The Objective Standard Blog
The Objective Standard Blog
Saturday, February 06, 2010
TOS is now available via Kindle Magazine Subscription
Amazon.com has offered TOS in Kindle Book format (i.e., single issues) since last May, but they've not offered the journal via their highly exclusive Kindle Magazine program (i.e., via subscription), which currently includes only 48 periodicals. Today, however, Amazon added TOS to their Kindle Magazine lineup. Kindle owners, enjoy!
Labels: Announcements
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Philosophic Foundations of Freedom: A Conference on the Principle of Individual Rights
Here’s an announcement from the UCLA Objectivist Club about an upcoming conference:
What is liberty? Why is it desirable? How is a free society achieved?
Today, it is relatively uncontroversial that freedom is good, but there is widespread disagreement about what it actually constitutes and how to implement it. Some believe that liberty amounts to the wishes of a democracy being carried out; others believe that it is being faithful to a literal interpretation of the Constitution and the Founding Fathers. But is there an objective basis in philosophy for determining what freedom is in principle and in practice?
Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead, laid out such philosophic principles: A free society requires limited government that enacts and enforces objective laws for the sole purpose of protecting individual rights. It is where the government does not interfere, by penalty or reward, in thought, production, or trade. It requires a separation of church and state, science and state, education and state, and economics and state.
The Philosophic Foundations of Freedom Conference will focus precisely on these philosophic fundamentals, with numerous talks and Q&A sessions, a leadership seminar on intellectual activism, as well as a panel with a special guest, Alex Kozinski, the Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Saturday, January 30, 2010–Sunday, January 31, 2010
Click here for full event details.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
The Real Goal of the Green Climate Crusade
An event announcement from the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights:A talk at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Who: Dr. Keith Lockitch, fellow focusing on science and environmentalism at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
What: A talk examining the drastic claims put forth by environmentalists, and a critical look at their fundamental goal
Where: Angell Hall, Auditorium C, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
When: Wednesday, February 3, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.
Description: Environmentalists claim that our use of carbon-based energy is altering the climate, making us more vulnerable to climate disasters. Human survival, they insist, requires the immediate abandonment of fossil fuels in favor of carbon-free sources. So why do environmentalist groups vehemently oppose projects involving every alternative form of energy ever proposed to replace fossil fuels--including wind farms and solar power plants? And why do they ignore the dramatic degree to which industrial development under capitalism has reduced the risk of harm from severe climate events? Before we rush headlong into drastic climate policies and energy rationing, a critical examination of these policies is urgently needed. Dr. Lockitch will address these important issues and answer audience questions.
Admission: FREE. Open to students and the public.
Bio: Dr. Keith Lockitch is a fellow focusing on science and environmentalism at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights. He teaches writing courses for the Objectivist Academic Center’s undergraduate program and a history of physics course for the graduate program. His writings have appeared in publications such as the Orange County Register, San Francisco Chronicle, Australia’s Herald Sun and the Canberra Times, and USA Today magazine. Dr. Lockitch has been a frequent guest on radio shows such as The Thom Hartmann Program. Prior to joining ARI in 2003, Dr. Lockitch was a postdoctoral researcher in physics at the University of Illinois and at Pennsylvania State University. He is an alumnus of the Objectivist Graduate Center.
More information: Please e-mail Adam Gaglio, president of the University of Michigan Students of Objectivism, at agaglio@umich.edu.
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI. ARI does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and sessions offered.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Environmentalism, Events, Individual Rights and Law, Science and Technology
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Source and Nature of Rights, Part IV
Part four of Craig Biddle’s six-hour seminar The Source and Nature of Rights has been posted to UFM’s website and is accessible for free. In this section, Mr. Biddle concludes his discussion of Ayn Rand’s ethics and theory of rights.Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Source and Nature of Rights, Part III
Part three of Craig Biddle’s six-hour seminar The Source and Nature of Rights has been posted to UFM’s website and is accessible for free. In this section, Mr. Biddle continues his discussion of Ayn Rand’s ethics and theory of rights.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged on Stossel, Jan 7
From the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights:
The Ayn Rand Center is excited to announce that Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand’s magnum opus, will be the subject of the Thursday, January 7, edition of Stossel on the Fox Business Network.
The program airs at 8 p.m., eastern time, and features interviews with leading Objectivist intellectuals including Yaron Brook, president of the Ayn Rand Center, John Allison, chairman of BB&T Corp., and C. Bradley Thompson, executive director of the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism.
If you’re not able to view the upcoming airing, please check your local listing for a possible rebroadcast.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Philosophy
Friday, December 18, 2009
TOS Newsstand Distribution Increase
Because The Objective Standard is selling well on the newsstands, Ingram (our newsstand distributor) increased its order by 20% with the Winter issue and is now distributing TOS to more than 400 stores nationwide (mostly Barnes & Noble). Look for the journal on your local newsstands, and if they don't carry it let them know that they're missing out on sales!Labels: Announcements
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Two New Audio Articles
Audio versions of Paul Hsieh's article "How the Freedom to Contract Protects Insurability" and Richard M. Salsman's article "Altruism: The Moral Root of the Financial Crisis" have been posted to our Audio page. These recordings are accessible for free and can be played directly on our website or downloaded to your MP3 player.
Enjoy!
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
Friday, December 11, 2009
Stuff The Standard
The Objective Standard makes a great gift for your active-minded friends and relatives. The journal presupposes no specialized knowledge and will be appreciated by anyone with an interest in cultural or political issues.
Online gift subscriptions are currently on sale for 60% off the regular rate (as low as $19). Print subscriptions are available in a package of five for 15% off the regular rate (the Standard-Bearer). Orders can be placed in less than a minute.
Three quick and easy ways to place gift orders:
- Order online by clicking here.
- Print and fax (or mail) our order form.
- Or call us toll free at 800-423-6151.
Labels: Announcements
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
The Winter Issue of TOS
The print edition of the Winter issue is at press and will be mailed shortly; the online version will be accessible to subscribers beginning December 20. For promotional purposes, we are making Robert Mayhew’s review of Jennifer Burns’s Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right available on our website early and for free.
The contents of the Winter issue are:
ARTICLES
Pharmacide: The Pharmaceutical Industry’s Self-Destructive Effort to Loot America
by Cassandra ClarkAntitrust with a Vengeance: The Obama Administration’s Anti-Business Cudgel
by Eric DanielsWhat the “Affordable Health Care for America Act,” HR 3962, Actually Says
by John David LewisThe California Coastal Commission: A Case Study in Governmental Assault on Property Rights
by Paul BeardThe Barbary Wars and Their Lesson for Combating Piracy Today
by Doug AltnerObjective Moral Values
by Craig BiddleBOOKS REVIEWED
Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right by Jennifer Burns
Reviewed by Robert MayhewHeaven and Earth: Global Warming, the Missing Science by Ian Plimer
Reviewed by Gus Van HornRed Hot Lies: How Global Warming Alarmists Use Threats, Fraud, and Deception to Keep You Misinformed by Christopher C. Horner
Reviewed by Daniel WahlIslamic Imperialism: A History by Efraim Karsh
Reviewed by Andrew LewisThe Israel Test by George Gilder
Reviewed by Daniel Wahl
Due to popular demand, we have extended our 60% off sale through January 1. Online subscriptions—including gift subscriptions—are only $19. If you have not yet subscribed to TOS, now is the perfect time to give it a try. And if you are looking for the perfect gift for an active-minded friend or relative, what could be better than a steady stream of clearly written, easy-to-read articles addressing current events and cultural issues from a rational, principled perspective? You can purchase gift subscriptions online or by calling 800-423-6151.
Enjoy your holidays!
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Environmentalism, Foreign Policy and War, Healthcare, History, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Religion
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Source and Nature of Rights, Part II
Part two of Craig Biddle’s six-hour seminar, The Source and Nature of Rights, given at Universidad Francisco Marroquín in October, has been posted to UFM’s website and is accessible for free. In this section, Mr. Biddle begins presenting the principles of Ayn Rand’s ethics that give rise to her theory of rights.
Labels: Announcements, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
Capitalism: The Only Moral Social System
Craig Biddle’s talk Capitalism: The Only Moral Social System, given at Universidad Francisco Marroquín on October 28, has been posted to UFM’s website and is accessible for free. Enjoy!
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The Source and Nature of Rights, Part I
The video of part one of Craig Biddle’s six-hour seminar, The Source and Nature of Rights, has been posted to the website of Universidad Francisco Marroquín. In this first hour, Mr. Biddle surveys common theories of rights—from God-given rights to man-made rights to so-called “natural” rights—and explains why each fails to ground rights in reality. In part two, which has yet to be posted, he begins his presentation of Ayn Rand’s theory of rights.
Labels: Announcements, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Objectivist Club Network's Mentoring Program
Here's a note from Matt Gerber of The Objectivist Club Network:
The Objectivist Club Network is launching a new program: providing guidance and assistance to individuals who want to start a new Objectivist community club. There are dozens of community groups currently in existence, many of them are incredibly vibrant and having a noticeable impact on their community at large. OCN has learned a lot about how to start and run a successful Objectivist club; we want to apply this knowledge to help in starting new community clubs.
If you want to start a club or if you know fellow Objectivists who have expressed intent to do so, please visit or have them visit http://www.oclubs.org/mentor-community/
We are going to select a few individuals to participate in our structured mentor program to help them build a successful club in their area. This is a limited trial of our new community mentor program before we do a wider roll out. Applicants must have a good grasp of Objectivism, be passionate about the philosophy and its application to daily living, be able to motivate like-minded individuals towards building a community group, and understand how to delegate responsibilities.
If anyone has any questions please don't hesitate to contact me!
Best,
P.S. The Objectivist Club Network (OCN) is an organization dedicated to helping all Objectivist Campus and Community Clubs. OCN is not affiliated with the Ayn Rand Institute, although we support it and its programs, and we regularly communicate with ARI to ensure our respective organizations are not duplicating efforts.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Monday, November 02, 2009
Debate: 'Is Government Intervention in the Free Market Moral?'
This Wednesday, November 4, I will debate UNC Adjunct Professor of Economics Ralph Byrns on the question: "Is Government Intervention in the Free Market Moral?"
When: Wednesday, November 4, 7:00 PM
Where: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Murphey 116
Website: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=178947119387&ref=ts
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Audio Article: 'Net Neutrality: Toward a Stupid Internet'
We have posted an MP3 audio version of Raymond C. Niles’s timely article “Net Neutrality: Toward a Stupid Internet.” This audio article is accessible for free and can be played directly on our website or downloaded to your MP3 player. This is the first of many audio articles to come. Over the next few weeks, we will be posting audio versions of several articles from past issues, and we are considering the possibility of offering audio versions of all future TOS articles.
I hope you enjoy this first one. Let us know what you think.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Science and Technology
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Explore Atlas Shrugged
Diana Hsieh, of NoodleFood and Rationally Selfish Radio fame, has created a new website dedicated to Exploring Atlas Shrugged. The purpose of the site is to help readers deepen their understanding of Ayn Rand’s epic novel and to provide a resource for those interested in creating Atlas Shrugged reading groups. Diana has divided the novel into 20 parts, each covering about 65 pages, and for each part she plans to post a podcast along with discussion questions. Session 1, in which she discusses chapters 1–3, has been posted and is superb. I expect the next 19 sessions will be as well. Listen and see.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, The Arts
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
John David Lewis on 'The Big Biz Show'
John David Lewis will be on “The Big Biz Show” with Bob “Sully” Sullivan & Russ “T” Nailz, Wed, Oct 7 at 2:40 p.m. Pacific Time. The show can be heard live online from 1 to 3 p.m. Pacific Time at www.businesstalkradio.net (click on “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Events
Thursday, October 01, 2009
The Fall issue of TOS has been Posted and Mailed
The print edition of the Fall issue has been mailed, and the online version has been posted to our website. (Due to production difficulties, the print edition was mailed a few days late. I apologize for the delay.) The contents of the Fall issue are:
ARTICLES
Obama’s Atomic Bomb: The Ideological Clarity of the Democratic Agenda
by John David LewisAmerica’s Self-Crippled Foreign Policy: An Interview with Yaron Brook, Elan Journo, and Alex Epstein
An Unwinnable War?
by Elan JournoThe Creed of Sacrifice vs. The Land of Liberty
by Craig BiddleThe Rise of American Big Government: A Brief History of How We Got Here
by Michael DahlenHow the Freedom to Contract Protects Insurability
by Paul HsiehHow Morality is Grounded in Reality
by Craig BiddleBOOKS REVIEWED
Objectively Speaking: Ayn Rand Interviewed edited by Marlene Podritske and Peter Schwartz
Reviewed by Dina Schein FedermanThe Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder
Reviewed by Daniel WahlFred Astaire by Joseph Epstein
Reviewed by Scott HolleranThe Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants by Jane S. Smith
Reviewed by Daniel Wahl
If you have not yet subscribed to TOS, there is no time like now. You can subscribe online or by calling 800-423-6151.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Foreign Policy and War, Healthcare, History, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Religion, Science and Technology
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Raymond C. Niles on 'The Big Biz Show'
Ray Niles will be on “The Big Biz Show” with Bob “Sully” Sullivan & Russ “T” Nailz, discussing his article “Property Rights and the Crisis of the Electric Grid,” on Wednesday, Sept 30, at 2:40 p.m. Pacific Time. The show can be heard live online from 1 to 3 p.m. Pacific Time at www.businesstalkradio.net (click on “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Individual Rights and Law
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
John David Lewis on 'The Big Biz Show'
John David Lewis will be on “The Big Biz Show” with Bob “Sully” Sullivan & Russ “T” Nailz, on Wednesday, October 7, at 2:40 p.m. Pacific Time. The show can be heard live online from 1 to 3 p.m. Pacific Time at www.businesstalkradio.net (click on “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Events
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Rationally Selfish Radio with Dr. Diana Hsieh
I’d like to recommend a new podcast program called Rationally Selfish Radio, hosted by Dr. Diana Hsieh. Dr. Hsieh posts two podcasts per week, discussing a broad spectrum of topics—from how an introvert can meet people, to the conditions under which a person can morally accept an inheritance, to the essential factors in choosing a career, to the nature and status of cosmological arguments for the existence of God. She has also interviewed me (on the subject of sacrifice vs. liberty) and plans to interview other writers and intellectuals in the future.
In the nine episodes to date, Dr. Hsieh has consistently zeroed in on the principles pertaining to the subjects at hand; she has applied them with precision and with clarifying examples; and she has done so in an entertaining and easy-to-follow manner. (Don’t be thrown by her slow talking in episode #1; she picks it up in subsequent shows.) I highly recommend Rationally Selfish Radio to anyone interested in the application of sound philosophy to good living. Click on, tune in, live well!
Labels: Announcements, Philosophy, Religion
Friday, September 18, 2009
John David Lewis on Scoreboard
On Thursday, September 24, at 7:00 PM (EST) Dr. Lewis will appear on Scoreboard with David Asman (Fox Business News) to discuss why there is no ‘right’ to health care.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Healthcare
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Fall Issue of TOS
The print edition of the Fall issue is at press and will be mailed shortly; the online version will be accessible to subscribers beginning September 20. For promotional purposes, we are making both John David Lewis’s article “Obama’s Atomic Bomb: The Ideological Clarity of the Democratic Agenda” and Paul Hsieh’s article “How the Freedom to Contract Protects Insurability” available on our website early and for free.
The contents of the Fall issue are:
ARTICLES
Obama’s Atomic Bomb: The Ideological Clarity of the Democratic Agenda
by John David LewisAmerica’s Self-Crippled Foreign Policy: An Interview with Yaron Brook, Elan Journo, and Alex Epstein
An Unwinnable War?
by Elan JournoThe Creed of Sacrifice vs. The Land of Liberty
by Craig BiddleThe Rise of American Big Government: A Brief History of How We Got Here
by Michael DahlenHow the Freedom to Contract Protects Insurability
by Paul HsiehHow Morality is Grounded in Reality
by Craig BiddleBOOKS REVIEWED
Objectively Speaking: Ayn Rand Interviewed edited by Marlene Podritske and Peter Schwartz
Reviewed by Dina Schein FedermanThe Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder
Reviewed by Daniel WahlFred Astaire by Joseph Epstein
Reviewed by Scott HolleranThe Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and the Business of Breeding Plants by Jane S. Smith
Reviewed by Daniel Wahl
If you have not yet subscribed to TOS, why not subscribe today? You can do so online or by calling 800-423-6151.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Foreign Policy and War, Healthcare, History, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Religion, Science and Technology
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Yaron Brook Interviewed by Larry Greenfield
Here is part one of a four-part interview with Yaron Brook, conducted by Larry Greenfield of The Claremont Institute.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Religion
Monday, August 31, 2009
John David Lewis Interviewed on KOGO, August 31
Monday August 31, at 7:30 p.m. PST (10:30 EST) John David Lewis will be on KOGO radio (San Diego) discussing why Obama has ignited nationwide protests. The show can be heard online at www.kogo.com (click “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Virtual Objectivist Club
Here’s a note from Keith Schacht, who is involved in the start up of a new organization called the Virtual Objectivist Club (OCN).
I helped start the Objectivist Club Network (OCN), an organization dedicated to helping all Objectivist Campus Clubs. OCN is not affiliated with the Ayn Rand Institute, although we support them and regularly communicate with them to ensure our respective organizations are not duplicating efforts.
Recently we've expanded our efforts to solve a new problem: there are students interested in joining an Objectivist club where no club exists. Some of these students start their own club, but others don't have time to start a club or do not find enough participants on campus to form a club.
We've created the Virtual Objectivist Club (VOC) for these students -- a phone-based discussion group dedicated to the study of Objectivism. Meetings will be weekly, beginning this September, each moderated by an experienced Objectivist. The group is open to any current students who would like to learn more about Objectivism.
My request: Please help spread the word to any students you know who may be interested in learning more about Objectivism. The deadline for applying to the VOC is August 31st. Students can learn more and apply at: http://www.oclubs.org/voc
Please let me know if you have any questions and we greatly appreciate you sharing this with others!
Keith & the OCN Team
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Activism with TOS
American culture is at a critical juncture. Over the next few years, the country will move substantially toward either further violations of individual rights or better protection of individual rights. So I’d like to offer a few suggestions about how you can employ The Objective Standard in the fight for the latter alternative.
TOS, now in its fourth year of publication, is written consistently from an Objectivist perspective, which means it goes consistently to fundamentals, anchoring political arguments in the principle of individual rights and the morality of rational egoism. And TOS stands alone in this regard. No other periodical publishes essays such as “Altruism: The Moral Root of the Financial Crisis” by Richard M. Salsman, “Reason or Faith: The Republican Alternative” by John David Lewis, “The Menace of Pragmatism” by Tara Smith, “Energy at the Speed of Thought: The Original Alternative Energy Market” by Alex Epstein, “Deeper Than Kelo: The Roots of the Property Rights Crisis” by Eric Daniels, “Moral Health Care vs. ‘Universal Health Care’” by Lin Zinser and Paul Hsieh, or “The Morality of Moneylending: A Short History” by Yaron Brook.
Importantly, however, articles in TOS presuppose no familiarity with Objectivism; they are written entirely in layman’s terms and are thus accessible to active-minded people in general. This makes TOS a crucial tool for spreading the ideas on which a culture of reason and the politics of freedom depend. The articles are easy to read, easy to comprehend, and anchored in sound philosophic principles. Such articles change minds.
But few people know that TOS exists, and our articles cannot change minds if they are not read. Here is where you can make all the difference. The following are three key ways in which you can help TOS reach a wider audience:
- Let your university, alma mater, or local librarian know about the journal.
TOS is now indexed and abstracted in Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO), Public Affairs Information Services (PAIS), and Political Science Complete (PSC). Periodicals covered by these indices are more appealing to libraries, so now is a good time to try (or retry) persuading your university, alma mater, or local librarian to subscribe. To inform a librarian about the existence and nature of TOS, please print and hand (or mail or email) him our Library Recommendation Letter, which can be found here. - Purchase PDFs of TOS articles, and distribute them far and wide.
TOS articles are now available in Portable Document Format (PDF) for $4.95 ea. For activism purposes, once you purchase a TOS article in PDF, you are welcome (and encouraged) to email or print and distribute it to as many people as you see fit—friends, relatives, colleagues, politicians, pundits, talk show hosts—anyone who might be moved by rational ideas and logical arguments. The more the merrier! We ask only that you not resell the article nor post it on the internet. PDFs of articles can be purchased here. - Give the journal as a gift.
Nothing changes minds more effectively than a steady stream of clearly written, easy-to-read articles that address current events and cultural issues from a rational, principled perspective. Gift subscriptions can be purchased for individuals or institutions (libraries, doctors’ offices, corporations, etc.), and although institutions themselves pay a higher subscription rate, gifts to institutions are sold at the regular (i.e., individual) rate. Gift subscriptions can also be purchased in packages of 5 at a discount of 15% (the “Standard-Bearer”). For more information or to purchase a gift subscription, click here.
People are looking for answers to today’s cultural and political problems. TOS articles provide principled answers in plain English on a regular basis. Please help us distribute these articles to a wider audience.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Craig Biddle, Editor
The Objective Standard
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Individual Rights and Law
John David Lewis on the Bill LuMaye Show August 27
Thursday, August 27, at 4:00 p.m. (EST), John David Lewis will be interviewed again on the Bill LuMaye Show (WPTF, Raleigh, NC) elaborating why there is no right to health care. The show can be heard online at www.wptf.com (click on “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
John David Lewis on the Tara Servatius Show
John David Lewis will discuss the limitation on review provisions in the health bill HR3200, on the Tara Servatius Show, Thursday, August 20, at 4:30 p.m. (EST). The show can be heard online at http://wbt.com/ (click on "Live Stream").
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law
Friday, August 14, 2009
John David Lewis on BBC Radio August 14
Friday, August 14, at 1:00 p.m. EST, John David Lewis will discuss why there is no right to health care on “World Have Your Say.” The show can be heard online at www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice (click on “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law
Thursday, August 13, 2009
John David Lewis on the Bill LuMaye Show August 13
Thursday, August 13, at 4:00 p.m. (EST), John David Lewis will be interviewed on the Bill LuMaye Show (WPTF, Raleigh, NC) about why there is no right to health care. The show can be heard online at www.wptf.com (click on “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law
Craig Biddle on the Doc Thompson Show August 17
Monday, August 17, at 4:05 p.m. (EST), Craig Biddle will be interviewed on the Doc Thompson Show (WRVA, Richmond, VA) about his book Loving Life and Ayn Rand’s morality of selfishness. The show can be heard online at www.wrva.com (click on “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Events, Philosophy
John David Lewis on the Brian Wilson Show August 14
Friday, August 14, at 4:30 p.m. (EST), John David Lewis will be interviewed on the Brian Wilson Show (WPSD, Toledo, OH) about why there is no right to health care. The show can be heard online at www.wspd.com (click on “Listen Live”).
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
TOS Contributors on ‘The Big Biz Show’
I am pleased to announce that three members of the newly formed TOS Speakers Bureau, John David Lewis, Richard M. Salsman, and Raymond C. Niles, will be interviewed at separate times in coming days on “The Big Biz Show” (www.bigbizshow.com). Alex Epstein, a TOS contributor and an analyst with the Ayn Rand Center, will be interviewed as well.
“The Big Biz Show,” with Bob “Sully” Sullivan & Russ “T” Nailz, is syndicated via Business Talk Radio Network on 150 AM stations and heard on Internet Sites via BTRN, CBS radio, Chat-About-It, AOL radio, and wsRadio. The show can be heard live online from 1 to 3 p.m. Pacific Time (10–1 EST) at www.businesstalkradio.net (click on “Listen Live”).
The interviews are scheduled as follows:
Thursday, August 13
2:10 PST: Alex Epstein—Defending the Oil Industry
2:40 PST: Richard M. Salsman—Health Care, the Economy, and the California’s Financial Crisis
Monday, August 17
2:10 PST: John David Lewis—How Obama Care will Destroy Private Health Insurance
Tuesday, August 18
2:10 PST: Raymond C. Niles—Property Rights and Crisis of the Electric Grid
Please help promote these events by posting the information to websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and the like.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Healthcare, Individual Rights and Law
Monday, August 03, 2009
Invitation: Upcoming Ayn Rand Institute Event—The Atlas Shrugged Revolution
While Washington rapidly expands its control over our lives—exacerbating an economic crisis that was caused by government control in the first place—a hopeful countertrend is underway.
Ayn Rand’s classic best-selling novel Atlas Shrugged is flying off bookstore shelves at an unprecedented rate.
Hundreds of thousands of concerned Americans are turning to Atlas Shrugged—and discovering Ayn Rand’s morality of rational egoism and her uncompromising defense of laissez-faire capitalism.
Why is this happening? And what can those of us who uphold reason, individual rights and capitalism do to encourage and support this trend?
For an evening devoted to the discussion of these questions, we invite you to join us in New York City on September 15, 2009, for a special dinner event, The Atlas Shrugged Revolution.
At this benefit dinner event, Yaron Brook, president and executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute, and John Allison, chairman of BB&T Corporation, will discuss why Americans are turning to Rand’s magnum opus—and why the novel’s revolutionary ideas are crucial to the future of freedom in America. You’ll also learn what the Ayn Rand Institute is doing right now to promote even greater public interest in Atlas Shrugged and Ayn Rand’s philosophy.
We hope you’ll be able to join us on September 15th for The Atlas Shrugged Revolution!
Sincerely,
Mark Chapman
Vice President of Development
The Ayn Rand Institute
P.S. In addition, a number of rare Ayn Rand books and manuscripts will be auctioned at the event. Images and descriptions of the items are available for viewing on the Web site for this event at www.arievents.com.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Events, Individual Rights and Law, The Arts
Friday, July 24, 2009
Ayn Rand Institute Announces $2 Million Fundraising Campaign—the Atlas Shrugged Initiative
Ayn Rand Institute Announces $2 Million Fundraising Campaign—the Atlas Shrugged Initiative
IRVINE, CA, July 24, 2009—The Ayn Rand Institute has announced a $2 million fundraising campaign—the Atlas Shrugged Initiative—in an unprecedented effort to increase readership of Ayn Rand’s best-known novel, Atlas Shrugged.
The impetus behind the Atlas Shrugged Initiative, explains ARI President and Executive Director Yaron Brook, is the fact that “At no time in history has there been greater public interest in Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. And its message has never been more urgent.
“The torrent of destructive, statist policies emanating from Washington represents both a crisis—and an opportunity. Through the Atlas Shrugged Initiative, we intend to capitalize on the soaring grassroots interest in Ayn Rand and her ideas.”
Adds Dr. Brook, “The Atlas Shrugged Initiative is off to an outstanding start. A very generous benefactor has already offered to match every dollar donated to this Initiative—up to a total of $500,000—and as a result of early and substantial funding, the bookstore promotions that are a key component of the Initiative are already well underway.”
Key elements of the Atlas Shrugged Initiative include significant bookstore promotions of the novel; an expansion of ARI’s web-based efforts to spur readership of Atlas Shrugged; expansion of ARI’s long-running educational programs for high school and college students; and targeted outreach to pro-liberty, pro-capitalist activists around the nation.
Visit the Ayn Rand Institute’s Atlas Shrugged Initiative campaign page to learn more or to support this campaign.
### ### ###
Dr. Yaron Brook is available for interviews. To interview Dr. Brook or book him for your show, please e-mail media@aynrand.org.
For more articles by Yaron Brook, and his bio, click here.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Summer Issue of The Objective Standard
The print edition of the Summer issue has been mailed, and the online version has been posted to our website. The contents are:
Justice Holmes and the Empty Constitution by Thomas A. Bowden
Energy at the Speed of Thought: The Original Alternative Energy Market by Alex Epstein
A Brief History of U.S. Farm Policy and the Need for Free-Market Agriculture by Monica Hughes
The Is–Ought Gap: Subjectivism’s Technical Retreat by Craig Biddle
BOOKS REVIEWED
Animal Spirits: How Human Psychology Drives the Economy, and Why It Matters for Global Capitalism, by George A. Akerlof and Robert J. Shiller (reviewed by Eric Daniels)Life Without Lawyers: Liberating Americans From Too Much Law, by Philip K. Howard (reviewed by David Littel)
Fooling Some of the People All the Time Updated and Revised: A Long Short Story, by David Einhorn (reviewed by Daniel Wahl)
The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger, by Marc Levinson (reviewed by Heike Larson)
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, by David Allen (reviewed by Amy Peikoff)
The Objective Standard makes for great summer reading! How about giving gift subscriptions to the active-minded students and graduates in your reach? One mind at a time—that is how to fight for the future.
Enjoy the issue, and have a wonderful summer!
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Psychology, Science and Technology
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
ARI Free Books to Teachers Program Shatters Record
The following is a reprint of a message from Yaron Brook to ARI donors.
Dear Contributor:
Since the first of the year, you’ve read a great deal about the work that ARI has done—primarily through the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights—to bring public attention to the economic and political problems facing our country.
Our work on that front continues—and I will continue to update you, through letters and e-mails, on the great strides we are making in ensuring that Ayn Rand’s ideas are given increased consideration among policy-makers and the media.
But while we are all preoccupied with the news of the day, and the ever-increasing assaults on freedom and capitalism coming from Washington, ARI has continued to keep the long-term picture in clear focus.
Even as ARC has capitalized on an unprecedented public and media interest in Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, and her ideas, ARI is completing what appears to be another marvelously successful year in our efforts to introduce young readers to Ayn Rand’s novels.
Results to Date
As of this writing, the total number of copies of Anthem, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged shipped to classrooms this school year is 342,984. This represents a 17 percent increase over last year’s total of 293,295—and represents a new all-time record for the program.
Since we inaugurated the Free Books to Teachers program with a pilot program in late 2002, the success of the program has been truly staggering. Adding the results above to the results from previous years, we can report the following for the lifetime of this program:
- More than 1.4 million copies of the novels have been sent to teachers.
- More than 30,000 teachers have participated in the Free Books to Teachers program since its inception.
- Ayn Rand’s novels are being taught in an estimated 40,000 high school classrooms in the United States and Canada.
- And because many of the novels are read in subsequent years by new groups of students, we now estimate that a total of nearly four million students have been introduced to Ayn Rand’s novels since this project began.
These achievements would not have been possible without the continued financial backing of our donors; so I thank you once again for your support of this program.
Feedback from Educators
Nearly every day we hear from teachers participating in the Free Books to Teachers program. Below are a few comments from the more than 300 we received from teachers this year. These are the impressions of teachers actually using the novels in their classrooms.
Their remarks, I believe, eloquently attest to the real impact that this program is having on students.
My students primarily come from lower-socio-economic homes and would have never had the chance to engage in such a rich lesson during these hard economic times when money for books is not available to us. I have seen a true personal and educational growth as students learn about Ayn Rand’s philosophy through her characters, plot, and the lessons provided for us.
—Bakersfield, CA
The Fountainhead started out as a road to the essay contest and college funds for my seniors, but has become so much more. The critical thinking and literary engagement that has come from reading this text is of amazing worth! . . . Rand was an amazing author; her texts are timeless.
—Baltimore, MD
I have never seen my students so excited about reading a book. Tenth graders who have refused to read any of the books that we’ve done so far finished reading Anthem weeks before it was required. Students who read The Fountainhead came in everyday to tell me how excited they were about the book. . . . Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
—Springville, UT
Thanks! Please keep this amazing program going! Over the past 7 years I have introduced over a 1,000 students to the work of Ayn Rand through the use of these books . . . I know it has helped to produce some exceptional debaters and influenced the writings of countless students. THANK YOU!
—Hope Mills, NC
I’m sure that you hear it all the time; however, I must tell you that my students cannot stop talking about Anthem. In fact, one student read it seven times! We have had some fascinating group discussions.
—Cocoa, FL
Thank you so much for the copies of Anthem and The Fountainhead. Our students will greatly benefit from the instruction of Ayn Rand’s contributions to world literature, and her enduring message of the triumph of the individual against all restrictive systems.
In an age of repetitive sound and thought, it is certainly a privilege to have Ayn Rand’s books in America’s classrooms.
—Laurel, MS
I am so appreciative of the Institute’s generosity and concern for education. I have been using the book for the past 5 years and will continue to do so in the future. I truly believe that the lessons learned from reading the book are totally applicable to the direction that our society seems to be moving in. Students enjoy reading the book and discussing how it is applicable to their lives, today. Once again, thank you for all that you do in providing an invaluable service to our students.
—Rosemont, PA
Conclusion
At the beginning of this letter, I alluded to the work we are doing at the Ayn Rand Center to combat the immediate challenge we face in Washington.
Make no mistake—the immediate challenges we face are severe.
But these challenges—among them the unprecedented intrusions of government into nearly every conceivable sector of our economy—represent a symptom, albeit an alarming one.
So while we will fight on the level of immediate, concrete political symptoms—and with ARC we have never been better able to do so—we must continue to treat the underlying disease of collectivism and unreason. The political battles must be fought now; but the culture must be repaired in the long term.
Through the Free Books to Teachers program; our essay contests (which have set new all-time records this year); the continued growth and success of the OAC and the Anthem Foundation for Objectivist Scholarship, we are continuing to work to address the fundamental, underlying problems that have led us to the political challenges we currently face.
It’s for this reason that I hope that I can count on your continued—and if possible, increased—support, as we prepare for the eighth year of the Ayn Rand Institute’s Free Books to Teachers program, and the 25th year of our annual essay contests.
Your continued and increased support will allow us to continue to tackle both the immediate problems—and ultimately, cure the underlying causes.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and your support.
Sincerely,
Yaron Brook
President and Executive Director
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
New Blog by Dianne Durante
TOS contributor Dianne Durante has a new blog called Principles, History and Philosophy for Today’s News. “So far,” says Dianne, “there are essays on pirates (provoked by the Somali pirates) and on Cuban-American relations. This is a trial run for a website I'd like to produce that would offer short essays on major events in American history, with suggested readings from Ayn Rand and Objectivist scholars. If you're interested in using such a site or advertising on it, let me know.”
Labels: Announcements, History, The Arts
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Yaron Brook on Islamic Totalitarianism
In Yaron Brook’s latest interview on PJTV, he discusses Islamic Totalitarianism and its primary sponsor, Iran; how the U.S. has turned the other cheek every time Iran has (directly or indirectly) attacked Americans; what the U.S. (and Israel) should do about this Iranian-sponsored assault on the West; and the need of a moral revolution in America to enable Americans to defend themselves not only from foreign assaults but also from domestic corruption.
The interview is superb; don’t miss it.
Labels: Announcements, Foreign Policy and War, Individual Rights and Law, Religion
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Help Fight for a Future of Reason and Freedom
Dear Reader,
I’m writing to ask for your help.
Because of the parallels between Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and current events, Rand’s ideas are increasingly mentioned on talk shows, the internet, the news. This burgeoning interest in Rand’s philosophy is promising, but to fully grasp the practicality of Objectivism, people need to see how its principles apply in real life—which is not obvious.
The Objective Standard, now in its fourth year of publication, is dedicated to elucidating these principles and applying them to the cultural and political issues of the day. TOS consistently delivers crystal-clear, highly concretized essays on subjects ranging from “The Hierarchy of Knowledge: The Most Neglected Issue in Education” to “‘Just War Theory’ vs. American Self-Defense” to “Moral Health Care vs. ‘Universal Health Care’” to “The Mystical Ethics of the New Atheists” to “Reason or Faith: The Republican Alternative” to “Altruism: The Moral Root of the Financial Crisis.” Such articles change peoples’ minds—and TOS is the only periodical publishing them.
With the West being consumed by mysticism and altruism, people need not only to read Atlas, but also to see how the principles of Objectivism apply to their concerns—whether education or terrorism or religion or the economy. This is where you can help.
By giving gift subscriptions of TOS to active-minded friends, relatives, colleagues, intellectuals—whoever you think might be interested—you can help spread not only the ideas on which civilized society depends, but also the all-important understanding of what these ideas mean in practice. And now through May 8, to encourage a concerted effort among TOS fans and subscribers, we are cutting the prices of all gift subscriptions by 15%.
Please help us educate people about the practicality of Objectivism. Whether you can afford ten gift subscriptions or five or one, the price is right, and the future is worth it.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Craig Biddle, Editor
Three quick and easy ways to save now and profit later:
- Place your order(s) online by clicking here.
- Print and mail or fax our order form.
- Or call us toll free at 800-423-6151.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
Friday, April 17, 2009
John Lewis's Tea Party Interview
In addition to John Lewis’s excellent tea party speech, Andy Clarkson has posted an interview with Lewis, which is also well worth viewing.
Labels: Announcements, Individual Rights and Law
Saturday, April 11, 2009
What Is America's Stake in the Arab-Israeli Conflict?
Who: Elan Journo, resident fellow at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
What: A talk followed by Q&A
Where: American University (Washington DC), School of International Service building, room 203
When: Wednesday April 15, 8:30 p.m.
Contact: Jasmine Whiting, auobjectivists@gmail.com
Description: Many people claim that U.S. policy regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict has been destructive of our security—and that a change in direction is urgently needed. Echoing many of his predecessors and legions of commentators, President Obama has announced plans to make dealing with the Arab-Israeli conflict a “key diplomatic policy” of his administration. What kind of policy toward that ongoing conflict is actually in America’s interests? What policy can enhance U.S. security? What in fact have been the effects of Washington’s policy? Has it been unfair? If so, to whom—the Arab-Palestinian side, or Israel? In a presentation addressing these and other questions, Elan Journo of the Ayn Rand Institute will offer a secular moral case for principled U.S. support of Israel.
For more information on this and other ARI events, please visit www.aynrand.org/events_other.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Foreign Policy and War
ARC on the Tea Parties
Dear Admirer of Ayn Rand,
Earlier this week, we wrote to you to promote a new video, titled "Atlas Shrugged and the Tea Party Revolts." Today we're writing to let you know that we are expanding this effort with two new videos, along with a new Web page of Tea Party resources.
The new videos expand upon the moral meaning of the Tea Party efforts, and the ideas that will be needed in order to make the defense of individual rights a success.
Once again, we want to bring these videos to as wide an audience as possible, and we encourage you to view them and, if you like them, pass them along to others. Remember also that you can watch our videos as they are produced by subscribing to our YouTube channel for updates.
We are also proud to present our new Web page, titled "ARC on the Tea Parties." There you'll find relevant material on the morality of capitalism, Atlas Shrugged, and ARC's tea party resources. Materials on the page include:
- Flyers that can be used as Tea Party handouts
- Speaker resources
- Video presentations by ARC spokesmen
- Radio interviews
- Recordings of Ayn Rand
- ... and much more.
I'm grateful for the outpouring of activism that we have seen from our audience in recent times. I encourage you to continue, so that we may influence the culture towards Ayn Rand's vision of individual rights and laissez-faire capitalism.
Sincerely,
Yaron Brook
Executive Director
The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Events, Individual Rights and Law
Sunday, April 05, 2009
A Tea Party Without Egoism Is like a Republic Without a Chance
Going to a Tea Party? Don’t leave home without copies of this flier (PDF), which reads:
A Tea Party Without Egoism Is like a Republic Without a Chance
America was founded on the individual’s rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. But, contrary to the beliefs of many Americans, these rights are, by their very nature, egoistic. The freedom to live one’s life as one sees fit, to act on one’s judgment, to keep and use the product of one’s effort, and to pursue one’s happiness is the freedom to act in a consistently self-interested manner. The politics of freedom is the politics of self-interest—and it is entirely incompatible with the widely accepted notion that self-interest is morally wrong and self-sacrifice is morally right. This—Americans’ acceptance of the morality of self-sacrifice—is the fundamental reason we are losing our Republic.
Those who want to fight for a return to the Land of Liberty must embrace the morality on which liberty depends: the morality of egoism. And to do so, they must understand its nature and implications; they must grasp what egoism is, why it is true, and what it means in practice. The Objective Standard is a quarterly journal dedicated to elucidating the principles of egoism and applying them to the cultural and political issues of the day. Everyone concerned with the future should be reading this journal today.
The flier, which can be printed in black & white or in color, is a great way to start conversations about the root cause of America’s problems and the corresponding solution. It also brings peoples’ attention to TOS, which is the source for in-depth articles on this and other issues from an Objectivist perspective.
Please distribute the flier liberally at the tea parties—and feel free to make it available from your own blogs and websites as well.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Individual Rights and Law
Friday, April 03, 2009
What Is America's Stake in the Arab-Israeli Conflict?
Who: Elan Journo, resident fellow at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
What: A talk followed by Q&A
Where: Travelodge Hotel, 925 Dixon Road, Toronto, Ontario, M9W 1J8
When: April 6 at 7:00p.m.
Admission: $25 for the general public, and $10 for students with identification. No need to RSVP.
Description: Many people claim that U.S. policy regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict has been destructive of our security—and that a change in direction is urgently needed. Echoing many of his predecessors and legions of commentators, President Obama has announced plans to make dealing with the Arab-Israeli conflict a “key diplomatic policy” of his administration. What kind of policy toward that ongoing conflict is actually in America’s interests? What policy can enhance U.S. security? What in fact have been the effects of Washington’s policy? Has it been unfair? If so, to whom—the Arab-Palestinian side, or Israel? In a presentation addressing these and other questions, Elan Journo of the Ayn Rand Institute will offer a secular moral case for principled U.S. support of Israel.
For more information on this and other ARI events, please visit www.aynrand.org/events_other.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Foreign Policy and War
Thursday, April 02, 2009
A Critique of Global Warming Science and Policy: A panel discussion at UCLA
What: A panel discussion challenging widely accepted views on global warming science and policy, followed by a Q&A
Who: Keith Lockitch, fellow of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, and Willie Soon, geoscientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Where: UCLA Campus, Ackerman Grand Ballroom, Los Angeles, California
When: Monday, April 13, 2009, at 7 p.m.
Admission: FREE. The public and media are invited.
Sponsored by: LOGIC, the UCLA Objectivist Club
More information: Visit http://www.clublogic.org/ or e-mail info@ClubLogic.org
Description: It is now widely believed that man-made greenhouse gases are causing an unnatural warming of the earth that will have devastating consequences for human life. Environmentalists and politicians are pressing for severe restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions aimed at preventing global warming. But are these beliefs and policies justified? What does the scientific evidence actually support regarding the causes of climate variability and the role of anthropogenic greenhouse gases? Are the predictions of catastrophic changes supported by scientific fact? Is government economic intervention aimed at severely restricting greenhouse gases an appropriate policy response? Panelists will address these critical issues in a lively discussion.
Bio: Dr. Keith Lockitch has a PhD in physics from University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee and is a resident fellow focusing on science and environmentalism at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights. He lectures publicly on these topics, and his writings have appeared in such publications as the Washington Times and USA Today magazine. Dr. Lockitch is also a professor in the Objectivist Academic Center, where he teaches undergraduate writing and a graduate course on the history of physics. Before joining the Ayn Rand Institute in 2003, Dr. Lockitch was a postdoctoral researcher in physics at the University of Illinois and at Pennsylvania State University.
Bio: Dr. Willie Soon is an astrophysicist and a geoscientist at the Solar, Stellar, and Planetary Sciences Division of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He is also the chief science adviser of the Science and Public Policy Institute (based in Washington, D.C.). He writes and lectures on issues related to the sun, other stars, the Earth as well as general science topics in astronomy and physics. He is the author of The Maunder Minimum and the Variable Sun-Earth Connection published March 2004. (All views expressed are strictly of his own and do not reflect upon any other persons or institutions.)
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Environmentalism, Events, Science and Technology
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Yaron Brook on Pajamas TV
The Ayn Rand Center is pleased to report that, for the second time, ARC executive director Yaron Brook has appeared in an extended discussion on Pajamas TV. The discussion is titled "Is the Government in the Car Business?"
This new interview follows from another given on March 18, titled "Is Atlas Shrugging?" The Ayn Rand Center has created a new Web page to hold links to these videos; we encourage visitors to check this page often, as future appearances on Pajamas TV will appear there as well.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Individual Rights and Law
Friday, March 27, 2009
'Atlas Shrugged and Ayn Rand’s Morality of Egoism' Now Online
Because of the burgeoning internet discussion about Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged and her ethics of selfishness, I’ve posted an expanded, written version my campus talk “Atlas Shrugged and Ayn Rand’s Morality of Egoism” to the TOS website. A permanent link to the essay can be found on our “About” page.
Enjoy!
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Philosophy
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Financial Crisis: Free Markets as the Only Moral and Practical Solution
Who: Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Center
What: A talk followed by a Q&A
Where & When:
- Rice University, Houston, TX—March 31, 2009, 7:30pm
Keck Hall, Room 100 [map]
Contact: Manjari Narayan, rice.objectivism@hotmail.com - University of Texas, Austin, TX—April 2, 2009, 8:00pm
Jester Auditorium, Room 121A [map]
Contact: Alan McKendree, utobjectivism@gmail.com
These events are open to the public. Admission is FREE.
Description: Virtually everyone today regards the financial crisis as a failure of the free market. In this talk, Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, will argue that in fact it is the un-free market that has failed. It was not capitalism that held interest rates below the rate of inflation, spurring massive amounts of borrowing and a housing boom. It was not capitalism that gave us Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which promoted subprime lending and helped fuel the boom. It was not capitalism that gave us deposit insurance and the "too big to fail" doctrine, which encouraged risky financial practices.
These, and many anti-capitalist measures like them, Dr. Brook will argue, laid the groundwork for the financial crisis. The only cure, according to Dr. Brook, is to set the market free. But to do that, Americans must embrace capitalism as a moral system—one that should be defended without guilt.
For more information surrounding all ARI campus club talks, including detailed campus maps and campus club contact information, please visit www.aynrand.org/education_campus_calendar.
