Objectivism : The Philosophy of Ayn Rand

The definitive statement of Ayn Rand's philosophy, written by the preeminent Rand exponent and scholar. Illustrated with excerpts from her published works, complete with an abundance of new material that Rand communicated only in private conversation with Peikoff, this book illuminates Objectivism--and its creator--with brilliant clarity.

Leonard Peikoff is universally recognized as the pre-eminent Rand scholar writing today. He worked closely with Ayn Rand for 30 years and was designated by her as her intellectual heir and heir to her estate. He has taught philosophy at Hunter College, Long Island University, and New York University, and hosted the national radio talk show "Philosophy: Who Needs It."

Acknowledgments

xi

Preface

xiii

Reality

1

(36)

Existence, Consciousness, and Identity as the Basic Axioms

4

(8)

Causality as a Corollary of Identity

12

(5)

Existence as Possessing Primacy Over Consciousness

17

(6)

The Metaphysically Given as Absolute

23

(7)

Idealism and Materialism as the Rejection of Basic Axioms

30

(7)

Sense Perception and Volition

37

(36)

The Senses as Necessarily Valid

39

(5)

Sensory Qualities as Real

44

(4)

Consciousness as Possessing Identity

48

(4)

The Perceptual Level as the Given

52

(3)

The Primary Choice as the Choice to Focus or Not

55

(7)

Human Actions, Mental and Physical, as Both Caused and Free

62

(7)

Volition as Axiomatic

69

(4)

Concept-Formation

73

(37)

Differentiation and Integration as the Means to a Unit-Perspective

74

(7)

Concept-Formation as a Mathematical Process

81

(10)

Concepts of Consciousness as Involving Measurement-Omission

91

(5)

Definition as the Final Step in Concept-Formation

96

(9)

Concepts as Devices to Achieve Unit-Economy

105

(5)

Objectivity

110

(42)

Concepts as Objective

111

(5)

Objectivity as Volitional Adherence to Reality by the Method of Logic

116

(5)

Knowledge as Contextual

121

(8)

Knowledge as Hierarchical

129

(13)

Intrinsicism and Subjectivism as the Two Forms of Rejecting Objectivity

142

(10)

Reason

152

(35)

Emotions as a Product of Ideas

153

(6)

Reason as Man's only Means of Knowledge

159

(4)

The Arbitrary as Neither True Nor False

163

(8)

Certainy as Contextual

171

(11)

Mysticism and Skepticism as Denials of Reason

182

(5)

Man

187

(19)

Living Organisms as Goal-Directed and Conditional

189

(4)

Reason as Man's Basic Means of Survival

193

(5)

Reason as an Attribute of the Individual

198

(8)

The Good

206

(44)

``Life'' as the Essential Root of ``Value''

207

(6)

Man's Life as the Standard of Moral Value

213

(7)

Rationality as the Primary Virtue

220

(9)

The Individual as the Proper Beneficiary of His Own Moral Action

229

(12)

Values as Objective

241

(9)

Virtue

250

(75)

Independence as a Primary Orientation to Reality, Not to Other Men

251

(8)

Integrity as Loyalty to Rational Principles

259

(8)

Honesty as the Rejection of Unreality

267

(9)

Justice as Rationality in the Evaluation of Men

276

(16)

Productiveness as the Adjustment of Nature to Man

292

(11)

Pride as Moral Ambitiousness

303

(7)

The Initiation of Physical Force as Evil

310

(15)

Happiness

325

(25)

Virtue as Practical

326

(9)

Happiness as the Normal Condition of Man

335

(8)

Sex as Metaphysical

343

(7)

Government

350

(28)

Individual Rights as Absolutes

351

(12)

Government as an Agency to Project Rights

363

(6)

Statism as the Politics of Unreason

369

(9)

Capitalism

378

(35)

Capitalism as the Only Moral Social System

380

(15)

Capitalism as the System of Objectivity

395

(11)

Opposition to Capitalism as Dependent on Bad Epistemology

406

(7)

Art

413

(38)

Art as a Concretization of Metaphysics

414

(14)

Romantic Literature as Illustrating the Role of Philosophy in Art

428

(10)

Esthetic Value as Objective

438

(13)

Epilogue: The Duel Between Plato and Aristotle

451

(10)

References

461

(18)

Index

479

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Objectivism : The Philosophy of Ayn Rand

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials