100
October 12, 2023
Thursdays, 10 am-12 pm PT
Q1, Q2
Level
Start Date
Live Class
Quarter
Course Description
Ayn Rand’s novels, We the Living, Anthem, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged, are self-consciously philosophical novels, containing abstract themes, characters driven by opposing moral principles, and conflicts rooted in clashing worldviews. And more than that, many of Rand’s fictional heroes discover and embody new philosophical ideas, original to Rand. To begin to understand Rand’s distinctive worldview and to learn her new philosophy, Objectivism, there is no better place to start than with careful consideration of the content and meaning of her novels, which contain rich treatments of a number of central principles of Objectivism. The course provides a powerful corrective to a tendency among students of Objectivism to neglect Rand’s fiction in their study of her philosophy.
Instructors: Onkar Ghate | oghate@aynrand.org Ben Bayer | bbayer@aynrand.org Aaron Smith | asmith@aynrand.org
TAs: Ziemowit Gowin | zgowin@aynrand.org Ricardo Pinto | rpinto@aynrand.org Nicolas Krusek | nicolas.krusek.canada@gmail.com
Welcome message
Syllabus
Tutorial schedule Q1
Live Class
You can join the live class on Zoom using this link: Zoom Meeting Link.
(Meeting ID: 848 3490 7030 | Passcode: 468081)
Office Hours:
Please be advised that 1-on-1 appointments are prioritized for graded students. Graded Students can schedule appointments up to 14 days in advance. In all cases, please email the faculty to request a meeting outside of scheduled office hours. Auditors are encouraged to attend open office hours (and can reach out directly to instructors for 1-on-1 appointments if necessary).
Ben Bayer (Q2)
- 1-on-1 Appointments: Wednesdays, 12-1 pm PT / 3-4 pm ET
(From January 17 through March 6) Acuity Scheduling Link - Open Office Hours: Wednesdays, 11:30 am-12 pm PT / 2:30-3 pm ET
(From January 17 through March 6; except February 14th: 1:30-2:00pm PT / 4:30-4pm ET) Zoom Meeting Link
Aaron Smith
- 1-on-1 Appointments: Mondays, 10:30 am-12:00 pm PT Acuity Scheduling Link
Onkar Ghate
- 1-on-1 20 min appointments: Tuesdays, 3-4 pm PT / 6-7 pm ET – Scheduling Link
- Open office hours (open to multiple courses): Tuesdays 12:00pm-12:30pm PT — Jan 9 to Feb 27 Zoom Link
Ziemowit Gowin, Ricardo Pinto, Nicolas Krusek
- Open Office Hours: Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30 am PT / 1:30-2:30 pm ET
(Next office hours: Dec. 20, then from Jan. 10 on until the end of the course) Zoom Meeting Link
March 7, 2024 | Reminder: Course Evaluation Due March 8
March 7, 2024 | Reminder: Course Evaluation Due March 8
Hello everyone,
This is a reminder to complete our brief course evaluation for the course “Objectivism through Ayn Rand’s Fiction” by Friday, March 8th. We expect all graded students to complete this survey, and encourage auditors to do so as well.
Your name is required but will be only seen by administrative staff, and your responses will be kept anonymous from the faculty.
Thank you.
March 5, 2024 | TAs Open Office Hours
March 5, 2024 | TAs Open Office Hours
Hi everyone,
It’s a reminder that the last TAs open office hours will be held on Wednesday (03/05) at 10:30-11:30 am PT / 1:30-2:30 pm ET. Please remember that if that day and time don’t work for you, you can reach out to zgowin@aynrand.org to schedule a 1 on 1 meeting to talk about your assignments.
Thank you.
March 1, 2024 | Course Evaluation Due March 8
March 1, 2024 | Course Evaluation Due March 8
Hello everyone,
Please take a few minutes to complete our brief course evaluation for the course “Objectivism through Ayn Rand’s Fiction” by Friday, March 8th. We expect all graded students to complete this survey, and encourage auditors to do so as well.
Your name is required but will be only seen by administrative staff, and your responses will be kept anonymous from the faculty.
Thank you.
February 29, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 8 Live Class
February 29, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 8 Live Class
Hello everyone,
The recording of today’s session is now available on the ARU app, ARI Campus website, and on the course’s webpage.
Please write to university@aynrand.org if you are unable to view the recording.
Thank you.
February 23, 2024 | Readings and assignments for Q2 Week 8
February 23, 2024 | Readings and assignments for Q2 Week 8
Readings and assignments are now available into the course website.
February 22, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 7 Live Class
February 22, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 7 Live Class
Hello everyone,
The recording of today’s session is now available on the ARU app, ARI Campus website, and on the course’s webpage.
Please write to university@aynrand.org if you are unable to view the recording.
Thank you.
February 16, 2024 | Readings and assignments for Q2 Week 7
February 16, 2024 | Readings and assignments for Q2 Week 7
Both are now available in the course website.