Please note: The above events is organized, hosted and sponsored by individual campus clubs. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Individual Rights and Law
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Monopoly Myth: The Case of Standard Oil
Who: Alex Epstein, analyst at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
What: A talk followed by a Q&A
Where & When:
- Duke University, Durham, NC—March 30, 2009, 12:15pm
Duke Law School Building, Room 3043 [map]
Contact: Beth Laughton, Elizabeth.Laughton@law.duke.edu - University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC—March 31, 2009, 7:00pm
Fretwell Building, Room 100 [map]
Contact: James Wadsworth, jwadswor@uncc.edu - University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA—April 1, 2009, 7:30pm
New Cabell Hall, Room 138 [map]
Contact: Sara Sherris, ss5dd@virginia.edu - University of Maryland, College Park, MD—April 2, 2009, 8:00pm
Adele H. Stamp Student Union, Benjamin Banneker Room [map]
Contact: David Crawford, david.crawford@gmail.com
These events are open to the public. Admission is FREE.
Description: America’s experiment with laissez-faire capitalism in the 1800s was a disaster, historians tell us, because businessmen used anticompetitive tactics to form giant, invincible monopolies. The textbook example of these evils of Big Business is John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust. In an era before government regulations and antitrust laws, the story goes, Rockefeller wielded market power to squelch innovative competitors and jack up consumer prices at will.
The textbooks need to be rewritten, argues Alex Epstein of the Ayn Rand Center. In his talk, Epstein tells the true story of Rockefeller’s rise to market dominance. Rockefeller’s success was not based on shady practices but on his company’s remarkable ability to bring the best oil to millions of Americans at the cheapest prices. Did Standard Oil abolish competition? Far from it. The company’s success actually made the oil market far more competitive, innovative, and productive. The story of Standard Oil, it turns out, does not reveal evils of Big Business but illustrates its great virtues.
For more information surrounding all ARI campus club talks, including detailed campus maps and campus club contact information, please visit www.aynrand.org/education_campus_calendar.
Bio: Alex Epstein has a BA in philosophy from Duke University and is an analyst focusing on business issues at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights.
Please note: The above events is organized, hosted and sponsored by individual campus clubs. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Objectivist Summer Conference 2009 early registration discounts expire soon!
We are writing to remind you that the deadline to take advantage of our deepest price reductions is just twelve days away.
Objectivist Summer Conference 2009 will take place from July 3 to July 11, 2009, bringing you nine days of social and intellectual stimulation that you'll find nowhere else during the year.
This summer's conference will be hosted at Boston's Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, known for its comfortable and enjoyable accommodations and meeting spaces. In the surrounding downtown area attendees can explore fine dining, shopping, and historical landmarks.
Recent months have poignantly demonstrated the importance of philosophy in human life, as current events seem to spring directly from the pages of Atlas Shrugged. As most Americans look towards government to rescue them, our speakers show what alternative solutions Ayn Rand's philosophy can offer to today's world with presentations such as "The Separation of Church and State," by Onkar Ghate; "Principled Leadership," by John Allison; “'Humanity’s Darkest Evil:' The Lethal Destructiveness of Non-Objective Law," by Tara Smith; "Free Minds and Free Markets," by Peter Schwartz; and "Property Rights—and Wrongs," by Thomas A. Bowden. Other stimulating topics will be available as well, including history, psychology, drama, epistemology, mathematics, and the nature and necessity of friendship. In all there will be ten general session lectures and sixteen optional courses. Attendees may register for the entire nine-day conference, or use à la carte registration options to choose those parts that best fit their schedule and budget.
As usual, we also bring you a variety of special events and social opportunities, including two different dance worshops (Swing and Salsa), our annual opening and closing banquets and a special Independence Day celebration.
We look forward to creating a unique and memorable conference in Boston, and we hope to see you there!
Discount reminder: Even if you missed out on our special advance-planning bonus this year, you can still claim early registration price incentives (price reductions available through March 31). Details are available on our registration options and pricing page.
For more information visit the Objectivist Conferences Web site.
Copyright © 2009 Second Renaissance, Inc. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Events
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Save 20 Percent on The Objective Standard now through March 27
TOS is offering a 20% discount on subscriptions to first-time subscribers through March 27, 2009. If you have considered subscribing to the Standard but have held off—or if you know anyone who has—now is the time to act. A one-year print subscription is only $47.20 (regularly $59), and a two-year print subscription is only $87.20 (regularly $109). Likewise, a one-year online-only subscription is only $39.20 (down from $49), and a two-year online-only subscription is only $71.20 (down from $89). These prices revert to regular rates after March 27.
Save now by clicking here.
And feel free to forward this information, or to post it on blogs, internet forums, Facebook, or the like.
Labels: Announcements
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Yaron Brook on Ayn Rand: A Triptych
1. If you’ve not yet read it, don’t miss Yaron Brook’s excellent op-ed “Is Rand Relevant?” in the Wall Street Journal. Here are the opening paragraphs:
Ayn Rand died more than a quarter of a century ago, yet her name appears regularly in discussions of our current economic turmoil. Pundits including Rush Limbaugh and Rick Santelli urge listeners to read her books, and her magnum opus, "Atlas Shrugged," is selling at a faster rate today than at any time during its 51-year history.
There's a reason. In "Atlas," Rand tells the story of the U.S. economy crumbling under the weight of crushing government interventions and regulations. Meanwhile, blaming greed and the free market, Washington responds with more controls that only deepen the crisis. Sound familiar?
The novel's eerily prophetic nature is no coincidence. "If you understand the dominant philosophy of a society," Rand wrote elsewhere in "Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal," "you can predict its course." Economic crises and runaway government power grabs don't just happen by themselves; they are the product of the philosophical ideas prevalent in a society—particularly its dominant moral ideas.
Read the whole thing here.
2. Brook expands on these points in his recent interview with The Objective Standard. Here’s an excerpt:
YB: Atlas Shrugged is not primarily a political novel. It is a novel about what happens to a world that denounces its best minds as greedy and immoral. It’s a novel about what happens when, instead of thanking and rewarding the brightest and most successful, a nation denounces, despises, and shackles them. It’s a novel about what happens when the best minds stop allowing that to happen. Whether this last aspect of the plot will play out in real life is yet to be seen, but the parallels to date are remarkable.
CB: What would you say is the fundamental reason for these parallels? What enabled Ayn Rand some fifty years ago to effectively project what we are witnessing today?
YB: Ayn Rand understood that ideas shape society. A society that values reason, the individual, and freedom creates the United States of America. A society that denounces the mind, preaches self-sacrifice, and worships the collective creates Nazi Germany.
Thus, once Rand identified the basic ideas driving American society in the 20th century, she could predict the course we would take. She could not predict the details, or the timing, but she could see where in principle a country committed to the ideas that prevail in the United States would have to end up—if it did not reject those ideas.
Above all, Ayn Rand understood that our culture’s dominant moral ideal, altruism, is incompatible with freedom.
Virtually no one in Rand’s time or today questions the precept that we are our brother’s keeper, that self-sacrificially serving others is good, and that being selfish is evil. What Rand saw was that this was irreconcilable with the vision of man as an independent, self-sufficient, sovereign being who deserves and requires freedom. If a society believes man’s duty is to sacrifice for others, then it cannot countenance capitalism—a political-economic system that enables and encourages men to pursue their own interests, their own profit, their own welfare.
The deepest reason Rand saw America as moving toward statism, however, was our deteriorating respect for reason. A culture that respects reason, such as the Enlightenment culture of the 18th century, will embrace a political system that leaves men free to exercise their own reason. But for more than a century now, our intellectuals have been preaching that reason is limited, that faith is superior to reason.
Read the whole TOS interview here.
3. Brook is interviewed on Pajamas TV, where he discusses the increasing sales and philosophical depth of Atlas Shrugged, the crucial role of bankruptcy, the statism of Alan Greenspan, the phenomenon of today’s “tea parties,” and the need of a moral revolution in support of capitalism.
Check out all three!
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Individual Rights and Law
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A Letter from Dr. Yaron Brook
Last November, in the wake of the election results and the mounting crisis in the financial markets, I wrote . . . that the months ahead could be a golden opportunity for ARI and for the advancement of Objectivism.
It appears that this opportunity is, in fact, upon us.
- Since the first of this year, sales of Atlas Shrugged have skyrocketed—selling at a rate three times that of the same period last year.
- CNBC’s Rick Santelli made headlines around the world with an impassioned call for resistance to Obama’s economic plans—making clear reference to Atlas Shrugged.
- On the radio, Rush Limbaugh has referred repeatedly to Atlas Shrugged in broadcasts to his tens of millions of listeners—and has applied the ideas of Atlas to the crisis we now face.
- Elsewhere, mentions of Ayn Rand and Atlas Shrugged in relation to the current economic and political mess exploded across cyberspace: from Instapundit to The Economist; from Forbes magazine to Michael Savage; and from Michelle Malkin to (of all places!) an online publication in Abu Dhabi, UAE. A U.S. Congressman even declared that “We’re living in Atlas Shrugged”—and gives copies of the novel to his interns. Even the New York Times felt compelled to report on the skyrocketing sales of Atlas Shrugged—as well as the so-called “Going Galt” phenomenon.
- Spontaneous protests, styled as “Tea Parties,” in the spirit of America’s original 18th-century tax revolt, have erupted across the country—some with protesters making specific references to Ayn Rand; more protests are planned.
In other words, people are looking for answers, as I noted last November. And they are beginning to see that those answers can be found only in Objectivism.
ARI and our Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights (ARC) in Washington, DC, have worked tirelessly to capitalize on this growing public discontent, and on the emerging public interest in Ayn Rand and her ideas.
- ARC’s special Web page on the financial crisis adds new, hard-hitting commentary weekly; the site has attracted thousands of online readers—many of whom are directed there by links from the pundits listed above;
- ARC’s new blog, Voices for Reason, has further strengthened our ability to issue rapid-response commentary on the news of the day.
- Three public lectures in Washington, under the aegis of ARC, have drawn more than 600 attendees—an extraordinary turnout!
- ARC is working right now to finalize several promising partnerships with think tanks, industry groups, policymakers, and media outlets. These are institutions and entities that are seeking us out, who are eager to learn the Objectivist perspective on the current crisis, and who are committed to working with us going forward.
- I have received a number of invitations from a variety of groups seeking to learn more about the Objectivist perspective on the current political and economic crisis. One notable event will be an appearance at the Virginia state GOP convention in May, when I will deliver a 30-minute address to more than five thousand Republican activists.
The magnitude of the crisis appears to have served as something of a “wake-up call”—at least for some Americans.
But with a growing number of citizens now roused, and aware of the need to change course, they need to understand not just the basic, summary “plot line” of Atlas Shrugged. They need to know the full story—the full, philosophical background behind the novel.
In short, what’s needed—and what only we can provide—is the philosophical foundation for this nascent but growing opposition to the toxic ideas that animate Congress and the administration. That foundation, of course, is Objectivism.
The opportunity we have at this moment in history is unprecedented. On the other hand, however, we do not know how much time we have. There is a very real risk that either:
- Public attention will turn elsewhere; or
- The economic and political situation will deteriorate beyond the point of no return.
Which is why, in conclusion, I am turning to you for your assistance.
Please help us to capitalize on this unprecedented opportunity. You can contribute right here and right now to help the ARC expand, and help us to get out the Objectivist message.
Your support will strengthen ARC’s media capabilities, our online presence; it will fund speakers and underwrite articles and publications; it will give us the resources to seek out and secure strategic alliances with organizations who are coming around to our point of view.
As I suggested might happen in November, people are looking for answers.
Better still, they are looking to us for answers.
At no point in recent history has there been such public interest in what Objectivism has to say on matters that affect the everyday life of Americans.
With your support, we will be able to take that public interest, give it a firm, philosophically sound foundation—a foundation rooted in individual rights and reason—and help lead and give direction to the growing public discontent.
Every day, we read accounts of bad economic developments—and of even worse political ones.
Given the dire news, we should consider the fact that not only is this an unprecedented opportunity for the advancement of Objectivism—and thus an American renaissance—but that it may be one of the last such opportunities that many of us will see in our lifetimes.
With that in mind, I thank you in advance for your consideration and support.
Sincerely,
Yaron Brook
President and Executive Director
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Individual Rights and Law
The Spring Issue of TOS
The print edition of the Spring issue is at press and will be mailed shortly; the online version will be accessible to subscribers beginning March 20. For promotional purposes, we are making “Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and the World Today: An Interview with Yaron Brook” and “Altruism: The Moral Root of the Financial Crisis” by Richard M. Salsman available early and to all.
The contents of the Spring issue are:
ARTICLES
Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged and the World Today
An Interview with Yaron BrookAmerica’s Unfree Market
by Yaron Brook and Don WatkinsAltruism: The Moral Root of the Financial Crisis
by Richard M. SalsmanLest We Be Doomed to Repeat It: A Survey of Amity Shlaes’s History of the Great Depression
by Ari ArmstrongOf Freedom and Fat: Why Anti-Obesity Laws Are Immoral
by Stella DailyHouston, We Have a (Zoning) Problem
by J. Brian PhillipsDoubt vs. Certainty
by Gena GorlinReligion vs. Subjectivism: Why Neither Will Do
by Craig BiddleBOOKS REVIEWED
Greenspan’s Bubbles: The Age of Ignorance at the Federal Reserve, by William A. Fleckenstein with Frederick Sheehan
Reviewed by Joe KroegerPredictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, by Dan Ariely
Reviewed by Eric DanielsConcierge Medicine: A New System to Get the Best Healthcare, by Steven D. Knope, MD
Reviewed by Michael Garrett, MD
If you have not yet subscribed to TOS, why not subscribe today? You can do so online or by calling 800-423-6151.
Enjoy!
Craig Biddle, Editor
The Objective Standard
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Healthcare, History, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Ayn Rand Center Launches New Blog: 'Voices for Reason'
Washington, D.C., February 9, 2009—Today, the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights has launched its blog Voices for Reason, where its experts will provide daily commentary on breaking news from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism.
According to Debi Ghate, vice president of Academic programs, “Every weekday, we will post new commentary on current events on topics such as the financial crisis, environmentalism, foreign policy, free speech, and property rights. We will also explore the principled solutions Ayn Rand’s philosophy offers for tackling today’s political, economic and cultural problems.
“It is our goal to make Voices for Reason the go-to source for our unique perspective on the most important news of the day and the state of our culture. Our writers will share their insights, evaluating current events using Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and laissez-faire capitalism as their guide.”
Voices for Reason will also carry announcements and updates from the Ayn Rand Center and the Ayn Rand Institute.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Monday, February 02, 2009
The Monopoly Myth: The Case of Standard Oil
Who: Alex Epstein, analyst at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
What: “The Monopoly Myth: The Case of Standard Oil” In this talk Epstein argues against antitrust law by illustrating the case of Standard Oil’s legal and moral rise to market dominance. A Q&A will follow.
Where: Zumberge Hall, Room 353 (ZHS 352)
Exposition Blvd and Trousdale Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089
When: Thursday, February 5, 2009, at 7:30 pm.
For maps and directions, click here: http://web-app.usc.edu/maps/
Description: Most of us were taught in school that laissez-faire capitalism was tried in the 1800s—and failed. Without government regulations and antitrust law, we learned, businessmen used "anti-competitive" tactics to become giant, unchallengeable monopolies. The most famous monopoly was John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Trust, which supposedly used its "market power" to squelch innovative competitors and jack up consumer prices at will.
But did this really happen? Did laissez-faire really fail? No, argues Alex Epstein of the Ayn Rand Center. In "The Monopoly Myth: The Case of Standard Oil," Epstein will tell the real story of Rockefeller's rise to market dominance—and explain how his success was the result not of shady practices, but of his company's incredible ability to bring the cheapest, best oil to millions of Americans.
Epstein will argue that the case of Standard Oil raises many questions about Americans' commonly held beliefs on monopolies, competition and government. Is antitrust law really necessary to protect us against monopolies and promote competition? Was the government right to punish Microsoft for "monopolization," and is it justified in investigating Google and Yahoo for "anti-competitive" behavior? Epstein will address these questions and more in his 45-minute talk, followed by a question-and-answer period.
