Discussing Objectivism: ARU Course Introduction
December 16th, 9:30 am - 11:30 AM PST
DATE
Aaron Smith
DISCUSSION LEADER
Readings
Below are the readings Dr. Ghate assigned for the class you’re about to watch. It is the first class in his 16-week Objectivism Seminar. (Some of these we’ve already read in previous seminars. Read as many as you can, but don’t worry if you can’t get to all of them.)
“Philosophy: Who Needs It”
“Philosophy and Sense of Life”
“Art and Moral Treason” (in The Romantic Manifesto)
“Philosophical Detection” (in Philosophy: Who Needs It)
“The Goal of My Writing”
Assignment
Answer one (1) of the following questions in 400 words or less. Assignments will be graded on a 1-5 scale, 5 being the highest grade.
1. In her essay, “Philosophy: Who Needs It,” Rand states: “Hatred of the good for being the good, is the hallmark of the twentieth century?” What do you think she means by this? What evidence does she give in the essay for this claim? Do you think you understand why she says this? Explain your answer.
2. According to Ayn Rand, in her essay “The Goal of My Writing,” what is the relationship between philosophy and fiction? What, if anything, does she think fiction provides that a philosophy does not? Explain your answer.
3. In her essay “Philosophical Detection,” (in her book Philosophy: Who Needs It), Rand writes that “evil philosophies are systems of rationalization.” What evidence does she give in the essay to support this claim? How convincing do you find this claim? Explain your answer.
Submission
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