT A PRAYER, a critique of Ayn Rand's philosophy.As I said, the book is hit or miss.The same could be said about the first version of WITHOUT A PRAYER, ANSWER TO AYN RAND.

There is no reason to purchase a used copy of this book unless you are, like me, an Ayn Rand "completist."

Criticism of Rand has gotten better over the years.Scott Ryans' book (OBJECTIVISM AND THE CORRUPTION OF RATIONALITY) and Greg Nyquist's book (AYN RAND CONTRA HUMAN NATURE) are both competent.

Robbins was a follower of the rationalist Calvinistic philosopher Gordon Clark, whose books are much superior to anything Robbins wrote. ... Read more

Product Description
Ayn Rand challenges the prevalent philosophical doctrines of our time and the "guilt", panic and despair they created. She was the proponent of a new moral philosophy - an ethic of rational self-interest - that stands in sharp opposition to the ethics of altruism and self-sacrifice. The fundamentals of this new morality are set forth in this book. The author also wrote "The Virtue of Selfishness", "Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal" and "Night of 16th January". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (55)

Amazon Buying
I frequently buy from Amazon. It is Always a good experience...less money, less time to wait for your product and exactly as described.

An excellent Ayn Rand overview!
It helps to have read The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, for anyone wanting to understand the immensely intelligent and sane world-view of Ayn Rand, but For the New Intellectual is a splendid overview of that philosophy and of the high points of those books.Not only does the volume provide important excerpts (e.g. the John Galt radio address from Atlas Shrugged, Ayn's philosophy in a nutshell and something unequalled in all of literature), but also has an introduction which alone would be worth many times the price of the book.I have given copies of this volume to friends and relatives as a good way to become acquainted with Ayn Rand.Her philosophical message is crucial today as never before.

Fantasyland for an isolated ego.
Yes, this is indeed Ayn Rand's worldview in a nutshell.Read this and you won't have to wade through any of her stupefyingly boring novels.Read this little book and you'll get to spend time in Rand's fantasyland of isolated egos, a world that resembles a godless mathematical machine made of flint in which humans only "deserve" to exist if they can meet the Darwinian demands of Supply and Demand.This book, like much of what Ayn Rand wrote during her benzedrine-driven career, provides the perfect excuses for every egomaniac banker on Wall Street who wants to grab all the loot they can get their hands on and pillage every retirement account that comes their way. For Rand and her followers, "deregulation of the market" has been a mantra they have all chanted these past ten years while they legally bled the country dry, fair and square.

An Important Book
Although the writer has been deceased for a period of time, her writings are more relevant today than when thet were initially written. Her philosophy is known as Objectivism and gained large popularity in the 1960's. The initial treatise gives some the basics of her philosophy and it is an extension of the philosophy of Aristotle and St. Thomas and brought into our life today. This is evident when one reads the selected exerpts from her novels. The exerpts fro Atlas Shrugged are particularly timely as the work deals a Government that has expanded greatly and is freely imposing its will upon the producers within society. The ramifications are important no matter what ones political perspective is. This is difficult reading, yet will make reader think and wonder how her ideas, so relevant in the 21st century, could have been spawned by writings that began in 1938.

A new philosophical highway vs. old philosophical cul-de-sacs
Ayn Rand presents her philosophy as an alternative to the two philosophical cul-de-sacs, which have dominated the field and every other branch of knowledge in modern times. This book opens with a fifty-page essay, which delineates the two most prevalent approaches in the history of western philosophical thought to the nature of man (ethics) and social organization (political philosophy).

These old approaches can ultimately be traced back to the dual leadership roles of the warrior chieftain and the witch doctor in pre-historic tribal times. Recently, they have taken on new clothing, but remain essentially the same.

In modern times, these approaches divide along the mind/body dichotomy initiated by Descartes. As in tribal eras, however, both approaches are still steeped in collectivism. Indeed, they are two sides of the same counterfeit coin.