Admission: FREE. Open to students and the public
Bio: Alex Epstein has a BA in philosophy from Duke University and is an analyst focusing on business issues at the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights.
For more information on this talk, please e-mail Sarah Jenevein at uscobjectivists@gmail.com.
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Set the Market Free: The Cure for the Financial Crisis
What: A talk arguing that the financial crisis was caused by the government and can be cured only by the free market. A Q&A will follow
Who: Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights
Where: Mary Graydon Center Building, Room 3. 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016
When: Wednesday, January 28, 2009, at 7 pm
Admission: FREE and open to students and the public
Description: Virtually everyone today regards the financial crisis as a failure of the free market. In this talk, Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, will argue that in fact it is the un-free market that has failed. It was not capitalism that held interest rates below the rate of inflation, spurring massive amounts of borrowing and a housing boom. It was not capitalism that gave us Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which promoted subprime lending and helped fuel the boom. It was not capitalism that gave us deposit insurance and the "too big to fail" doctrine, which encouraged risky financial practices. These, and many anti-capitalist measures like them, Dr. Brook will argue, laid the groundwork for the financial crisis. The only cure, according to Dr. Brook, is to set the market free. But to do that, Americans must embrace capitalism as a moral system--one that should be defended without guilt.
Bio: Dr. Yaron Brook is president and executive director of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights and a contributing editor of "The Objective Standard." A former finance professor, he has been published in academic as well as popular publications, and his opinion-editorials appear in major newspapers. He is frequently interviewed on national TV and radio. Dr. Brook lectures on Objectivism, business ethics and foreign policy at college campuses, community groups and corporations across America and throughout the world.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Individual Rights and Law
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
'The Financial Crisis: Causes and Possible Cures' By John Allison
The media, politicians, and even many businessmen have blamed today’s financial meltdown on capitalism. But in this talk, John Allison—the longest-tenured CEO of a top-25 financial services company—will argue that this crisis is a legacy of the government’s anti-capitalist policies.
Mr. Allison will use his unique inside view of the financial services industry to show how massive government intervention into the U.S. economy—from the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913 to a reckless crusade to encourage home-ownership—laid the groundwork for an unsustainable real estate boom. And he will show how the government’s response to the inevitable bust—a frenzied series of bailouts, nationalizations, and “stimulus” efforts—is only making things worse.
Finally, Mr. Allison will explain the underlying philosophical reasons for the crisis, and discuss the immediate and long-term solutions. He will show that capitalism, far from being the cause of today’s crisis, is its only cure.
Event Details:
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Doors open: 6 PM
Lecture and Q & A: 6:30 PM
National Building Museum—Great Hall [map]
401 F St NW
Washington, DC 20001
Red Line Metro, Judiciary Square
This event is free to the public. A video recording will later be posted on the ARC Web site.
John Allison is chairman of the board of BB&T Corporation. He began his service with BB&T in 1971, became president in 1987 and was elected chairman and CEO in 1989 (serving as CEO until the end of 2008). During Mr. Allison’s tenure, BB&T has grown from $4.5 billion to $137 billion in assets.
For information on other upcoming events, visit our events page.
To view video recordings of previous Lecture Series events, visit our Lecture Series Web page.
For more information:
Phone: 949-222-6550
E-mail: events@aynrandcenter.org
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Atlas Shrugged and the Financial Crisis
A radio interview with Alex Epstein on the Morning Magazine show, recorded on January 14, is now available online.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, The Arts
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Ayn Rand Institute Now Offering Impact Newsletter Free on the Web
Impact, which remains available in a print edition for ARI donors of $35 or more each year, delivers the latest news and progress reports on ARI’s programs, along with interviews of Objectivist intellectuals and monthly highlights of different aspects of Ayn Rand’s philosophy.
The new, free electronic format will serve as an excellent way of introducing newcomers to ARI’s goals and programs. Additionally, visitors may now view a three-part introductory video on ARI’s home page, which provides information about Ayn Rand, Objectivism, and the Ayn Rand Institute.
Copyright © 2009 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged: Celebrating the Best Within Us
What: A symposium offering contemporary perspectives on Ayn Rand's magnum opus, both as philosophy and as literature. All sessions will include question periods, and an open reception with the speakers will be held immediately afterwards.
Who: Speakers include Dr. Allan Gotthelf (University of Pittsburgh), Dr. Shoshana Milgram (Virginia Tech), Dr. Onkar Ghate (Ayn Rand Institute), and Jeff Britting (Associate Producer of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life").
When: Date: March 4, 2009, 4:00–6:30pm (reception follows)
Where: The University of Texas at Austin, ACES Auditorium (ACES 2.302)
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
For details, visit http://www.UTBBTChairObjectivism.com/ or email objectivism@austin.utexas.edu.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Events, The Arts
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
John David Lewis Speaking Twice in Israel
Who: John David Lewis, visiting associate professor of political science at Duke University
What:
- A talk on "The Defeat of Islamic Totalitarianism: A Proper Policy," at the Facing Jihad Conference, in Jerusalem, Sunday, December 14, at 10:30 a.m.
- A talk on "Israel's Moral Right to Exist," at Tel Aviv University, Monday, December 15, at 6:00 p.m.
These should be superb lectures, so if you are in Israel, be sure to attend.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Foreign Policy and War
Friday, December 05, 2008
The Forthcoming Issue of TOS
The print edition of the Winter issue of The Objective Standard is at press and will be mailed shortly; the online version will be accessible to subscribers beginning December 20. For promotional purposes, “Capitalism and the Moral High Ground” and “Reason or Faith: The Republican Alternative” are available early and to all.
The contents of the Winter issue are:
From the Editor
Letters & RepliesARTICLES
“Capitalism and the Moral High Ground” by Craig Biddle
“Reason or Faith: The Republican Alternative” by John David Lewis
“Net Neutrality: Toward a Stupid Internet” by Raymond C. Niles
“Bubble Boy: Alan Greenspan’s Rejection of Reason and Morality” by Gus Van Horn
“The Assault on Energy Producers” by Brian P. Simpson
“Demystifying Newton: The Force Behind the Genius” by Gena Gorlin
“Errors in Inductive Reasoning” by David HarrimanBOOKS REVIEWED
New Deal or Raw Deal? How FDR’s Economic Legacy Has Damaged America by Burton Folsom Jr. (reviewed by Eric Daniels)
Better Day Coming: Blacks and Equality, 1890–2000 by Adam Fairclough (reviewed by Gus Van Horn)
If you have not yet subscribed to TOS, you can do so online or by calling 800-423-6151. And the Standard makes a great Christmas gift for your active-minded friends, colleagues, and relatives. Everyone concerned with the future should be reading this journal today.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Business and Economics, Environmentalism, Foreign Policy and War, History, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Psychology, Science and Technology
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Menace of Pragmatism: How Aversion to Principle Is Destroying America
Who: Dr. Tara Smith, professor of philosophy at the University of Texas and speaker for the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights.
What: A talk explaining the influence and the destructive nature of pragmatism in our culture. A Q&A will follow.
Where: National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, 13th floor, Washington, DC 20045.
When: Monday, December 8, 2008, at 6:30 pm.
Admission: FREE. The public and media are invited.
Description:
Shouldn't we be pragmatic?
While Americans disagree vehemently about all manner of moral and political issues, beneath that disagreement rests the shared presumption that the way forward is always through moderation and compromise. In intellectual method—i.e., in our way of addressing problems and disagreements—Americans are united as pragmatists. Contrary to pragmatism’s image of reason and practical good sense, however, pragmatic methodology is actually self-destructive.
This talk explains what pragmatism is and the countless ways it is manifested across the cultural spectrum. It analyzes the major elements of pragmatism’s appeal as well as its fundamental errors. It also surveys the vast damage that pragmatic methods inflict, damage that is spiritual as well as material. Finally, the talk considers the most effective means of dethroning this pervasive—and destructive—mindset.
Bio: Tara Smith is a professor of philosophy at the University of Texas, where she currently holds the Anthem Foundation Fellowship for the Study of Objectivism. She is the author of the books Moral Rights and Political Freedom, Viable Values: A Study of Life as the Root and Reward of Morality, and Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist, as well as numerous articles.
For more information on this talk, please e-mail media@aynrandcenter.org.
### ### ###
Dr. Tara Smith is available for interviews now and after her talk.
Contact: David Holcberg
E-mail: media@aynrandcenter.org
Phone: (949) 222-6550, ext. 226
For more information on Objectivism’s unique point of view, go to ARC’s Web site. The Ayn Rand Center is a division of the Ayn Rand Institute and promotes the philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead.”
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Philosophy
Friday, November 14, 2008
Special Edition of G. Gordon Liddy Show on Ayn Rand
RadioAmerica’s G. GORDON LIDDY is devoting a SPECIAL BROADCAST of his nationally syndicated three-hour talk radio show to Ayn Rand, her philosophy, and understanding the current state of events through the lens of Objectivism.
The broadcast will air live on Monday, November 17, 2008, beginning at 10 a.m., Eastern Standard Time.
The Ayn Rand Center’s Yaron Brook, Onkar Ghate, Elan Journo, Thomas Bowden and Eric Daniels will be the exclusive guests for this extended broadcast. They will discuss the financial crisis, Bush’s claimed defense of capitalism, today’s challenges to free speech, and the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other topics.
The broadcast will air on 200 radio stations across the country as well as on XM satellite radio (on a delayed basis). Live streaming audio will be available on http://www.radioamerica.org/ or at http://www.radioamerica.org/PRG_ggordonliddy.htm.
G. Gordon Liddy encourages call-in questions from listeners across the country.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Monday, November 10, 2008
Financial Trauma: Causes and Possible Cures
What: A Lecture followed by Q & A
Who: Mr. John Allison, President and CEO of BB&T Corporation
When: November 19, 2008, 3:30 PM, Griffith Theatre, at the Bryan Center, Duke University (Directions)
The event is FREE and open to the public.
As the world struggles with the current financial crisis, we should listen to the executives of successful financial institutions. BB&T is such an institution.
Mr. Allison will outline the causes of today’s financial chaos, including the errors that led to the crisis. He will discuss the broader implications for the economy, including the effects on the housing and mortgage industries, and offer economic and political suggestions for both short-term and long-term cures.
John A. Allison became CEO of BB&T on July 7, 1989. At the end of 1989, BB&T was ranked 96th largest bank in the nation with $4.8 billion in assets. After 60 bank and thrift acquisitions, and the implementation of innovative training and measurement programs, the former eastern North Carolina farm bank has grown to become the nation’s 14th largest financial holding company. Assets have increased from $4.8 billion, when Allison began his tenure as CEO, to $137 billion today.
Sponsor: The Program on Values and Ethics in the Marketplace, Duke University
Contact: John Lewis, john.d.lewis@duke.edu
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events
Monday, October 27, 2008
McBama vs. America
What: A one-hour talk followed by a Q&A
Who: Craig Biddle, editor of The Objective Standard
Where: Hilton Costa Mesa, 3050 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, California (at Bristol and the 405 Freeway) [map]
When: October 29, 2008; Bookstore opens at 6:30 PM; Lecture begins at 7:30 PM and will be followed by a one-hour Q&A
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
Description: While John McCain and Barack Obama struggle to distinguish themselves in terms of particular promises, it is crucial for Americans to recognize that these candidates are indistinguishable in terms of fundamentals. In this talk, Craig Biddle, editor of The Objective Standard, examines the candidates’ platforms, identifies essential similarities among their proposals, and shows their aims to be manifestly at odds with the American ideal of individual rights. Mr. Biddle then zeros in on the purpose of government presumed by the candidates’ goals, shows this purpose to be an expression of a particular moral philosophy shared by these men and by most Americans, and demonstrates that this morality is the root cause of the abysmal alternative we now face. Finally, Mr. Biddle specifies the moral principles that Americans must grasp if we want to generate future candidates who will return government to its proper purpose of protecting our rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Individual Rights and Law
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Universal Health Care: The Cure or the Disease?
What: Informal debate between Professor Mark Kleiman (UCLA Department of Public Policy) and Dr. Peter LePort, M.D. (Ayn Rand Institute Board of Directors)
Where: UCLA Campus: Moore 100
When: Thursday, October 30, 2008, from 7 to 9 PM
FREE Admission
For maps and directions, click here: http://www.ucla.edu/map/
Health care has been an important issue in politics, especially in the last several years. Amidst much specific policy analysis and political quibbling over superficial issues, the fundamentals have been ignored: What are the underlying philosophic and economic considerations? Is universal health care moral? Does it achieve its stated goal? Is there an ethical and practical alternative?
Come hear Professor Mark Kleiman and Dr. Peter LePort answer your questions about the issue of universal health care.
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI. ARI does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and sessions offered.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Healthcare
Notice of Special Event: Mr. Flemming Rose on 'Free Speech in a Globalized World'
What: A Lecture by Mr. Flemming Rose, editor of Jyllands-Posten, publisher of the Danish Muhhamad cartoons, on "Free Speech in a Globalized World."
When: Thursday, October 30, 2008, 7:00 PM
Where: Page Auditorium, Duke University
In September 2005 the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published a series of cartoons depicting the Islamic figure Muhammad with images of terrorism. The newspaper's publishers stated that they wanted to bring issues of free speech and censorship forward into public awareness. The result was a firestorm of protest, ordered by clerics some weeks after the publication, that highlighted the seriousness of this issue. Over one hundred people were killed in the ensuing riots.
This event will be a unique opportunity to hear the cultural editor of this publication explain the decision to publish these cartoons, the issues at stake in the decision, and the meaning of the protests and the violence that followed. A Q&A will follow the talk.
Flemming Rose is a journalist with long experience in European, Russian, and American issues. He has been awarded the "Free Speech Award" from the Danish Free Press Society.
Web Site: www.committeeforfreespeech.com
Contact: John Lewis, Visiting Associate Professor of Political Science, Duke University, john.d.lewis@duke.edu
Labels: Announcements, Events, Foreign Policy and War, Individual Rights and Law
Friday, October 17, 2008
Capitalism: The Only Moral Social System
What: A one-hour talk followed by a Q&A
Who: Craig Biddle, editor of The Objective Standard and author of Loving Life: The Morality of Self-Interest and the Facts that Support It
Two Events:
University of Texas–Austin, Jester Auditorium, October 22, 8:00 pm
Rice University, Houston, Texas, 100 Herring Hall, October 23, 7:30 pm
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
Description: Capitalism is widely recognized as the practical social system because, wherever and to the extent that it is implemented, it leads to wealth and prosperity. But this same system is widely regarded as immoral because it enables people to act fully in their own self-interest—that is, to act on their own judgment and to keep, use, and dispose of the product of their own effort. This talk demonstrates why, far from making capitalism immoral, the fact that it enables everyone to act selfishly and own property is what makes it not only the most practical but also the only moral social system ever devised.
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although the Ayn Rand Center (ARC) provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARC. ARC does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and sessions offered.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Philosophy
Religion versus Morality
What: A talk followed by a Q&A
Who: Andrew Bernstein, professor of philosophy at Marist College
Where: Wilson Hall Room 301, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
When: October 22, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
Description: Conventionally, most people believe that morality can only be based in religious faith—that in a world without God no principles of right and wrong could exist. Related to this, philosophers have long held that no objective, fact-based, rational code of values is possible. Regarding both points, this talk shows that the exact opposite is true. The purpose of morality is to guide human life on earth—and religion is utterly incapable of it. Flourishing life requires a code of secularism, rationality, egoism and freedom. Religious faith clashes with every principle of a proper moral code, and, as such, has led, and can only lead to, hell on earth.
