Objectivism - Strengths and Weaknesses

Mr. Stolyarov comments on the merits and shortcomings of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism and its contemporary incarnations. He considers himself an Objectivist in the broad sense, but not in the narrow sense, and a strong advocate for an open, evolving, interacting, and continually expanding philosophy of Objectivism.

Mr. Stolyarov suggests areas of improvement for objectivism in pursuing integrations with (i) economics, (ii) classical liberal thought, (iii) transhumanism, and (iv) the thoughts of creative, innovative Objectivists who are willing to take the philosophy into new territory.

Resources:

* "Ayn Rand and the World She Made" - Biography by Anne C. Heller - http://www.amazon.com/Ayn-Rand-World-She-Made/dp/0385513992
* "David Kelley" - Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Kelley
* "The Contested Legacy of Ayn Rand: Truth and Toleration" - David C. Kelley - http://ayn-rand.info/David%20Kelley%20-%20Truth%20and%20Toleration.pdf
* SENS Foundation - Advancing Rejuvenation Biotechnologies - http://www.sens.org/
* "Aubrey de Grey" - Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_de_Grey
* "Ray Kurzweil" - Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kurzweil
* Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence - http://www.kurzweilai.net/
* Articles by Dr. Edward W. Younkins - http://www.quebecoislibre.org/apyounkins.htm
* Mr. Stolyarov's reviews of books by Edward Younkins:
- "Flourishing and Happiness in a Free Society" - http://www.quebecoislibre.org/11/110215-4.html
- "Philosophers of Capitalism" - http://www.quebecoislibre.org/06/060514-3.htm
* Essay by Edward Younkins: "Unity and Integration in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged" - http://libertarianpapers.org/articles/2011/lp-3-5.pdf
* "Mozart Was a Red" - Satire by Murray Rothbard - http://mises.org/daily/3839
* Video of "Mozart Was a Red" - http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5404826610265339909#

Category:

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[crusty7208]

Absolutely spot on! I think a helpful distinction between those who subscribe to the honest principles espoused by Ayn Rand should continue to be proud of being Objectivists, vs those who embark on heroin worshipping ang cult dogma should be regarded as Randist. Your analysis is eloquent and measured and just the kind of scholarly flavour desparately needed in this discourse.

[GStolyarovII]

@crusty7208 Thank you very much for watching and for your comment! It is much appreciated.

[deadshepherd666]

Hey this was a great video! "Your" closing words that an Objectivist should be a thinker before they are an Objectivist is genius! I don't have any friends who are Objectivists or have even read Ayn Rand but your discussion confirmed my own inclinations that Objectivism is incomplete in some places. Without having read the works you mentioned concerning Ayn Rand's insistent personality, I can see how your own style transcends her own. Your commitment to reason over Objectivism is obvious!

[GStolyarovII]

@deadshepherd666 Thank you very much for your words of praise! They are much appreciated!

[GStolyarovII]

@nsofast The program does go on to say that Aubrey de Grey does not “need” Cambridge anymore and that he has “outgrown” it and has received substantial funding elsewhere – e.g., from Peter Thiel. So he has enough credibility and visibility now that it does not matter whether he was ever a professor of biogerontology. What matters are his ideas and the merits thereof.

[GStolyarovII]

@nsofast I think that for many people it would be easy to miss the distinction between a person with a PhD from Cambridge who was also employed there and a professor at Cambridge. I see no evidence that de Grey actively cultivated this misunderstanding.

[GStolyarovII]

@nsofast I have watched the segment in question; thank you for the reference. It is interesting that de Grey’s former supervisor claims that he heard de Grey “being referred to” as a Cambridge professor, but not that de Grey himself had contributed to that misunderstanding.

[outsidemendham]

Weaknesses? There are no weaknesses of Objectivism by definition.

[GStolyarovII]

@Objectivityiskey All right -- thank you for clarifying your intent. I certainly have no problem with what you said if it was meant in jest. :)

[Objectivityiskey]

Don't get huffy too soon, I was "pulling your leg". I actually enjoyed your lecture, but was poking fun at your seriousness. Lighten the mood a little, and you will draw more people into your words. I do realize that rand was not a fan of psychology, as that was the fun of it all. I see psychology as little more that a parlor trick, similar to lie detectors and the people that proctor them. Keep on keeping on, and joke a little, you may find if fun!