Ayn Rand shows how these two approaches with their corresponding epistemologies are rooted in a philosophical archetype, which predates the forking point in Descartes. Indeed, even the severing of the forms from the sensible world in Plato is in full concert with this bifurcation.

Ayn Rand aptly names these archetypes the Witch Doctor and Attila, thus illuminating their essential qualities. The Witch Doctor communes with alleged forces beyond this world. Attila relies on brute force to control men and society. Both are united against their common nemesis--the producer.

The producer recognizes the inviolability of nature and reality and seeks to understand both through reason. It is on the producers that the Attilas and the Witch Doctors depend and against whom both unite in envy and hatred and their desire to rule.

The remainder of the book contains excerpted (philosophically relevant) passages from her novels. ... Read more

Product Description
Ayn Rand was one the most influential writers of the 20thcentury.According to the a poll conducted in 1991 under the auspicesof the Library of Congress, her Atlas Shrugged is second only to theBible in general influence in this country.It was she who more thanany other writer in history championed capitalism not just as the mostpractical economic system--but as the only one consistent with reasonand ethics. She called her philosophy, "Objectivism."

At the present time, the market place is more highly esteemed bymore Americans than is government; this may soon be the case with amajority of the literate in other countries as well.Increasinglygovernment is now viewed as a burden, rather than as a benefit.Yet,a political- economic system cannot continue to exist simply on thebasis of a current success. Moreover, the present order is a mixtureof capitalism and controls. Sooner or later, problems will develop, asthey did in the nineteen thirties--and then people will have toconsider what was at fault. Should there be a depression or some otherhuge social contagion, the lack of true answers may mean morewar--perhaps right here in the United States.

Mr. Erickson's book, The Stance Of Atlas, contains an examinationof Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. More than that, it providesanswers to some of the problems in philosophy which she had attemptedto solve, but unsuccessfully.

It contains 361 pages, including index--softbound. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Critical mistakes make for dull book
Although Erickson makes some good points along the way, the book on the whole is a disappointment.Erickson committed three cardinal mistakes in writing it.To begin with, he unwisely adopts a dialogue form ofpresentation.The trouble with this is that philosophical dialoguesconstitute the most difficult form of philosophical writing.In order tofor a dialogue to be effective, the characters participating in it must bepresented as real human beings, not just cardboard puppetsventriloquistically manipulated by the author.Erickson is clearly out ofhis depth in the whole business.His characters have no personality atall.They do not fight for their ideas, like real human beings would, butcalmly accept all the arguments presented by the character Philosophus, whorepresents Erickson himself. Erickson would have been better off writingthe work in the traditional style of the essay.Philosophical dialoguesshould only be written by those equipped with the necessary literary anddramatic genius to bring them off. A second mistake involves Erickson'sdecision to focus primarily on abstruse technical questions.Too much ofhis book is preoccupied with an analysis of vague philosophical terms. Terms like absolute, apprehension, contextual, free will, identity,necessity, reason, unit, and value are tossed around as if they meantsomething definite.Most of Erickson's critique reduces itself merely to apurely verbal analysis of the meanings of these vague terms, out of whichobscure technical problems are deduced and endlessly quibbled over. Erickson would have been better off focusing the lion's share of hisattention on the factual shortcomings of some of Rand's more controversialphilosophical contentions.It is on the empirical side that Objectivism ismost vulnerable.Toward the end of the book, we find one of Erickson'spuppet-characters declaring: "I think we now have a sufficientunderstanding of the strengths and weaknesses of ObjectivismŠ"Thisimplies that Erickson believes his discussion of Rand's philosophy iscomprehensive.Here he commits his third mistake: for his book is notcomprehensive.It ommits a discussion of two of Rand's most important andcharacteristic doctrines: her theory of human nature and her theory ofhistory.You would think a doctrine as critical to the Objectivist ideology as this one would warrent a word ortwo from Erickson's cast of puppets, but they are strangely silent on thewhole issue. What could possibly be the reason for this?I suspect themajor reason is that Erickson more or less sympathizes with Rand's view ofhistory and thus sees no reason to animadvert against it.He prefers toquibble over such inconsequential issues as time and space and the problemsraised by discussing perception in terms of vague philosophical concepts. It is primarily for the above stated reasons that I cannot give Erickson'sbook a rating higher than two stars.While he does, as I stated above,make a few good points along the way, the book on the whole isoverly-technical, prolix, destitute of empirical rigor and, worst of all,dull.