February 15, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 6 Live Class
February 15, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 6 Live Class
Hello everyone,
The recording of today’s session is now available on the ARU app, ARI Campus website, and on the course’s webpage.
Please write to university@aynrand.org if you are unable to view the recording.
Thank you.
February 8, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 5 Live Class
February 8, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 5 Live Class
Hello everyone,
The recording of today’s session is now available on the ARU app, ARI Campus website, and on the course’s webpage.
Please write to university@aynrand.org if you are unable to view the recording.
Thank you.
February 7, 2024 | Standards of Evaluation for Q2 Week 4
February 7, 2024 | Standards of Evaluation for Q2 Week 4
Hello everyone,
The standards of evaluation for Q2 Week 4 are posted in the course website. (They are under the “Best Answers” tab).
Reminder: If you plan to attend the TAs’ open office hours (Wednesday 10:30 am PT) and would like to discuss your assignment, please let them know in advance (by reaching out to zgowin@aynrand.org).
Thank you.
February 7, 2024 | Readings and Assignments for Q2 Week 6
February 7, 2024 | Readings and Assignments for Q2 Week 6
Hello everyone,
The reading and assignments for Q2 Week 6 are posted in the course website. You can access the module directly using this link.
Thank you.
February 1, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 4 Live Class
February 1, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 4 Live Class
Hello everyone,
The recording of today’s session is now available on the ARU app, ARI Campus website, and on the course’s webpage.
Please write to university@aynrand.org if you are unable to view the recording.
Thank you.
January 31, 2024 | Readings and Assignments for Q2 Week 5
January 31, 2024 | Readings and Assignments for Q2 Week 5
Hello everyone,
The reading and assignments for Q2 Week 5 are posted in the course website. You can access the module directly using this link.
Thank you.
January 26, 2024 | Readings and assignments for Q2 Week 4
January 26, 2024 | Readings and assignments for Q2 Week 4
Both are now available in the course website.
As you will see from some of the assignment questions, there is a relation between this week’s topic and next week’s. So some of the issues we discussed this week, as well as some of the things that we didn’t have time to discuss, including some of the questions that were raised in the question forum, will resurface in next week’s discussion.
January 25, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 3 Live Class
January 25, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 3 Live Class
Hello everyone,
The recording of today’s session is now available on the ARU app, ARI Campus website, and on the course’s webpage.
Please write to university@aynrand.org if you are unable to view the recording.
Thank you.
January 18, 2024 | Readings and assignments for Q2 Week 3
January 18, 2024 | Readings and assignments for Q2 Week 3
Both are now available in the course website. You’ll see that the topic is reordered from what is listed in the syllabus: “love” is our topic for Week 3.
January 18, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 2 Live Class
January 18, 2024 | Recording of Q2 Week 2 Live Class
Hello everyone,
The recording of today’s session is now available on the ARU app, ARI Campus website, and on the course’s webpage.
Please write to university@aynrand.org if you are unable to view the recording.
Thank you.
January 17, 2024 | Q2 WK1 Standards of Evaluation
January 17, 2024 | Q2 WK1 Standards of Evaluation
Hi everyone,
Standards of evaluation for Q2 WK1 have been published (see the “Best Answers” tab).
Please make sure to read them.
Thank you
January 16, 2024 | Technical Issue: Updated Instruction
January 16, 2024 | Technical Issue: Updated Instruction
Hello everyone,
Due to the previously announced technical issue affecting the site, as an additional precaution we are now asking all students to send their Q2W2 assignments to the TA, Ziemowit (zgowin@aynrand.org), and to university@aynrand.org, notwithstanding whether your assignment is visible in the My Grades table.
If your submission is currently not visible in the My Grades table, then we request you to submit your assignment in the portal as well, here, in addition to sending us the assignment via e-mail.
Thank you.
January 16, 2024 | Technical Issue: Q2W2 Assignment Portal
January 16, 2024 | Technical Issue: Q2W2 Assignment Portal
Hello everyone,
Due to a technical issue with our website, the Q2W2 module was temporarily inaccessible. This module has now been restored and can be accessed here.
Unfortunately, the technical issue also impacted some submissions in the course. We request students to please check if their Q2W2 submission is reflected in their My Grades table. If it isn’t, please send your assignment to your TA, Ziemowit (zgowin@aynrand.org) and also copy university@aynrand.org in your e-mail.
We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.
Thank you.
Please use this link to join ARU’s Discord server: Ayn Rand University Discord Server.
Graded students and auditors are invited to join the ARU Discord community, an online social
experience that facilitates connections and casual discussion among the student body. On the
ARU Discord, you’re encouraged to form discussion groups, make use of the “lounge” areas,
and engage with your classmates and instructors anytime throughout the week.
Members of the ARU Discord must adhere to the ARU Confidentiality and Code of Conduct
requirements, as well as Discord’s own community guidelines. Access to the ARU Discord is
restricted to active participants in a given school year, to students on hiatus, and to alumni.
Those who withdraw from ARU before attaining alumni status will be removed from the ARU
Discord.