It’s Ayn Rand’s birthday today. Happy Birthday, Miss Rand!
As everyone knows, Ayn Rand is responsible for a philosophical system called Objectivism.
At a sales conference at Random House, preceding the publication of Atlas Shrugged, one of the book salesmen asked me whether I could present the essence of my philosophy while standing on one foot. I did as follows:
- Metaphysics: Objective Reality
- Epistemology: Reason
- Ethics: Self-interest
- Politics: Capitalism
If you want this translated into simple language, it would read: 1. “Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed” or “Wishing won’t make it so.” 2. “You can’t eat your cake and have it, too.” 3. “Man is an end in himself.” 4. “Give me liberty or give me death.”
I’m 100% with Ayn Rand when it comes to politics (capitalism). I used to think I was 100% with Ayn Rand when it comes to metaphysics and epistemology, too. Until I read some of Rand’s metaphysics and epistemology. Don’t be fooled by Rand’s casual use of terms like ‘objective reality’ and ‘reason’. Rand’s ideas about objective reality and reason are completely at odds with objective reality and reason! And, when it comes to ethics, Rand’s philosophy is pernicious and wrong.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Objectivism is bat-shit crazy. (Politics excepted.) See, for example, reasons given here and here.
Oh, and this is hardly news, but Objectivism is also anti-Christian. Read more here and here.