Excellent book.
This book is excellent for readers who agreed with many of Rand's views but were upset by her atheism.It removes a basic contradiction:If belief in God causes the "evil" in Atlas shrugged, why does the Catholic faith argue against the same evil.Simple, Rand was wrong.

The book attacks Objectivism, but does not argue against Rand's true genius -- her ability to get inside the head of New Age man and describe and explain this evil being.

The book does answer the question on universals.The observations on memory are brilliant.

Examples of the new philosophy of Factivism include:"Name a nonexistant fact"answer the Past.

The only reason for the four stars is that the book is hard to read.I have read it four times and have mastered only about 50%.Definitely geared to philosophy buffs.Another similar book is "Raselas"(spelling)

Fair but foolish, Erickson fails as debater and philosopher.
Erickson's critique of Objectivism is highlydefective.While he brings a sincerity to his discussion which other of Rand's commentators have not possessed, his arguments are generally poorand his reports of Rand's claims confused.Thebook is also badly planned and edited and suffersgrievously under the dead weight of its dialogueform.Erickson's misapprehensions reach their deepest when he discusses technical issues in theObjectivist epistemology.Rand and her followers introduce the notion 'perceptual form' to indicate the *means* by which something is *directly*observed by a knowing subject.Erickson fails to grasp the difference between Objectivism's uniquevariant of direct realism and the flawed butpopular theory of perception wherein the knowingsubject apprehends, not something external toherself, but internal *representations* of theexternal.Because of this confusion, Ericksontreats Objectivism as reifying form into the objectof perception itself, and in attacking this idea argues against a theory which Objectivismopposes.His error is based on a misunderstanding of what it is to perceive something in-a-form.He believes that Rand wishes to argue that weperceive things in a *different* form; different, presumably, from the one which they possess ontheir own.But since form is the means by which we perceive a thing, there is no form which athing is in other than the one in which it isperceived.Erickson performs a similar reification of thenotion 'unit', which is again simply the external object of awareness under a certain perspective.After about the middle of the book, Erickson'sprose becomes very garbled and the quality ofargument - already dubious - suffers.He movesinto various technical issues in the sciences and economics which are inappropriate to a book onphilosophy.He argues against the Einsteinianview of the relativistic nature of space and time on purely *a priori* grounds, hardly the way toapproach empirical questions.Even so, his arguments are not successful.The book's coveradvertises a solution to the problem ofuniversals, but I must confess I could not findit.He introduces God into his speculations withno more attempt at proof than the claim that"Atheism is getting to be out-of-date" (p. 219) The philosophy which he attempts to present underthe name "Factivity" lacks an analysis of, amongother things, facts.The book has two virtues.The first is itsgeneral fair-mindedness.Erickson is willing to adopt ideas from Rand and seems to have nopsychological axe to grind; he even intervenes on her behalf early in the book, making decentarguments for her position which she never herself made.The second is his comparison between Rand and the Marxist tradition, especially Lenin. While Erickson is not the first to make thiscomparison, he provides new and intriguingreferences and points of similarity. ... Read more