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI. ARI does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and sessions offered.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Philosophy, Religion
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Ayn Rand's Morality of Selfishness
What: A one-hour talk followed by a Q&A
Who: Craig Biddle, editor of The Objective Standard and author of Loving Life: The Morality of Self-Interest and the Facts that Support It
Where: Loshbaugh Hall, Rogers State University, Claremore, OK
When: October 20, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
Description: Ayn Rand’s morality of selfishness, or rational egoism, is a system of observation-based principles regarding the requirements of human life, personal happiness, social harmony, and political freedom. This talk introduces the principles of rational egoism; contrasts them with the creeds of altruism, hedonism, relativism, and predation; and shows why everyone who wants to live happily and freely must repudiate those alternatives and embrace the morality of rational self-interest.
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI. ARI does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and sessions offered.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Events, Philosophy
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Totalitarian Islam and the Threat to Free Speech
What: A panel discussion on the nature of totalitarian Islam and its threat to free speech, followed by a Q&A
Who: Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute; Daniel Pipes, director of the Middle East Forum; and Flemming Rose, cultural editor of the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten
Where: Ward One, Auditorium One, American University, Washington, D.C.
When: Thursday, October 23, 2008, at 6 pm
Admission is FREE and open to the public.
Description: What is the nature of totalitarian Islam—is it limited to terrorism or is it a broader movement? Are non-Muslims its only victims? Who precisely is the enemy? Does the West bear responsibility for creating this movement? What policies can defeat it?
Defenders of Islam around the world have striven to silence critics with threats, protests and acts of violence. How should the West respond to demands for censorship, as in the Danish cartoon controversy?
Panelists will address these critical issues in a lively discussion.
Bios:
Dr. Yaron Brook is executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute and a recognized Middle East expert who has written and lectured on a variety of Middle East issues. Dr. Brook has discussed the Israeli-Arab conflict and the war on Islamic totalitarianism on hundreds of radio and TV programs, including FOX News, CNN, and a C-SPAN panel of experts on terrorism.
Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum. Abroad, he appears weekly in Israel’s Jerusalem Post, Italy’s l’Opinione, Spain’s La Razón and monthly in Canada’s Globe and Mail. His Web site, DanielPipes.org, is one of the most accessed Internet sources of specialized information on the Middle East and Islam. Mr. Pipes has appeared on ABC World News, CBS Reports, Crossfire, Good Morning America, NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Nightline, The O’Reilly Factor, The Today Show, the BBC and Al-Jazeera.
Flemming Rose is a Danish journalist, author and the cultural editor at the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. In September 2005 Mr. Rose commissioned a series of cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad. He was concerned about the tendency toward self-censorship in Europe and some Muslims’ insistence on special treatment of their religious sensitivities in the public domain, which he wanted to bring forward for debate. The backlash from Muslims around the world caused an international crisis and the Danish government experienced its worst foreign policy crisis since the Nazi occupation during WWII.
For more information: e-mail media@aynrand.org
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI. ARI does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and sessions offered.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Foreign Policy and War, Individual Rights and Law, Religion
CSG on Colorado's Amendment 48
Announcing the Coalition for Secular Government's new web site on Colorado's Amendment 48:
Amendment 48 is the ballot measure that would define a fertilized egg as a person with full legal rights in the Colorado constitution. (Read the full text.) If passed and implemented, it would pose a grave threat to the life, liberty, health, and happiness of the women and men of Colorado.
- Amendment 48 would make abortion first-degree murder, except perhaps to save the woman's life. First-degree murder is defined in Colorado law as deliberately causing the death of a "person," a crime punished by life in prison or the death penalty. So women and their doctors would be punished with the severest possible penalty under law for terminating a pregnancy—even in cases of rape, incest, and fetal deformity.
- Amendment 48 would ban any form of birth control that might sometimes prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus—including the birth control pill, morning-after pill, and IUD. The result would be many more unintended pregnancies and unwanted children in Colorado.
- Amendment 48 would ban in vitro fertilization because the process usually creates more fertilized eggs than can be safely implanted in the womb. So every year, hundreds of Colorado couples would be denied the joy of a child of their own.
Amendment 48 would have severe legal consequences for Colorado. Men and women would be legally bound to sacrifice themselves for the sake of a zygote—even before it implants in the womb, even before it develops any recognizable human form, even before it has any capacity for awareness. The people of Colorado would be forced to sacrifice themselves based on the faith-based fiction that zygote is the equal of a born baby.
The common claim that "life begins at conception" cannot justify Amendment 48. The fact that something is human and alive does not make it a person.
Every cell in our body is both human and alive, yet we don't worry about giving blood for testing or scraping off a few skin cells in a fall. A fertilized egg is distinctive because, in addition to being alive and human, it might develop into a born baby given the right conditions. What supporters of Amendment 48 cannot show, however, is that a potential baby has the moral status of an actual baby. The difference between them is enormous.
An embryo or fetus is wholly dependent on the woman for its basic life-functions. It goes where she goes, eats what she eats, and breathes what she breathes. It lives as an extension of her body, contained within and dependent on her for its survival. It is only a potential person, not an actual person. That situation changes radically at birth. The newborn baby exists as a distinct organism, separate from his mother. Although still very needy, he lives his own life. He is a person—and individual. His life must be protected as a matter of right.
Consequently, when a woman chooses to terminate a pregnancy she does not violate the rights of any person. Instead, she is exercising her own rights over her own body—likely in pursuit of her own health, well-being, and happiness. Amendment 48 would destroy those rights in Colorado.
For a detailed analysis of Amendment 48, download and read the Coalition for Secular Government's issue paper by Ari Armstrong and Diana Hsieh:
"Amendment 48 Is Anti-Life: Why It Matters That a Fertilized Egg Is Not a Person"
Amendment 48 is based on sectarian religious dogma, not objective science or philosophy. It is a blatant attempt to impose theocracy in Colorado. Please vote NO on 48!
For more information, visit: http://ColoradoVoteNo48.com
—Diana Hsieh
Coalition for Secular Government
The Coalition for Secular Government advocates government solely based on secular principles of individual rights. The protection of a person's basic rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness—including freedom of religion and conscience—requires a strict separation of church and state.
Labels: Announcements, Individual Rights and Law, Religion, Science and Technology
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Capitalism Without Guilt: The Moral Case for Freedom
What: A talk inaugurating the Ayn Rand Center’s Speaker Series
Who: Dr. Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Center
Where: National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, DC [map & directions]
When: Wednesday, October 22, 2008; Doors open: 6 PM; Lecture and Q & A: 6:30 PM; Reception to follow
This event is open to the public. Admission is FREE.
Description: Capitalism has an undisputed record of wealth generation, yet it has always functioned under a cloud of moral suspicion. In a culture that venerates Mother Teresa as a paragon of virtue, businessmen sit in stoic silence while their pursuit of profits is denounced as selfish greed.
Society tells businessmen to sacrifice, to serve others, to “give back”—counting on their acceptance of self-interest as a moral crime, with chronic guilt its penance. Is it any wonder that productive giants from John D. Rockefeller to Bill Gates have behaved as if profit-making leaves a moral stain that only tireless philanthropy can launder but never fully remove?
It is time America heard the moral case for laissez-faire capitalism.
Two centuries ago the Founding Fathers established a nation based on the individual’s rights to life, liberty, property—and the selfish pursuit of his own happiness. But neither the Founders nor their successors could properly defend self-interest and the profit motive in the face of moral denunciation. The result has been a slow destruction of freedom in America, leading us to today’s economic mess.
In this inaugural lecture celebrating the launch of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, in Washington, D.C., Executive Director Yaron Brook will demonstrate how Ayn Rand’s revolutionary ethics of rational self-interest supplied the moral foundation that previous proponents of capitalism lacked. Dr. Brook will explain why individual rights are crucial for capitalism’s survival—why productivity and profit, the “selfish greed” that conservatives abhor, are not vices but cardinal virtues. He will explain why Americans must reject McCain/Obama-style “national service” and instead proudly embrace the radical individualism their lives and happiness require.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Events, Individual Rights and Law
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Islamic Totalitarianism’s Threat to Civilization
What: A panel discussion about the nature of Islamic totalitarianism and how to defeat it. A Q&A will follow.
Who: Dr. Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute, and Dr. Wafa Sultan, outspoken critic of Islam
Where: HIB (Humanities Instructional Building), Room 100, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
When: Monday, October, 13, 2008, at 7 pm
This event is open to the public. Admission is FREE.
Description: From the Iranian hostage crisis to September 11 to the London subway attacks to the Iraqi insurgency–it is clear the West faces a grave threat from a committed enemy. Conventional wisdom holds that the enemy is a rogue group of fanatics, who have hijacked a great religion in order to justify their crimes. It tells us there is no way to permanently eliminate these violent groups, that we have entered an “age of terror” and that we must give up the desire for a decisive victory . . . but is the conventional wisdom right?
Bios:
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Dr. Yaron Brook is executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute and a recognized Middle East expert who has written and lectured on a variety of Middle East issues. Dr. Brook has served in the Israeli Army and has discussed the Israeli-Arab conflict and the war on Islamic totalitarianism on numerous radio and TV programs, including FOX News, CNN and a C-SPAN panel of experts on terrorism.
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Dr. Wafa Sultan is a secular Syrian-American writer and thinker, best known for her participation in Middle East political debates, widely circulated Arabic essays and television appearances on CNN, FOX News and Al-Jazeera. She named the Islamic threat to the West as “a battle between modernity and barbarism which Islam will lose.” Her outspokenness has brought her both threats and praise. Dr. Sultan is currently working on a book to be titled “The God that Hates.”
For more information: e-mail media@aynrand.org
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Dr. Yaron Brook is available for interviews now and after this event.
Contact: Larry Benson
E-mail: media@aynrand.org
Phone: (949) 222-6550, ext. 213
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI. ARI does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and sessions offered.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Foreign Policy and War, Religion
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
The Ayn Rand Center Responds to the Financial Crisis
Americans are now facing an historic economic crisis. What was the cause? What is the cure? How do we prevent it from happening again?
While pundits and politicians blame the current housing and financial crisis on "greedy" businessmen and lax regulators, and are frantically urging the government to expand its control over our economic lives, the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights has launched a new Web page to defend a different view—that the actual cause of the crisis is government intervention, and the only cure, laissez-faire capitalism.
We invite you to check out our collection of essays, op-eds, lectures, and interviews arguing for a rational approach to this crisis—an approach you will not find anywhere else.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Center for Individual Rights. All rights reserved.
Op-eds, press releases and letters to the editor produced by the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights are submitted to hundreds of newspapers, radio stations and Web sites across the United States and abroad, and are made possible thanks to voluntary contributions.
If you would like to help support ARC's efforts, please make an online contribution at http://www.aynrandcenter.org/support.
This release is copyrighted by the Ayn Rand Center, and cannot be reprinted without permission except for noncommercial, self-study or educational purposes. We encourage you to forward this release to friends, family, associates or interested parties who would want to receive it for these purposes only. Any reproduction of this release must contain the above copyright notice. Those interested in reprinting or redistributing this release for any other purposes should contact media@aynrandcenter.org. This release may not be forwarded to media for publication.
The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, 555 12th Street NW, Suite 620 N, Washington, DC 20004
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Individual Rights and Law
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Looming Crisis over Free Speech
What: A lecture examining the escalating censorship in America and explaining what is needed to protect our freedom of speech
Who: Eric Daniels, research assistant professor at Clemson University’s Institute for the Study of Capitalism
Where: 101 Morgan Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720
When: Monday, October 6, 2008, 7 pm
Description: In this lecture, Dr. Daniels examines the state of free speech in America and finds that it is under serious threat. From campus speech codes to anti-discrimination and harassment law, from campaign finance to commercial speech, Americans today enjoy less and less freedom in communicating their ideas. Today’s colleges and universities have become a hotbed of censorship, producing generations of Americans who have accepted suppression of speech as the norm. Daniels argues that the emerging crisis is a result of the lack of a proper understanding of individual rights, especially property rights. Only by understanding the proper basis of rights can we act to secure our freedom of speech and to protect the rights that give rise to it.
Bio: Dr. Eric Daniels is a research assistant professor at Clemson University’s Institute for the Study of Capitalism. He has lectured internationally on American history, particularly on American intellectual history, business history and political history. He taught for five years at Duke University's Program on Values and Ethics in the Marketplace, where he was nominated for a university-wide teaching award. Dr. Daniels was a contributor to the recently published Oxford Companion to United States History, and wrote a chapter in The Abolition of Antitrust. He has appeared on C-SPAN and Voice of America Radio.
For more information on this lecture, please e-mail media@aynrand.org.
### ### ###
Eric Daniels is available for interviews now and after his lecture.
Contact: Larry Benson
E-mail: media@aynrand.org
Phone: (949) 222-6550, ext. 213
For more information on Objectivism’s unique point of view, go to ARI’s Web site. The Ayn Rand Institute promotes the philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.
Please note: The above event is organized, hosted and sponsored by an individual campus club. Although ARI provides financial support, educational materials and speakers for eligible student clubs, campus clubs are organizations independent of ARI. ARI does not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and sessions offered.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Events, Individual Rights and Law
Urgent Call to Action: EPA Threatens Your Life
From John Lewis and Paul Saunders
To all Americans:
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
On July 11, 2008 the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR). This document details how the EPA intends to claim unlimited power over the life of every American.
The EPA action follows a US Supreme Court Decision ruling that defined carbon dioxide as a "pollutant." This ruling defies logic, nature, and common sense. The Canadian Government has openly declared that carbon dioxide is a vital "nutrient"—without it, plants die. It is a natural compound that we exhale. It has always existed in nature, often at far higher levels than today. If carbon dioxide is a pollutant, then all human life is pollution.
In response to the Supreme Court ruling, President Bush issued Executive Order # 13432 (May, 2007) directing the EPA, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Energy “to ensure the coordinated and effective exercise of the authorities of the President and the heads of the [DOT], the Department of Energy, and [EPA] to protect the environment with respect to greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles, nonroad vehicles, and nonroad engines . . ."
The EPA's document starts with a clear warning that using the Clean Air Act to regulate CO2 will lead to uncontrollable growth of the agency’s power:
"EPA’s analyses leading up to this ANPR have increasingly raised questions of such importance that the scope of the agency’s task has continued to expand. For instance, it has become clear that if EPA were to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act, then regulation of smaller stationary sources that also emit GHGs [Greenhouse Gases]—such as apartment buildings, large homes, schools, and hospitals—could also be triggered. One point is clear: the potential regulation of greenhouse gases under any portion of the Clean Air Act could result in an unprecedented expansion of EPA authority that would have a profound effect on virtually every sector of the economy and touch every household in the land." (ANPR p. 5)
The ANPR also includes the following, in a comment by the Department of Agriculture:
"many of the emissions are the result of natural biological processes that are as old as agriculture itself. For instance, technology does not currently exist to prevent the methane produced by enteric fermentation associated with the digestive processes in cows and the cultivation of rice crops; the nitrous oxide produced from the tillage of soils used to grow crops; and the carbon dioxide produced by soil and animal agricultural respiratory processes. The only means of controlling such emissions would be through limiting production, which would result in decreased food supply and radical changes in human diets." (ANPR pp. 66-67)
Under these rules, the EPA will have the power to ration food production, to approve its content, and to control its distribution.
