About Objectivism

Objectivist Center ^ | 2/2002

[RJCogburn]

My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute. — Ayn Rand, Appendix to Atlas Shrugged

In her novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, and in nonfiction works such as Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, Ayn Rand forged a systematic philosophy of reason and freedom.

Rand was a passionate individualist. She wrote in praise of "the men of unborrowed vision," who live by the judgment of their own minds, willing to stand alone against tradition and popular opinion.

Her philosophy of Objectivism rejects the ethics of self-sacrifice and renunciation. She urged men to hold themselves and their lives as their highest values, and to live by the code of the free individual: self-reliance, integrity, rationality, productive effort.

Objectivism celebrates the power of man's mind, defending reason and science against every form of irrationalism. It provides an intellectual foundation for objective standards of truth and value.

Upholding the use of reason to transform nature and create wealth, Objectivism honors the businessman and the banker, no less than the philosopher and artist, as creators and as benefactors of mankind.

Ayn Rand was a champion of individual rights, which protect the sovereignty of the individual as an end in himself; and of capitalism, which is the only social system that allows people to live together peaceably, by voluntary trade, as independent equals.

Millions of readers have been inspired by the vision of life in Ayn Rand's novels. Scholars are exploring the trails she blazed in philosophy and other fields. Her principled defense of capitalism has drawn new adherents to the cause of economic and political liberty.

[Kevin Curry]

Atheists freeload on the morality and law-abidingness of theists. Always have, always will. It is what makes life tolerable.

You want to know what kind of society you have when its laws and constitution are written by atheists, and it drives theists from its midst? The Soviet Union is the archetype of such a society.

[Cultural Jihad]

We hold these

truths

to be

self-evident, that all

men

are self-created

equal, that they

are endowed by a

myth

with certain

unalienable

Rights,

that

among these are

An early death,

Slavery to vice,

and the pursuit of

Unneeded suffering

[PuNcH]

Rand, OTOH, provides a powerful moral argument against Communism (or any form of totalitarianism) that is immune to the vulnerabilities of the pragmatic argument.

So would Rand support a "free"(not) trade with communist china?

[tpaine]

You feel the need to paraody our Declaration.

Why? -- Have you no honor?

[Cultural Jihad]

Why? -- Have you no honor?

That's a question for self-avowed objectifying Objectivists.

[PuNcH]

Do you support our "free trade" with communist china?

[tpaine]

Cultural Jihad:
A person has to be a theist in order to believe in human rights and democracy as practiced in the United States.
Atheists have a real hard time coming up with a convincing argument for human rights.
137 -cj-


Bull.
Our constitution is a non-theistic document that has a convincing argument on how we can believe in human rights and the principles of a free republic as practiced in the United States.
140 -tpaine-



Atheists freeload on the morality and law-abidingness of theists. Always have, always will. It is what makes life tolerable.
You want to know what kind of society you have when its laws and constitution are written by atheists, and it drives theists from its midst? The Soviet Union is the archetype of such a society.
141 -kc-



Ya sure kevin. Your hackkneed old totally unsupported bull is ~really~ boring.
At least CJ is off the wall. -- Get some new lines kiddo.

[PuNcH]

Industrialists didn't steal the playtime of children.

If children cannot consent then it is a use of force is it not?

[tpaine]

Whatever.

-- Once again you only prove yourself inane.

[Cultural Jihad]

China seems more fascist than communist. I understand both sides of the issue regarding engagement with their dictators.

[Cultural Jihad]

To emancipation! Reject libertarianism-lite for the real thing! ;)

[tpaine]

Jihadic idiocy.

[PuNcH]

China seems more fascist than communist. I understand both sides of the issue regarding engagement with their dictators.

Well there is really no such thing as communism. They are collectivists. It doesnt matter whether they are more like the soviet union or nazi germany or a mixture inbetween.

You cannot morally support a trade with the communist party of china and neither can the Objectivists from I've read.

[Cultural Jihad]

Libertarian statists fear true emancipation. :D

[Hank Kerchief]

The Soviet Union is the archetype of such a society.

The Soviet constitution was modeled on the American Constituion. You did know that, didn't you?

Hank

[tpaine]

Babble on.

Your inability to make a rational response has become one of FR's biggest jokes. -- Thanks, cj.

[Alamo-Girl]

Er, if I may get my “two cents” into your conversation with unspun… You said:

You can have it your way, but the Bible makes it clear, the most important thing to you or me, is you and me, and whatever else we should gain, if we loose ourselves, we have lost everything that matters.

I strongly disagree. The first priority, purpose and meaning of life is God – not self.

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. – Matthew 22:37-40

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. – Revelation 4:11

Of particular signifance, Jesus is so completely surrendered to the Father, that we cannot tell where the one ends and the other begins:

Who being the brightness of [his] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; - Hebrews 1:3

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. – John 5:30

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt]. – Matthew 26:39

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: - John 17:20-22

The self centered attitude is at the very root of all spiritual ill, from its inception:

By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. – Ezekiel 28:16-17

For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I [am], and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, [which] thou shalt not know. – Isaiah 47:10-11

Humility is central to Christianity:

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 18:4

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. – Matthew 23:12

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. – James 4:6

These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. – Proverbs 6:16-19

[Hank Rearden]

any bets on how long it will take the Rand-haters to show up to shower her with their insults?

Those jackboots Curry and Jihad are always on the scene when a totalitarian point of view is necessary - if only as an example of how horrid it is.

[Dat]

Of course, whakos are defined as anybody who disagrees with your point of view.