Product Description
The "Basic Principles of Objectivism" is Nathaniel Branden's original 20-lecture presentation of the basic principles of Objectivism -- the philosophy originated by novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand -- newly remastered onto 28 CDs. The complete set includes discussions on the role of philosophy, what is reason, the concept of God, self-esteem,the Objectivist ethics, reason and virtue, the economics of a free society, the benevolent sense of life, and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Systematic Objectivism
Nathaniel Branden's course was the first systematic presentation of Objectivism and is an excellent review of (or introduction to) Objectivism. Branden is clear and engaging, although a bit melodramatic at times. He talks in detail about some neglected but useful ideas, including associational thinking and social metaphysics. He also covers a fair amount of psychology, most of which can be found in his later works. ... Read more

Product Description
Recently, political theorists, philosophers, and theologians have given considerable attention to the role of narrative both in the formation and maintenance of political communities and in moral reasoning. Speech and Political Practice examines a central question for narrative-based theories of community and ethics: How can we tell a good story from a bad one? That is, how can narrative models of community escape moral relativism? It argues that a good, or morally acceptable, narrative provides the members of the community derived from it with a sense of place that can allow individuals to understand their own identity and its relation to others. Such a sense of place can establish limits on individual action and on what a community may demand of individuals, as well as on a community's action toward other communities.

Speech and Political Practice develops a dynamic and egalitarian conception of place based on the human capacity for speech. It argues that places of responsibility can be derived from the structures of various types of speech act, and that such places of responsibility can establish limits on individual and collective action without abandoning legitimate modern achievements such as democracy and science. Drawing upon recent philosophy of language and science and upon anthropological studies of oral, literate, and electronic-image cultures, Jardine concludes that practical development of speech-based places will require that we reorient ourselves from visual modes of experience toward oral/aural experience. He discusses what this would imply for a revival of public life. ... Read more

Product Description
n this book, Fred Seddon critically examines the views of Ayn Rand and some of her fellow Objectivists on several of the major figures in the history of philosophy, viz., Plato, Augustine, Hume, Kant and Nietzsche. There is also a chapter dealing with Rand's aesthetics, as well as three appendixes, two on Plato and one detailing the philosophy of Ayn Rand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Valuable critique
I have read all ofAyn Rand's fiction and some of the non-fiction many years ago. I would not describe myself as an Objectivist but her description of philosophies and philosophers with whom she disagreed, I tended to take at face value.Plato was an evil mystic, Hume an Attila of the spirit, Kant "the most evil man in mankind's history".Of course, it is a tendency of revolutionaries ( and Rand was certainly one) to demonize those with whom they disagree. Professor Seddon shows, on the whole successfully,that Ayn Rand misinterpreted or distorted the views ofmany of these philosophers and this practice continues to some extent with her intellectual heirs.
I think he makes his point most clearly in the chapters on Kant's ethics and Hume.The quotations from Hume's works and the author's cogentanalysis show that Hume is so much a defender ofcapitalism and reason in the affairs of society that he should be regarded as at least an ally of objectivists.Rand's criticism of Kant's ethics he shows to be so off base as to be embarrassing.
It was difficult for me to follow the arguments in the section on Plato maybe because, as Professor Seddonsays, the dialogues have to be read more as plays or myths than as arguments for a position in the modern sense.Appendices A and B also added little to my understanding of the section on Plato.
Appendix C on the other hand,is an excellent 8 page summary ofRand's philosophy.It might have made a good introduction to the book.
Professor Seddon writes with and engaging and fluid style but I found the habit of referring to the works of the philosophers by abbreviations hard to follow, particularly in the section on Nietzsche.
Anyone who is interested in the philosophy of Objectivism would profit from reading this book.

Disappointing
Say what you want about Ayn Rand, but she wasn't an expert in the history of philosophy. It's widely conceded - even by many Objectivists - that her views on other philosophers weren't always accurate, to say the least. Her simplistic and often fanciful creation of what the leading philosophers taught has been continued by some of her followers. Nonetheless, I'm not aware of a systematic analysis of Rand's thought in this area.