This is only the tip of an iceberg of massive government power, about to be unleashed against every American. The EPA intends, for instance, to take authority over transportation—including motor vehicle emissions testing, shipping, and railroads; to assume local building permit authority; to set emissions standards for lawnmowers; and to regulate nearly two and a half million buildings with natural gas heating..
To make matters worse, the U.S. Senate is now considering a bill, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007 and 2008: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-2191.This bill will add the following to the powers of the EPA:
- establish a Climate Registry, a bureaucracy to “collect high-quality greenhouse gas emission data” (Sec 1102)
- require business owners and operators to submit an “emission allowance” or offset credit for their emissions, with compliance determined by the EPA Administrator, who shall “establish and distribute . . . emission allowances” and set the penalties for non-compliance (Sec 1202). All natural gas emissions will be included (Sec 1204)
- establish a Domestic Offset Program, to “promulgate regulations authorizing the issuance and certification of offset allowances.” Project owners must “register emissions under the Federal Greenhouse Gas Registry” (Sec. 2402)
- establish a Carbon Market Efficiency Board, to set the quantity of emission allowances, the period of paybacks for an allowance, the interest rate at which an emission allowance may be borrowed, etc. (Sec. 2602-2604)
- establish "as a nonprofit corporation without stock, a corporation to be known as the `Climate Change Credit Corporation'," that “shall not be considered to be an agency or establishment of the Federal Government” (Sec 4201) This "corporation" will hold life and death power over every business in the United States.
The Lieberman-Warner Senate bill, and its equivalent in the U.S. House of Representatives, are not part of the EPA document, and not part of the EPA request for comment. But such legislation is part of the total environmentalist political agenda. It gives us an idea what is coming if we do not make our voices heard and end these plans to destroy our freedom and our lives.
We condemn and oppose all such outrageous attacks on American life, liberty, and property.
THE EPA HAS INVITED PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITS "ADVANCE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING."
To make our voices heard, we have transmitted a letter with comments to the EPA. We urge you to do the same.
We invite you to:
1. READ OUR COVER LETTERTO THE EPA, WHICH STATES OUR SIX REASONS FOR CATEGORICALLY OPPOSING THE EPA'S PROPOSED RULES:
2. READ OUR COMMENTS TO THE EPA, "THE EPA'S ADVANCE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RUINATION," WHICH FURTHER EXPLAINS OUR POSITION:
For a longer exposition of the reasons behind these comments, see the article by John David Lewis, "History, Politics, and Claims to Man-made Global Warming," forthcoming in the journal Social Philosophy and Policy vol. 26 no. 2; to be published as an edited volume "Environmentalism," edited by Ellen-Fraenkel Paul, Jeff Paul, and Fred Miller (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming).
3. READ THE EPA DOCUMENT (HERE ARE SOME EXCERPTS) AND ASK YOURSELF: DO YOU AGREE? IF SO, THEN SEND YOUR OWN LETTER TO THE EPA!
4. GO TO OUR SAMPLE LETTER, WHICH YOU MAY COPY, EDIT, AND SIGN—OR EXPRESS YOUR OWN VIEWS IN YOUR OWN LETTER.
IMPORTANT!!—Identify your comments as: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0318
5. SEND YOUR LETTER, EMAIL, OR WEB COMMENTS TO THE EPA.
Here's a link for submitting comments: http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComme...
Here's where one can view comments already submitted:http://www.regulations.gov/search/search_results.jsp?css=0&&Ntk=All&N...
Or, send your comments by one of the following methods:
- www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
- Email: A-and-R-Docket@epamail.epa.gov
- Fax: 202-566-9744
- Mail:
Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center
Environmental Protection Agency
Mailcode: 2822T
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC 20460.
6. COMMENTS ARE DUE BEFORE NOVEMBER 11, 2008.
If these plans are not stopped, we may eke out our lives chewing the equivalent of Ma Chalmers’ moldy soybeans.
Ma Chalmers is a character in Ayn Rand's epic novel Atlas Shrugged (NY: Signet, 1996), 858, 862. Because government bureaucrats had taken control of all transportation, and arbitrarily decided that soybeans were more important than the wheat crop of Minnesota, that wheat crop—vital to human survival—was left to rot. Millions of dollars in tax money had been given to Ma Chalmers' "Project Soybean," a sociological project intended to change people's behavior, “for the purpose of reconditioning the dietary habits of the nation.” A bureaucrat explained the government's action: “Well, after all, it is a matter of opinion whether wheat is essential to a nations' welfare—there are those of more progressive views who feel that the soybean is, perhaps, of far greater value [than grain]." As a result, the wheat rotted and the soybeans were too moldy to eat.
SOURCES CITED:
The ANPR: Environmental Protection Agency, “Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,” 40 CFR Chapter I [EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0318; FRL-8694-2] RIN 2060-AP12, “Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions under the Clean Air Act.” Signed by the EPA Administrator July 11, 2008: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/ANPRPreamble.pdf.
The Supreme Court Decision: Massachusetts et al. V. Environmental Protection Agency et al. Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit No. 05–1120. Decided April 2, 2007: http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=21106.
The Supreme Court decision and the Executive Order are discussed in the ANPR, pages 78-83.
The Canadian Government statement on carbon dioxide is by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, which advised that "growers should regard CO2 as a nutrient." Studies have shown that plants suffer and die when CO2 falls below 200 parts per million. The present level is about 380 ppm. Early in the Earth's history, CO2 has been as high as 5,000 ppm. Plant life grew vigorously when levels were between 2,000 and 1,000 ppm.
Labels: Announcements, Environmentalism, Individual Rights and Law
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Urgent: Oppose Bailout of Wall Street Now
Despite enormous citizen opposition to the proposed $700 billion bailout of Wall Street, U.S. lawmakers are reviewing a tentative agreement to pass it, and the House and Senate likely will vote tomorrow. This proposal is an outrage, and Americans who value liberty must oppose it in the strongest terms possible.
I urge you to write your elected officials and the presidential candidates now. Tell them that supporting this bill is an obscene dereliction of responsibility and a travesty of justice, and let them know that you will forever condemn any and all politicians who support it.
You can contact elected officials using this website. Here is the basic text of a letter I sent out yesterday, which I modified per varying contexts. You are welcome to use this text as is or modify it as you see fit.
Dear [elected official]:
I and other Americans will forever condemn any and all politicians who vote for or in any way support a bailout of Wall Street.
Every thinking American knows that the cause of this catastrophe was government intervention in the economy via the Federal Reserve, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Community Reinvestment Act, etc. The notion that more government intervention will solve the problem is absurd, and to act on that notion would be an obscene dereliction of responsibility and a travesty of justice.
The only sound solution to this problem is for the government to acknowledge that its intervention is the fundamental cause of the situation, and, correspondingly, to remove its hands from the economy and let the market correct itself via bankruptcy procedures, liquidations, takeovers, etc. This would lead to a highly volatile market for a brief time, but the market would quickly reallocate assets to those who are most competent, and the economy would begin to recover.
This is not rocket science; it is economics 101, and Americans know it. Don’t test us.
Sincerely,
Craig Biddle
[address]
[phone number]
Labels: Announcements, Business and Economics, Individual Rights and Law
Thursday, September 04, 2008
The Forthcoming Issue of TOS
The print edition of the Fall issue of The Objective Standard is at press and will be mailed shortly; the online version will be accessible to subscribers beginning September 20. For promotional purposes, “McBama vs. America” and “The Mystical Ethics of the New Atheists” are available early and to all.
The contents of the Fall issue are:
ARTICLES
“McBama vs. America” by Craig Biddle“The Resurgence of Big Government” by Yaron Brook
“The Mystical Ethics of the New Atheists” by Alan Germani
“Mandatory Health Insurance: Wrong for Massachusetts, Wrong for America” by Paul Hsieh
“Deeper Than Kelo: The Roots of the Property Rights Crisis” by Eric Daniels
“The Menace of Pragmatism” by Tara Smith
“How the FDA Violates Rights and Hinders Health” by Stella Daily
BOOKS REVIEWED
Mugged by Reality: The Liberation of Iraq and the Failure of Good Intentions, by John Agresto (reviewed by Elan Journo)Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein (reviewed by Eric Daniels)
The Terrorist Watch: Inside the Desperate Race to Stop the Next Attack, by Ronald Kessler (reviewed by Joe Kroeger)
The Tyranny of the Market: Why You Can’t Always Get What You Want, by Joel Waldfogel (reviewed by Eric Daniels)
First into Nagasaki: The Censored Eyewitness Dispatches on Post-Atomic Japan and Its Prisoners of War, by George Weller (reviewed by John David Lewis)
If you have not yet subscribed to TOS, there is no time like now. You can subscribe online or by calling 800-423-6151. Everyone concerned with the future should be reading this journal today.
Labels: Announcements, Foreign Policy and War, Individual Rights and Law, Philosophy, Religion
Monday, August 18, 2008
Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights to Open in Washington, D.C.
Irvine, CA—The Ayn Rand Institute is preparing to launch its new public policy and media center, the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, which will open later this year in Washington, D.C. The Center's Web site has already been launched, and can be visited at http://www.aynrandcenter.org/.
The Ayn Rand Center is named after author and philosopher Ayn Rand (1905-1982), who is best known for her novels “The Fountainhead” and “Atlas Shrugged,” and for her original philosophy Objectivism.
According to Dr. Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute, "The Ayn Rand Center's mission is to advance individual rights—the rights of each person to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness—as the moral basis for a fully free, laissez-faire capitalist society."
Toward this end, the Ayn Rand Center will promote the philosophical case for individual rights and laissez-faire capitalism to the public policy and business communities, the media, the general public, and elected officials and their staffs.
Among its various activities, the Ayn Rand Center will sponsor writing and research; create audio and video commentaries; provide experts to discuss current issues in the media; host public events, talks, lectures, forums, panel discussions, and debates; offer programs to businessmen; reach out to policymakers; and assist victims of governmental abuse in their efforts to defend themselves on moral grounds. The Ayn Rand Center will also produce articles, op-eds, press releases and letters to the editor, all of which were formerly produced by the Ayn Rand Institute.
"We are confident," said Dr. Brook, "that the Ayn Rand Center will be instrumental in establishing a future society in which each individual is left free to think and to act on his own best judgment, in which production and profit are seen as virtuous, and in which government is strictly limited to a single function: protecting the legitimate rights of its citizens."
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Ayn Rand Institute experts are available for interviews on this topic.
Contact: Larry Benson
E-mail: media@aynrand.org
Phone: (949) 222-6550, ext. 213
For more information on Objectivism's unique point of view, go to ARI's Web site. Founded in 1985, the Ayn Rand Institute promotes the philosophy of Ayn Rand, author of "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead."
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Individual Rights and Law
Sunday, August 10, 2008
$43,000 to Winners of 'The Fountainhead' Essay Contest
Irvine, CA—High school senior Ryan Holley, from Burlington, IA, is the winner of the Ayn Rand Institute's annual "Fountainhead" essay contest, for which he received a prize of $10,000.
Open to high school juniors and seniors, the "Fountainhead" essay contest requires contestants to write on one of several topics dealing with the characters and themes in the novel. The contest is designed to promote critical thinking and writing skills. Essays are judged on both style and content.
The following students have won this year's second and third prizes:
Second-Prize Winners ($2,000):
- Shea Levy, 12th Grade, New York, NY
- Kristen Liu, 12th Grade, Warrensburg, MO
- Sarah Magill, 12th Grade, Aravada, CO
- Matthew Noakes, 11th Grade, Modesto, CA
- Stasey Vishnevetsky, 12th Grade, New Haven, CT
Third-Prize Winners ($1,000):
- Michael Bruner, 12th Grade, Ames, IA
- Nathan Doan, 12th Grade, Elizabethtown, PA
- Michael Harris, 11th Grade, Burbank, CA
- Yameen Huq, 12th Grade, Cumming, GA
- Jessica Hwang, 11th Grade, Columbia, MO
- David Kurz, 12th Grade, Smithsburg, MD
- Jade Lawrence, 12th Grade, Fallbrook, CA
- Molly Ma, 11th Grade, Richmond, VA
- Madeline Magnuson, 11th Grade, Idaho Falls, ID
- Raphael Pond, 12th Grade, Westminster, MD
In addition to the $30,000 awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, other finalists and semifinalists received a total of $13,000.
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First published in 1943, "The Fountainhead" offers the vision of a totally independent man, architect Howard Roark, who stands against society's conventions.
Since 1985 a total of more than 190,000 high school students from around the world have entered ARI essay contests. This year, more than 5,000 students submitted their essays on "The Fountainhead."
Each year ARI awards more than $57,000 in prizes to high school students and has given away more than a half a million dollars to contest winners during the past 23 years.
Information about next year's competition can be found at http://aynrand.org/contests.
Media inquiries: media@aynrand.org 949-222-6550, ext 213
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Education
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Institute Announces Two New Web Sites
The Ayn Rand Institute is pleased to announce the complete redesign of its WEBSITE. The site’s new look reflects a reorganization designed to increase ease of navigation. The site has also been supplemented with many new pages of written, audio and video content.
ARI also announces the simultaneous launch of a NEW WEBSITE, dedicated to the work of its new public policy and media center. The Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights, which opens later this year in Washington, D.C., will promote the philosophical case for individual rights and laissez-faire capitalism to the public policy and business communities, the media, the general public and elected officials and their staffs. The Ayn Rand Center’s Web site features topical categories that will make it easier than ever to locate relevant ARI commentaries and materials by Ayn Rand and other authors. And by clicking on a “Participate” button, users can find information on how to support ARI’s activities through personal activism.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Announcing AtlasShrugged.com
The Ayn Rand Institute is very pleased to announce AtlasShrugged.com, a major new Web site dedicated to Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand's great novel about the mysterious disappearance of the world's greatest innovators and industrialists.
AtlasShrugged.com has been created to be the Web's most comprehensive and insightful companion site to the novel. For new readers, it offers an introduction to the book and its themes; and for those already familiar with Atlas Shrugged, the site offers an unprecedented wealth of analysis and commentary to help them understand the book better, along with background information about Ayn Rand and her life.
Now in print for more than fifty years, Atlas Shrugged today sells well over 125,000 copies each year, even more than it sold at the peak of its initial publication run when it was a best-seller. More and more people are reporting the book's profound influence on their lives. Visit atlasshrugged.com to see why!
Browse AtlasShrugged.com.
Copyright © 2008 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, The Arts
Friday, December 21, 2007
Winter Issue of The Objective Standard
The print edition of the Winter issue of TOS has been mailed, and the online version has been posted to our website. The contents of the Winter issue are:
Moral Health Care vs. “Universal Health Care”
by Lin Zinser and Paul HsiehInstrumentalism and the Disintegration of American Tort Law
by David Littel“Gifts from Heaven”: The Meaning of the American Victory over Japan, 1945
by John David Lewis
Although the Fall 2007 issue has sold out, other back issues are still available and can be ordered from our back issues page. Also, just in time for Christmas giving, we’ve reduced the price of the Standard-Bearer subscription by 15%—a package of five print-edition gift subscriptions is now only $250. That’s a bargain on the gift of objectivity for five good friends.
Merry Christmas!
Labels: Announcements
Friday, December 07, 2007
The Forthcoming Issue of TOS
Dear Subscribers and Friends of The Objective Standard,
The print edition of the Winter issue is at press and will be mailed shortly; the online version will be accessible to subscribers beginning December 20. For promotional purposes, we are making Lin Zinser and Paul Hsieh’s “Moral Health Care vs. ‘Universal Health Care’” available early and to all.
