Author: Ayn Rand Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 1101137223 Category : Philosophy Languages : en Pages : 165
Book Description
A collection of essays that sets forth the moral principles of Objectivism, Ayn Rand's controversial, groundbreaking philosophy. Since their initial publication, Rand's fictional works—Anthem, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged—have had a major impact on the intellectual scene. The underlying theme of her famous novels is her philosophy, a new morality—the ethics of rational self-interest—that offers a robust challenge to altruist-collectivist thought. Known as Objectivism, her divisive philosophy holds human life—the life proper to a rational being—as the standard of moral values and regards altruism as incompatible with man's nature. In this series of essays, Rand asks why man needs morality in the first place, and arrives at an answer that redefines a new code of ethics based on the virtue of selfishness. More Than 1 Million Copies Sold!
Author: Peter Schwartz Publisher: St. Martin's Press ISBN: 1466878908 Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 256
Book Description
From childhood, we're taught one central, non-controversial idea about morality: self-sacrifice is a virtue. It is universally accepted that serving the needs of others, rather than our own, is the essence of morality. To be ethical—it is believed—is to be altruistic. Questioning this belief is regarded as tantamount to questioning the self-evident. Here, Peter Schwartz questions it. In Defense of Selfishness refutes widespread misconceptions about the meaning of selfishness and of altruism. Basing his arguments on Ayn Rand's ethics of rational self-interest, Schwartz demonstrates that genuine selfishness is not exemplified by the brutal plundering of an Attila the Hun or the conniving duplicity of a Bernard Madoff. To the contrary, such people are acting against their actual, long-range interests. The truly selfish individual is committed to moral principles and lives an honest, productive, self-respecting life. He does not feed parasitically off other people. Instead, he renounces the unearned, and deals with others—in both the material and spiritual realms—by offering value for value, to mutual benefit. The selfish individual, Schwartz maintains, lives by reason, not force. He lives by production and trade, not by theft and fraud. He disavows the mindlessness of the do-whatever-you-feel-like emotionalist, and upholds rationality as his primary virtue. He takes pride in his achievements, and does not sacrifice himself to others—nor does he sacrifice others to himself. According to the code of altruism, however, you must embrace self-sacrifice. You must subordinate yourself to others. Altruism calls, not for cooperation and benevolence, but for servitude. It demands that you surrender your interests to the needs of others, that you regard serving others as the moral justification of your existence, that you be willing to suffer so that a non-you might benefit. To this, Schwartz asks simply: Why? Why should the fact that you have achieved any success make you indebted to those who haven't? Why does the fact that someone needs your money create a moral entitlement to it, while the fact that you've earned it, doesn't? Using vivid, real-life examples, In Defense of Selfishness illustrates the iniquity of requiring one man to serve the needs of another. This provocative book challenges readers to re-examine the standard by which they decide what is morally right or wrong.
Author: Ayn Rand Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 1101137703 Category : Philosophy Languages : en Pages : 321
Book Description
This collection of essays was the last work planned by Ayn Rand before her death in 1982. In it, she summarizes her view of philosophy and deals with a broad spectrum of topics. According to Ayn Rand, the choice we make is not whether to have a philosophy, but which one to have: rational, conscious, and therefore practical; or contradictory, unidentified, and ultimately lethal. Written with all the clarity and eloquence that have placed Ayn Rand’s Objectivist philosophy in the mainstream of American thought, these essays range over such basic issues as education, morality, censorship, and inflation to prove that philosophy is the fundamental force in all our lives.
Author: Darryl Cunningham Publisher: Myriad Editions (US&CA) ISBN: 1908434732 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 241
Book Description
Darryl Cunningham’s latest investigation takes us to the heart of free-world politics and the financial crisis, as he traces the roots of bankrupt countries to the domination of right-wing policies and the people who created them.Cunningham draws a fascinating portrait of the New Right and the charismatic Ayn Rand, whose soirees were attended by the young Alan Greenspan. He shows how the Neo-Cons hijacked the economic debate and led the way to a world dominated by the market. Smaller countries, such as Greece, have paid the price for joining a club that held impossible membership rules.He examines the neurological basis of political thinking, and asks why it is so difficult for us to change our minds – even when faced with powerful evidence that a certain course of action is not working. Cunningham’s spare yet eloquent prose, perfectly complemented by the beauty and clarity of his artwork, delivers a devastating analysis of our economic world.