This book contains seven chapters and three appendices. The chapters are on Plato, Augustine, Hume, Kant (2), Nietzsche, and Rand's view of art. Sometimes the chapter focuses on how Rand interpreted a given thinker, other times it focuses on what an Official Objectivist (such as Ridpath or Gotthelf) stated.

I'm disappointed with this work. As Prof. Seddon says in the introduction, many of the chapters in the book were published as separate articles. There's nothing wrong with that, but the book doesn't provide an overview of Rand's view of the history of philosophy. There are also 2 appendices (totaling 35 pages) which merely catalog Aristotle's references to Plato and his dialogues. That's interesting, but there is no discussion about how these citations help the reader understand Rand better. And, speaking of Aristotle, one of the book's glaring omissions is that there is no chapter on Aristotle. Rand asserted that her only philosophical debt was to Aristotle, so a discussion of whether she understood Aristotle well would be an essential part of any discussion. The chapters of the various thinkers are interesting as far as they go (particularly the one on Augustine) but there is no attempt to present them as an integrated whole.

This work was just recently published, so Mr. Seddon had the benefit of two recent works on Rand: Chris Sciabarra's AYN RAND: THE RUSSIAN RADICAL and Scott Ryan's critique of Rand's epistemology. Both works (particularly the first) are quite relevant to any critique of Rand's view of the history of philosophy. Unfortunately, neither is mentioned.

Considering the price of this book, I'm also disappointed about how poorly set it is and the large number of typos and related problems. For example, there is a reference in a footnote to a work "Lennox (2001)." Yet the bibliography contains no reference to a work by Lennox. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Dated
In 1971, professor of philosophy William O'Neill published the first book-length critique of Ayn Rand's philosophy, known as Objectivism.(Albert Ellis's 1968, IS OBJECTIVISM A RELIGION?, was a discussion of Rand and psychology, from what I recall.)This book isn't bad, but it has been superseded as a critique of Objectivism by Robbins's work (ANSWER TO AYN RAND, which has been updated as WITHOUT A PRAYER) and Scott Ryan's recently released OBJECTIVISM AND THE CORRUPTION OF RATIONALITY.

O'Neill's discussion of Rand's thought is informative and more or less accurate.On the other hand, he doesn't make enough of an effort to integrate Rand's thought into a coherent whole (granted, this isn't easy to do).So I don't think that someone new to Ayn Rand would understand why Rand has influenced so many people.Yet O'Neill does do a good job at bringing to light of some of the contradictions in Rand's work.For example, Rand preached that compromise was evil; yet she supported candidates for president who were anything but Objectivists.However, some of the alleged contradictions Prof. O'Neill finds would disappear if he had used a bit more "charity" in interpreting Rand.

If you want to read a sympathetic integration of Rand's thought, I recommend Chris Sciabarra's AYN RAND: THE RUSSIAN RADICAL.

A balanced, well-researched, well-organized analysis
O'Neill delivered a concise academic and philosophical critique of Objectivism and Ayn Rand's work.

His work was informed by an exhaustive survey of objectivist literature. He left no stone unturned either in giving Rand the benefit of the doubt or in pinning down the definitions Rand herself or other Objectivists gave to the terms they used.

He makes no extreme claims about objectivism. The book is an analysis, not a polemic.

Albert Ellis' book, _Is Objectivism a Religion?_ is a good companion to this book. Both books have ramifications for libertarianism and even for the somewhat reified and theological capitalism that dominates America politically. This is because the same inconsistencies and factual errors that the objectivists are guilty of permeate libertarianism and the debunked but still influential economic theories like supply-side or Austrian economics that have political power long after working economists despaired of finding any practical use for them.

Sigh...
I am beginning to wonder of ANY of these people have read a single Objectivist book. I cannot vouch for Rand as the most sane person (I would think she was most likely a mild schizophreniac), but her philosophy is farfrom mad. Another thing, there is no such thing as selfishness harmingothers--harming people is not good for anyone, even you people know what,and is most certainly not selfish.