The contents of the Winter issue are:
Moral Health Care vs. “Universal Health Care”
by Lin Zinser and Paul HsiehInstrumentalism and the Disintegration of American Tort Law
by David Littel“Gifts from Heaven”: The Meaning of the American Victory over Japan, 1945
by John David Lewis
Here’s a thought: Your Christmas shopping could be done in minutes—and it could change a worldview for life. A subscription to The Objective Standard is the perfect gift for your active-minded friends and relatives. The journal presupposes no specialized knowledge and will be appreciated by anyone with an interest in cultural or political issues. While supplies last, we can even provide recipients with the complete set of back issues (some of which will soon be sold out).
Enjoy the Winter issue and the holidays, and please continue spreading the word about the journal for people of reason.
Yours,
Craig Biddle, Editor
The Objective Standard
Labels: Announcements
Monday, November 05, 2007
Justice on the Web
Gus Van Horn, one of the best bloggers on the Web, is leading in the final polling of the 2007 Weblog Awards in the “Best of the Top 6751–8750 Blogs” category. Gus deserves this and much more, so vote, vote, vote this year (you can vote every 24 hours), and let’s see if we can ratchet up the justice next year. The polls close on November 8, so vote now.
Labels: Announcements
Friday, October 26, 2007
The Ayn Rand Lexicon: now available free on the Web!
Irvine, CA—Through a special arrangement with the publisher, the editor and the Estate of Ayn Rand, ARI has received exclusive permission to present The Ayn Rand Lexicon—now available in its entirety, free of charge, to Web visitors. Edited by Harry Binswanger, and with an introduction by Leonard Peikoff, this important book presents all of the key ideas of Ayn Rand's philosophy, in an encyclopedic reference of stunning breadth and depth.
From the back cover:
A prolific writer, best-selling novelist, and world-renowned philosopher, Ayn Rand defined a full system of thought—from epistemology to aesthetics. Her writing is so extensive and the range of issues she covers so enormous that those interested in finding her discussions of a given topic may have to search through many sources to locate the relevant passage.
The Ayn Rand Lexicon brings together for the first time all the key ideas of her philosophy of Objectivism, organized alphabetically by topic.
Through excerpts culled from Ayn Rand's many articles, lectures, and books, this work presents the Objectivist view on some 400 topics in philosophy, politics, art, economics, and psychology. The Lexicon thus serves as a mini-encyclopedia of Objectivism, complete with a conceptual index and extensive cross-references.
The Lexicon is both an intriguing introduction for the newcomer and a comprehensive sourcebook for readers already familiar with Objectivist ideas. Begun under Ayn Rand's personal supervision, this unique volume is an invaluable guide to her philosophy of reason, self-interest, and laissez-faire capitalism—the philosophy so brilliantly dramatized in her novels The Fountainhead, We the Living, and Atlas Shrugged.
Browse The Ayn Rand Lexicon.
Copyright © 2007 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Monday, October 01, 2007
Ayn Rand's Legacy of Reason and Freedom
Irvine, CA—The 50th anniversary of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged on October 10 is an occasion to celebrate her legacy of defending reason and freedom, according to Michael S. Berliner, former executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute.
Although she was born and raised in Russia, she became a truly American writer and philosopher. Her philosophy of reason and individual liberty is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the mysticism and tyranny that permeated her country of birth.
In 1926 she managed to escape the oppression of the USSR. Inspired by the skyscrapers in American films and taking the United States as her symbol of civilization, she came to America that year to stay. Sales of her first film scenario, play and novel in the 1930s launched her career. Her first best-seller, The Fountainhead, was published in 1943 and has become an American classic.
In 1957, her magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged was published. In it she dramatized her philosophy, soon to be named "Objectivism." Her philosophy of reason, egoism and individual rights has changed many people’s lives: a survey by the Library of Congress placed Atlas Shrugged as second only to the Bible as the most influential book in readers’ lives.
Ayn Rand was unique. Writing best-selling novels with inspiring characters and intriguing plots, or creating a new philosophic system would justify anyone's fame. Ayn Rand did both. With virtues that matched the individualistic heroes of her novels, she emerged as a thinker who did not fall into any of the traditional categories. She was not a conservative, a liberal, an anarchist or a libertarian. Politically, she was a radical for capitalism; in fundamental philosophy, she was a champion of reason, selfishness and the individual's happiness on earth.
Copyright © 2007 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism, Philosophy
Friday, September 21, 2007
Fall Issue of TOS Now Online
The online version of the Fall issue has been posted to our website.
In connection with all the press surrounding the fiftieth anniversary of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged—from the New York Times article “Ayn Rand's Literature of Capitalism,” to the Los Angeles Times piece “Ayn Rand's Epic Storytelling,” to Lionsgate’s selection of a director for the Atlas Shrugged movie—it is my pleasure to present Andrew Bernstein’s essay “Transfiguring the Novel: The Literary Revolution in Atlas Shrugged.” Bernstein examines Rand’s dramatization of the novel’s plot-theme, her use of literary techniques, and the nature and significance of key figures in the story, showing how Rand employed such elements to tap the full potential of this supremely conceptual art form, and shedding new light on Rand’s literary genius.
Also in this issue are “The Morality of Moneylending: A Short History” by Yaron Brook (which is accessible to all for free) and “How to Analyze and Appreciate Paintings” by Dianne Durante (which is accompanied by fifteen color images of the paintings discussed).
If you’ve not yet subscribed to TOS, why not do so today? An online subscription is only $49 per year—about 13 cents per day. Click here to subscribe.
Labels: Announcements
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Exploit the Earth or Die
Exploit the Earth or die. It’s not a threat. It’s a fact. Either man takes the Earth’s raw materials—such as trees, petroleum, aluminum, and atoms—and transforms them into the requirements of his life, or he dies. To live, man must produce the goods on which his life depends; he must produce homes, automobiles, computers, electricity, and the like; he must seize nature and use it to his advantage. There is no escaping this fact. Even the allegedly “noble” savage must pick or perish. Indeed, even if a person produces nothing, insofar as he remains alive he indirectly exploits the Earth by parasitically surviving off the exploitative efforts of others.
The fact annoys some people. But it shouldn’t: Hence our “Exploit the Earth or Die” campaign.
Place an EED banner on your blog or website; wear an EED T-shirt; drink from an EED mug. The good guys will smile. The bad guys will snarl. And the battle for civilization and against “environmentalism” will be brought to the fundamental alternative whereupon the matter ultimately must be decided: life or death.
Labels: Announcements, Environmentalism, Philosophy
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
$31,000 to Winners of 'Fountainhead' Essay Contest
Irvine, CA—High school senior Rituparna Basu, from Landsdale, PA, is the winner of the Ayn Rand Institute's annual "Fountainhead" essay contest, for which she received a prize of $10,000.
Open to high school juniors and seniors, the "Fountainhead" essay contest requires contestants to write on one of several topics dealing with the characters and themes in the novel. The contest is designed to promote critical thinking and writing skills. Essays are judged on both style and content.
The following students have won this year's second and third prizes:
Second-Prize Winners ($2,000):
Edward Larkin, 12th Grade, Lansing Catholic High School, Lansing, MI
Madison Fitzpatrick, 12th Grade, North Springs High School, Atlanta, GA
Caroline Gorman, 12th Grade, Coronado High School, El Paso, TX
Trenton Morrow, 12th Grade, Parkview Magnet High School, Little Rock, AR
Austin Case, 12th Grade, Eastern Regional High School, Voorhees, NJ
Third-Prize Winners ($1,000):
Matthew Daley, 12th Grade, Georgetown High School, Georgetown, TX
Hannah Thurman, 12th Grade, William G. Enloe High School, Raleigh, NC
Michelle Alaya, 12th Grade, Sam Rayburn High School, Pasadena, TX
Jennifer Hall, 11th Grade, Santiago High School, Corona, CA
Jason Merritt, 12th Grade, Pine View School, Osprey, FL
Stephen Miller, 12th Grade, Escondido Charter High School, Escondido, CA
Nayantara Bhushsan, 11th Grade, La Reina High School, Thousand Oaks, CA
Ming Tseng, 12th Grade, Hunter College High School, New York, NY
Preston Montano, 12th Grade, Greeley West High School, Greeley, CO
Frances Mallari, 12th Grade, Holy Spirit High School, Abescon, NJ
Douglas Laskowske, 12th Grade, Mindanao International Christian Academy, Philippines
===
First published in 1943, "The Fountainhead" offers the vision of a totally independent man, architect Howard Roark, who stands against society's conventions.
Since 1985 a total of more than 140,000 high school students from around the world have entered ARI essay contests. This year, more than 7,000 students submitted their essays on "The Fountainhead."
Each year ARI awards more than $57,000 in prizes and has given away more than a half a million dollars to contest winners during the past 20 years.
Information about next year's competition can be found at http://aynrand.org/contests
Copyright © 2007 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
$6,500 to Winners of 'Anthem' Essay Contest
Irvine, CA—High school freshman, Denise Orthner, from Hammonton, NJ, is the winner of the Ayn Rand Institute's 12th annual "Anthem" essay contest, for which she received a prize of $2,000.
Open to high school freshmen and sophomores, the "Anthem" essay contest requires contestants to write on one of several topics dealing with the characters and themes in the novel. The contest is designed to promote critical thinking and writing skills. Essays are judged on both style and content.
The following students have won this year's second and third prizes:
Second-Prize Winners ($500):
Annemarie Ryu, 10th Grade, Mayo High School, Rochester, MN
Harrison Falk, 9th Grade, Duluth High School, Duluth, GA
Sophie Arlow, 10th Grade, The Overlake School, Redmond, WA
Megan Arkenberg, 10th Grade, Germantown High School, Germantown, WI
Nick Kowalczyk, 10th Grade, Crown Point High School, Crown Point, IN
Third-Prize Winners ($200):
Angela Fu, 10th Grade, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA
Benjamin Dong, 10th Grade, Irvine High School, Irvine, CA
Renee Bruner, 10th Grade, Cypress Creek High School, Houston, TX
Elisabeth Burns, 10th Grade, Dobyns-Bennett High School, Kingsport, TN
Stephanie Gonzalez, 10th Grade, Douglas MacArthur High School, San Antonio, TX
Victor Bartash, 10th Grade, Wall High School, Wall, NJ
Stephanie Aldrich, 10th Grade, Worcester Academy, Worcester, MA
William McChesney, 10th Grade, Paul M. Dorman High School, Roebuck, SC
Angela Li, 9th Grade, Cypress Falls High School, Houston, TX
Kelsey Lay, 10th Grade, Hamilton High School, Hamilton, IL
===
First published in 1938, "Anthem" depicts a collectivist dictatorship in a future in which the word "I" has vanished, and how a lone dissident discovers the lost word's spiritual meaning.
Since 1985 a total of more than 140,000 high school students from around the world have entered ARI essay contests. This year, more than 14,000 students submitted their essays to the "Anthem" contest.
Information about next year's competition can be found at http://aynrand.org/contests/
Copyright © 2007 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Ayn Rand and Objectivism
Sunday, July 22, 2007
'No Substitute for Victory' now in Hebrew
I am proud to note that my article, "No Substitute for Victory: The Defeat of Islamic Totalitarianism," has been transmitted into Hebrew. It appears in Nativ: A Journal of Politics and the Arts, vol. 20, n. 3.116 (May - June 2007). Nativ is published by the Ariel Center for Policy Research. From its website: "The Ariel Center for Policy Research (ACPR) is devoted to incisive research and discussion of political and strategic issues concerning Israel and the Jewish people."
The article is published by permission of The Objective Standard, from its 1.4, Winter, 2006-2007, pp. 39-63. This is the English abstract, as it appears in Nativ:
No Substitute for Victory: The Defeat of Islamic Totalitarianism
In the face of rising threats to their freedom and rights, Americans today are uncertain about what a proper foreign policy should be. This uncertainty arises from the philosophical influences of pragmatism and altruism, which have misguided American leaders for 50 years, and have made it difficult for Americans to evaluate their leaders and to evaluate their actions. As a result, Americans have failed to forthrightly confront rising threats, and have not properly supported allies – in particular, Israel. We have, as a result, emboldened and empowered the worst threat to the West in centuries.
This article uses the historical example of American policy towards Shintoism in post-1945 Japan, in order to show that a proper policy today would first identify Islamic Totalitarianism as the political threat facing the West, and would then direct American resources towards ending the political imposition of Islamic Law, beginning with the Islamic State of Iran. By identifying the advocates of political Islam – those who would impose Islamic Law by force – as the true enemy, Americans could destroy its state manifestation wherever it appears, and then offer an intellectual alternative to jihad. This is the only way to end the threat posed by Islamic Totalitarianism, and to re-establish a proper basis for freedom across the globe.
Labels: Announcements, Foreign Policy and War
Saturday, June 23, 2007
The Rushdie Fatwa and 'Religion vs. Free Speech'
"Cut off the head of Salman Rushdie!" chanted a crowd of Islamists in Pakistan yesterday as calls to murder the “blasphemer” were renewed following his knighthood in Britain.
Such barbarism is to be expected from religionists—not just from Muslims, but from any religionists who are neither restrained by a rights-respecting constitution (as they are to some extent in America) nor terrified by a demonstration of the superiority of rational man over their fictional God.
Both the Old and the New Testaments call explicitly for the slaughter of those who blaspheme, but in America Jews and Christians are constitutionally forbidden to obey their holy books in full, so they refrain, and we can (for now) say what we want about their God who is not. (Thank the Founders for what’s left of the Constitution.)
Last year, in the wake of the Cartoon Jihad, I wrote an article for TOS titled “Religion vs. Free Speech,” and given the relevance of the essay to the unfortunately refreshed fatwa on Rushdie, I’ve decided to make it accessible to all. Here’s the link.
Labels: Announcements, Religion
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Ayn Rand Institute Offers Educational Program for the Study of Rand's Philosophy
Irvine, California (June 14, 2007)—Fifty years after the publication of her magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, interest in Ayn Rand has never been greater. For those who want to study her ideas in depth, the Ayn Rand Institute's educational program, the Objectivist Academic Center, offers systematic instruction in Rand's philosophy, Objectivism.
More than one hundred students currently participate in the OAC's graduate and undergraduate programs, which for years have been offered as a supplement to a standard college education. The undergraduate program helps students develop a basic understanding of philosophy, of Objectivism as a philosophical system, and of the art of clear, objective thinking and writing. The focus of the graduate program is on mastering Objectivism, with special attention paid to proper philosophical methodology.
Students from all over the world attend classes online and via teleconference. Local students also have the option of attending classes at ARI's headquarters in Irvine, California. Select courses are open to auditors.
As a benefit to students who would like to receive college credit for their OAC coursework, ARI has partnered with Chapman University to offer two OAC courses, "Introduction to Philosophy" and "Introduction to Writing," through Chapman's distance learning program. Students are able to take the classes for credit, transfer the credits to their own university, and apply them toward their college degree.
Most full-time students receive tuition waivers, as well as other generous scholarships to help defray the costs of participating in the OAC. Additionally, ARI offers a wide array of support for OAC students, including grants, scholarships, and mentoring.
The application deadline for the 2007-08 academic year is July 30.
For more information on this program, please visit the Objectivist Academic Center website at http://www.aynrand.org/site/R?i=KIjNTULFfDcOZ9FS_4B7Hw.. or contact:
Debi Ghate
Vice President, Academic Programs
Ayn Rand Institute
(949) 222-6550, ext 206
dghate@aynrand.org
Copyright © 2007 Ayn Rand® Institute. All rights reserved.
Labels: Announcements, Education
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