Reading Ayn Rand. An Introduction to the Objectivist Philosophy

general courses

(in Polish) Od studentów wymaga się biernej znajomości języka angielskiego, umożliwiającej czytanie tekstów w tym języku. Mile widziana podstawowa wiedza z ogólnych zagadnień filozoficznych.

Classroom

The goal of the tutorial is to introduce the participants to Objectivism—philosophical system created by Ayn Rand in the XXth century. During the classes, we will analyze essential essays of Rand pertaining to each element of her system, including: metaphysics and epistemology, metaphilosophy, metaethics, normative ethics, political philosophy and aesthethics. We will also refer to some articles or books written by commentators of Rand’s philosophy.

Ayn Rand is a known worldwide (albeit mostly in the United States) novelist and philosopher. She presented her philosophical system, Objectivism, both in her novels and in her philosophical and political essays. Scholars across the world have become more interested in Rand’s philosophy in recent years; the group of academic philosophers either interpreting Objectivism or inspired by it has been increasing. Rand’s philosophy is unique as it is a system created in anti-synthetic times.

Although Rand is mostly associated with her ethics of rational self-interest, she created her own metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical anthropology, political philosophy, and aesthetics. Both advocates and opponents of philosophy of Objectivism study each of these branches.

The reading group will be focused mostly on Rand’s works: her essays and books. The mail goal of the class is to understand Objectivism as a system as well as its respective assumptions, theses, and arguments. During the class we will touch upon the following issues:

- Rand’s radical view of philosophy as an indispensable phenomenon for every human being;

- Basic metaphysical and epistemological concepts in Objectivism;

- The Objectivist meta-ethics;

- Rand’s normative ethics;

- Social and political philosophy of Objectivism;

- Aesthetics and the nature of art in Rand’s works.

Deep analysis and discussion about these issues will help in understanding Rand’s system; it will enable us to refer and evaluate Objectivism critically.

Basic literature:

Rand, A. (1963). For The New Intellectual, New York: New American Library, 130-216.

Rand, A. (1964). The Objectivist Ethics, [w:] tejże, The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism, New York: A New American Library, 13-39.

Rand, A. (1964). Man’s Rights, [w:] tejże, The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism, New York: A New American Library, 108-117.

Rand, A. (1964). Collectivized “Rights”, [w:] tejże, The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism, New York: A New American Library, 118-124.

Rand, A. (1964). The Nature of Government, [w:] tejże, The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism, New York: A New American Library, 125-134.

Rand, A. (1967). What is Capitalism?, [w:] tejże, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. New York: New American Library, 1-29.

Rand, A. (1982). Philosophy: Who Needs It, [w:] tejże, Philosophy: Who Needs It, New York: Bobbs-Merrill, 1-15.

Rand, A. (1982). Causality versus Duty, [w:] tejże, Philosophy: Who Needs It, New York: Bobbs-Merrill, 128-136.

Rand, A. (1975). Philosophy and Sense of Life, [w:] tejże, The Romantic Manifesto: A Philosophy of Literature: Second Revised Edition, New York: New American Library, 14-23.

Rand, A. (1975). The Goal of My Writing, [w:] tejże, The Romantic Manifesto: A Philosophy of Literature: Second Revised Edition, New York: New American Library, 155-156.

Rand, A. (1990). Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology, expanded second edition, Binswanger, H., Peikoff, L. (red.), New York: Meridian.

Additional literature:

Binswanger, H. (1990). The Biological Basis of Teleological Concepts, Los Angeles: Ayn Rand Institute.

Gotthelf, A. (2000). On Ayn Rand, Belmont: Wadsworth.

Gotthelf A., Salmieri, G. (2006). A Companion to Ayn Rand, Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Gotthelf, A. (2011). Metaethics, Egoism, and Virtue: Studies in Ayn Rand’s Normative Theory, Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.

Peikoff, L. (1991). Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, New York: Dutton.

Smith, T. (2000). Viable Values: A Study of Life as the Root and Reward of Morality. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman&Littlefield.

Smith, T. (2006). Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics. The Virtuous Egoist, New York:

Cambridge University Press.

Acquired knowledge:

- Knowledge about norms which constitute and regulate social structures and institutions, their source, nature and the way they shape human behavior;

- Basic philosophical terminology in a given language;

- Methods of interpreting a philosophical work.

Nabyte umiejętności:

Acquired capacities:

- Capacity to look up, analyze, evaluate, select and use information from written and electronic sources;

- Capacity to acquire knowledge independently and develop research skills;

- Capacity to read and interpret philosophical works;

- Capacity to understand oral presentation of philosophical arguments and capacity to prepare an oral presentation;

- Capacity to use philosophical terminology.

Nabyte kompetencje społeczne:

Acquired social skills:

- Knows his or her own knowledge and skills; understands the need of his or her own continued education and professional development;

- Is open-minded to new idea and ready to change his or her views in the light of available data and arguments;

- On the ground of creative analysis formulates his or her own solutions to new situations and issues.

Written test, attendance, active participation