Well-meaning, but dull, critique of Rand's philosophistry
Professor O'Neill's book was the first philosophical critique of Rand's doctrines ever published (Ellis' "Is Objectivism a Religion" is not really a philosophical critique). As such, it can be regarded as a sort of pioneering effort. When it was originally published in 1970, the very idea of taking Rand seriously enough to criticize her was something of a novelty. In those days, almost all respectable people regarded Rand as a crazy person. Some even thought she was dangerous. Today, we know better. Rand was not a crazy person; she was simply ignorant and confused. Nor was she dangerous. The utopia her books offered will never appeal to a wide audience. Most human beings need either belief in God or belief in society to get by. By rejecting both these beliefs, Rand divided herself forever from the hearts and minds of the overwhelming majority of the human race.

O'Neill's critique suffers from the usual flaws of a pioneering effort. He is unable to grasp precisely what Rand is all about, and consequently ends up critiquing distortions of her philosophy rather than the actual doctrines Rand propagated. This defect is not helped by Mr. O'Neill's dryasdust style, which makes "Charity Toward None" a very difficult read. Dullness is the number one defect of academic philosophy. If philosophy is to make any difference in the world, it cannot be written as if it were meant to be a soporific.

During Rand's life, her admirers could boast that no one had yet been able to refute the philosophy of their idol. The publication of Professor O'Neill's book did little to change this state of affairs. While he makes a few good points along the way, O'Neill's inability to understand the terms Rand uses to express her ideas renders his critique largely verbal and semantic. Unable, for instance, to fathom what Rand means by the term "objective," our intrepid Professor ends up going off on all kinds of irrelevant tangents, demolishing in systematic effusion a number of arguments which Rand herself would never have been caught dead advocating. Those who wish to refute Rand should avoid trying to get at her through verbal analysis. No one cares whether Rand's use of philosophical terms corresponds to the way academic philosophers use those same terms. What is important is whether Rand's views correspond to empirical reality. It is on the empirical side that Rand is most vulnerable. If you want to demolish Rand's system, simply compare her philosophy to the facts. It will not compare favorably.

Minor corrections
William O'Neill's _With Charity Toward None_ was published in 1971; John Robbins's _Answer To Ayn Rand_ was published in 1974. This fine volume by O'Neill was indeed the first full-blown critique of Objectivism from an academic-philosophical point of view, but it wasn't alone for all _that_"many" years. Nor was it the first "critical and broadreview of Rand's work by someone who disagreed with her ideas to a greatextent." That honor goes to Albert Ellis's _Is Objectivism AReligion?_, published in 1968 -- admittedly not a _philosophical_ critique, but a critical review all the same. ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Objectivism, Libertarianism and Objectivism, Randian Hero, Romantic Realism, Objectivism and Homosexuality, Objectivist Theory of Value, Law of Identity, on Ayn Rand. Excerpt:In logic , the law of identity states that an object is the same as itself: A A . Any reflexive relation upholds the law of identity. When discussing equality, the fact that "A is A" is a tautology . History Parmenides the Eleatic (circa BCE. 490) formulated the principle Being is (eon emmenai) as the foundation of his philosophy. Aristotle, by contrast, took the Principle of contradiction as his first principle, and does not refer explicitly to the Law of Identity, although the law is often attributed to him (particularly by the proponents of Ayn Rand 's writings). His only apparent reference to the principle is in Book VII of the Metaphysics : Now "why a thing is itself" is a meaningless inquiry (for to give meaning to the question 'why' the fact or the existence of the thing must already be evident e.g., that the moon is eclipsed but the fact that a thing is itself is the single reason and the single cause to be given in answer to all such questions as why the man is man, or the musician musical, unless one were to answer, 'because each thing is inseparable from itself, and its being one just meant this.' This, however, is common to all things and is a short and easy way with the question.) Metaphysics, Book VII, Part 17 Both Thomas Aquinas ( Met. IV., lect. 6) and Duns Scotus ( Quaest. sup. Met. IV., Q. 3) follow Aristotle. Antonius Andreas , the Spanish disciple of Scotus (d. 1320) argues that the first place should belong to the principle 'Every Being is a Being' ( Omne Ens est Ens , Qq. in Met. IV., Q. 4), but the late scholastic writer Francisco Suarez ( Disp. Met. III., § 3) disagreed, also prefe... ... Read more

