Craig Biddle's Articles
Announcements
From the Editor, Summer 2008
Craig Biddle May 20, 2008
Craig Biddle introduces the Summer 2008 issue.
Announcements, Ayn Rand & Objectivism
Rational Egoism in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead
Craig Biddle April 28, 2008
Who: Andrew Bernstein, professor of philosophy and speaker for the Ayn Rand Institute What: A talk and Q & A examining The Fountainhead and explaining Ayn Rand's morality of rational egoism Where: University of Maryland, Arts Building, Room 2309, College Park, MD When: May 1, 2008, at 8 pm Admission…
Education & Parenting
An Interview with Lisa VanDamme on Education and Objectivism
Craig Biddle April 24, 2008
Michael F. Shaughnessy, a senior columnist for Education News, has published a wonderful interview with Lisa VanDamme. Here are the first two questions and answers: 1) Lisa, first of all, what got you interested in education and teaching? From one perspective, you could say I stumbled upon my career as…
Politics & Rights
'Life and Taxes' by Yaron Brook
Craig Biddle April 17, 2008
Yaron Brook has another excellent commentary in Forbes, this time on “Life and Taxes.” Here’s an excerpt: Tax policy works by attaching financial incentives to a long list of values deemed morally worthy. If you want to maximize your wealth come tax time—and who doesn't?—you must look at the world…
Ayn Rand & Objectivism, Philosophy
Heidi Moore's Argument from Intimidation
Craig Biddle April 12, 2008
On the website of the Wall Street Journal, under the heading “Capitalism Shrugged: Should Ayn Rand Be Required Reading?”—and after stating a few uncontroversial facts, several inaccuracies, and some inconsequential fluff—Heidi Moore gets to her point: Rand has a bit of a reputation problem among those who have not drunk…
Ayn Rand & Objectivism, Education & Parenting
More on the Propriety of Donations with 'Strings'
Craig Biddle March 31, 2008
The latest attack on BB&T’s educational donations—and on academic freedom—comes by way of this Charlotte Observer editorial, which opens with the obvious truth that “A public university's faculty and administration—not donors—should have the final say on the content of courses.” The editorial closes with the obvious truth that “it’s wrong…
Ayn Rand & Objectivism, Education & Parenting
Rational 'Strings' are Good Things
Craig Biddle March 25, 2008
“Gifts with Strings a Knotty Issue,” is the latest in a recent stream of articles about academics going berserk because BB&T, under the direction of CEO John Allison, has made contributions to universities with the stipulation that Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged be included somewhere in the schools’ curricula. For…
Politics & Rights
Free Speech vs. McCain and Company
Craig Biddle March 21, 2008
Yaron Brook, director of the Ayn Rand Institute, has a timely and important op-ed in today’s Forbes.com titled “War On Free Political Speech,” in which he answers common arguments for campaign finance restrictions. Here are the opening paragraphs: This presidential campaign will be, by far, the most expensive in U.S.…
Politics & Rights, Science & Technology
Remarkable Activism—Addendum
Craig Biddle March 9, 2008
It occurs to me that in my last post I should have acknowledged not only Lin Zinser—the founder and director of FIRM—but also all the writers and activists who have embraced the organization’s mission and contributed to its success: Ari Armstrong, Linn Armstrong, Martin Buchanan, Betty Evans, Linda Gorman, Diana…
Politics & Rights, Science & Technology
Remarkable Activism
Craig Biddle March 7, 2008
Lin Zinser, founder of Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine (FIRM) and contributor to TOS, has set an outstanding example of how to engage in principled activism. I’ll let her accomplishments speak for themselves—and add only this: Thank you, Lin, for defending man’s right to life. FIRM: Year End Results…
Politics & Rights
Immigration and Individual Rights
Craig Biddle February 20, 2008
Zeros in on the basic principle of America and demonstrates that this principle mandates a policy of open immigration, debunks several common arguments for prohibiting or limiting immigration, shows why all such arguments are necessarily invalid, and indicates what Americans must do if we are to reestablish and maintain the kind of moral, rights-respecting immigration policy that was advocated by the Founders.
Announcements
From the Editor, Spring 2008
Craig Biddle February 20, 2008
Craig Biddle introduces the Spring 2008 issue.
Politics & Rights
Brook Takes Force to Mat, Wins
Craig Biddle February 18, 2008
Yaron Brook’s latest commentary at Forbes.com, “To Stimulate the Economy, Liberate It,” is an excellent lesson in how government coercion, by violating individual rights, cripples the economy. Don’t miss it—and do pass it along to all your active-minded friends and relatives. This is the rare kind of short essay that…
Philosophy, Politics & Rights
Hippies + Guns = Banned Marines
Craig Biddle February 1, 2008
Nick Provenzo of the Center for the Advancement of Capitalism reports that members of the City Council of Berkeley have decided to use their guns to keep U.S. Marine Corps recruiters out of the commune. Would that the U.S. military could cease defending Berkeley. It would make for a great…
Education & Parenting
VanDamme Academy in the News
Craig Biddle January 28, 2008
Jillian Melchior has written an excellent piece titled " VanDamme Academy Shows Value of Choice" in The Heartland Institute’s School Reform News. Here’s the opening: The VanDamme Academy, a K-8 school in Laguna Hills, California, has an unusual way of giving students a better foundation of knowledge. Founder Lisa VanDamme…