Author: Ayn Rand Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 110153933X Category : Fiction Languages : en Pages : 2036
Book Description
Ayn Rand Novel CollectionAyn RandTwo landmark epics from the famed philosopher and “a writer of great power” (The New York Times Book Review), The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged explore themes of individuality, freedom, and fascism and feature two of Ayn Rand’s most famous characters, Howard Roark and John Galt.The FountainheadAtlas Shrugged
Author: Tara Smith Publisher: Cambridge University Press ISBN: 1139455109 Category : Philosophy Languages : en Pages : 19
Book Description
Ayn Rand is well known for advocating egoism, but the substance of that instruction is rarely understood. Far from representing the rejection of morality, selfishness, in Rand's view, actually demands the practice of a systematic code of ethics. This book explains the fundamental virtues that Rand considers vital for a person to achieve his objective well-being: rationality, honesty, independence, justice, integrity, productiveness, and pride. Tracing Rand's account of the harmony of human beings' rational interests, Smith examines what each of these virtues consists of, why it is a virtue, and what it demands of a person in practice. Along the way she addresses the status of several conventional virtues within Rand's theory, considering traits such as kindness, charity, generosity, temperance, courage, forgiveness, and humility. Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics thus offers an in-depth exploration of several specific virtues and an illuminating integration of these with the broader theory of egoism.
Author: David Seabury Publisher: Echo Point Books & Media, LLC ISBN: Category : Psychology Languages : en Pages : 284
Book Description
The Art of Informed Self-Care Psychologist David Seabury offers timeless advice in this classic self help guide. Dr. Seabury counsels the reader toward a healthier approach to life. A best seller when it was first published, it is filled with thought-provoking and engaging stories taken from Seabury's decades of practice. Written in a period, similar to today, when the finding personal happiness was especially challenging. Dr. Seabury presents a bold and fresh perspective for achieving personal empowerment and a vibrant way to care for family, friends, and, of course, yourself. You'll find advice on: The 7-Step Thinking Plan 8 Ways to Assure Restful Sleep 34 Effective Ways for Solving Problems 12 Basic Needs You Must Not Be Denied 22 Easier Ways of Living 6 Ways to Win by Yielding 12 Mistakes to Avoid Making 7 Ways to Quarrel Effectively 12 Steps for Easing Out of Trouble 8 False Premises and How They Work 5 Ways to Avoid Brain Fatigue And hundreds of other suggestions. Dr Seabury presents a strong case for healthy self-respect. His approach to interpersonal relationships, based on "never compromise yourself," presents a fresh approach to a more fulfilling and engaged lifestyle. Everyone wishing to take better care of themselves and those they love will want to keep this book close at hand.
Author: Paul Bloomfield Publisher: Oxford University Press ISBN: 0190612002 Category : Philosophy Languages : en Pages : 273
Book Description
As children, we learn life is unfair: bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. So, it is natural to ask, "Why play fairly in an unfair world? If being immoral will get you what you want and you know you can't get caught, why not do it?" The answers, as argued herein, begin by rejecting the idea that morality and happiness are at odds with one another. From this point of view, we can see how immorality undermines its perpetrator's happiness: self-respect is necessary for happiness, and immorality undermines self-respect. As we see how our self-respect is conditional upon how we respect others, we learn to evaluate and value ourselves, and others, appropriately. The central thesis is the result of combining the ancient Greek conception of happiness (eudaimonia) with a modern conception of self-respect. We become happy, we life the best life we can, only by becoming virtuous: by being as courageous, just, temperate, and wise as can be. These are the virtues of happiness. This book explains why it is bad to be bad and good to be good, and what happens to people's values as their practical rationality develops.
Author: Ayn Rand Publisher: Penguin ISBN: 1101137282 Category : Biography & Autobiography Languages : en Pages : 705
Book Description
The publication of the letters of Ayn Rand is a cause for celebration, not only among the countless millions of Ayn Rand admirers the world over, but also among all those interested in the key political, philosophical, and artistic issues of our century. For there is no separation between Ayn Rand the vibrant, creative woman and Ayn Rand the intellectual dynamo, the rational thinker, who was also a passionately committed champion of individual freedom. These remarkable letters begin in 1926, with a note from the twenty-year-old Ayn Rand, newly arrived in Chicago from Soviet Russia, an impoverished unknown determined to realize the promise of the land of opportunity. They move through her struggles and successes as a screenwriter, a playwright, and a novelist, her sensational triumph as the author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, and her eminence as founder and shaper of Objectivism, one of the most challenging philosophies of our time. They are written to such famed contemporaries as Cecil B. DeMille, Frank Lloyd Wright, H.L. Mencken, Alexander Kerensky, Barry Goldwater and Mickey Spillane There are letters to philosophers, priests, publishers, and political columnists; to her beloved husband, Frank O' Connor; and to her intimate circle of friends and her growing legion of followers. Her letters range in tone from warm affection to icy fury, and in content from telling commentaries on the events of the day to unforgettably eloquent statements of her philosophical ideas. They are presented chronologically, with explanatory notes by Michael S. Berliner, who identifies the recipients of the letters and provides relevant background and context. Here is a chronicle that captures the inspiring drama of a towering literary genius and seminal thinker, and--often day-by-day--her amazing life.
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Author: Ayn Rand
Author: Ayn Rand
Author: Peter Schwartz
Author: Ayn Rand
Author: Darryl Cunningham
Author: Ayn Rand
Author: Tara Smith
Author: David Seabury
Author: Paul Bloomfield
Author: Ayn Rand