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This brilliantly conceived and well-organized book is based on a lecture course given by Dr. Leonard Peikoff in 1976, prepared with the help of Ayn Rand and entitled "The Philosophy of Objectivism." Ayn Rand said of these lectures: "Until or unless I write a comprehensive treatise on my philosophy, Dr. Peikoff's course is the only authorized presentation of the entire theoretical structure of objectivism--that is, the only one that I know to be fully accurate."

As Rand's designated heir and foremost interpreter, Peikoff here reveals both the abstract fundamentals of objectivism and its practical applications, covering topics from certainty to money, from logic to art. With much new material that Rand offered only in private conversations with Peikoff, these clear, cogent chapters illuminate objectivism and its creator with startling clarity. ... Read more

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The lecture that innaugurated the Institute forObjectivist Studies, now known as The Objectivist Center. In thistalk, David Kelley explains how a spirit of independent thought, openinquiry, rational discussion, and debate is necessary for Objectivismto capitalize on the promise of Ayn Rand's ideas. ... Read more

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Here is an objective analysis of the growing movement to normalize homosexaulity within the context of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectism. It is that movement, as epitomized in Dr. Chris Sciabarra's autograph, Ayn Rand, Homosexuality, and Human Liberation, that is examined, detailing each issue, from the normality and morality of homosexuality itself, to the proper Objectivists approach toward questions of sexuality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An Unusually Work
As a student of Rand's work, this book was recommended to me by several people. It's a very unusual work, comparing and contrasting Rand's ideas and their application to the world of sexual deviation.Buy it, study it and decide the merits of its arguments for yourself.

Homophobia Run Amok!
This is a hateful little book, a vile diatribe, virulently anti-gay, and homophobia run amok.It is, I believe, arrogant, pretentious, presumptious, and highly judgmental.

Firehammer, at various points, calls homosexuality evil, false, harmful, disgusting, irrational, abnormal, and immoral.He states that homosexuality is both physiologically and psychologically self-destructive, and that homosexuals are "pursuing whim, which will ultimately preclude their ever achieving full human happiness".It is his belief that homosexuals are "addicted to a self-destructive life style" and "act contrary to the requirements of their own nature".

Firehammer doesn't belief in the concept of sexual orientation, and states that "the invention of this idea of sexual orientation is just another attempt to excuse bad choices".He also dismisses the concept of homophobia as nonsense.

Firehammer further states that "the freedom of homosexuality is being out of control...Every homosexual pleasure they enjoy is a source of guilt, a value unearned and a pleasure undeserved".

For the record, I am a 60 year old heterosexual married man, and a practicing clinical psychologist for over 30 years.In addition, I was a serious "student of Objectivism" in the late 1960's, have read all of Ayn Rand's writings, and am quite knowledgable about her philosophy of Objectivism.

Dear potential readers - save your money and buy a different book!

Pathetic Reasoning
Reading this work was an exercise in forcing myself to keep reading.The holes in the reasoning are immense.I'm all for people expressing their views and I'm all for reasoned discussion-- but you won't find it here.Try another work. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Dictionary of American History, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 449 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Focuses on cultures and countries around the world, specifically what is and is not shared culturally by the people who live in a particular country. Entries contain descriptive summaries of the country in question, including demographic, historical, cultural, economic, religious, and political information. ... Read more