Objectivism

Leonard Peikoff is the preeminent Ayn Rand scholar writing today. He worked closely with Rand in New York City for thirty years and was designated by her as heir to her estate. He has taught philosophy at several places, including Hunter College and New York University. Dr. Peikoff is the author of The DIM Hypothesis: Why the Lights of the West Are Going Out and The Cause of Hitler’s Germany. He grew up in Western Canada and now lives in Southern California. He also hosted the national radio talk show "Philosophy: Who Needs It."

“A revelation...Peikoff is an extraordinary communicator...He brings the most difficult intellectual ideas within the grasp of the general reader.”—Detroit Free PressPraise for Leonard Peikoff “Offers a truly revolutionary idea…The book is clear, tight, disciplined, beautifully structured, and brilliantly reasoned. Its style is clear and hard as crystal—and as sparkling… As to my personal reaction, I can express it best by paraphrasing a line from Atlas Shrugged: ‘It’s so wonderful to see a great, new, crucial achievement which is not mine!’”—Ayn Rand “Extraordinarily perceptive…frightening insights…Everyone concerned with the collectivist trend in today’s world should read this book.”—Alan Greenspan “A fascinating weave of German history, philosophic determinism, and Objectivist polemic.”—Chicago Tribune

• Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand - Leonard Peikoff AcknowledgementsPrefaceChapter 1: RealityExistence, Consciousness, and Identity as the Basic AxiomsCausality as a Corollary of IdentityExistence as Possessing Primacy over ConsciousnessThe Metaphysically Given as AbsoluteIdealism and Materialism as the Rejection of Basic AxiomsChapter 2: Sense Perception and VolitionThe Senses as Necessarily ValidSensory Qualities as RealConsciousness as Possessing IdentityThe Perceptual Level as the GivenThe Primary Choice as the Choice to Focus or NotHuman Actions, Mental and Physical, as Both Caused and FreeVolition as AxiomaticChapter 3: Concept-FormationDifferentiation and Integration as the Means to a Unit-PerspectiveConcept-Formation as a Mathematical ProcessConcepts of Consciousness as Involving Measurement-OmissionDefinition as the Final Step in Concept-FormationConcepts as Devices to Achieve Unit-EconomyChapter 4: ObjectivityConcepts as ObjectiveObjectivity as Volitional Adherence to Reality by the Method of LogicKnowledge as ContextualKnowledge as HierarchicalIntrinsicism and Subjectivism as the Two Forms of Rejecting ObjectivityChapter 5: ReasonEmotions as a Product of IdeasReason as Man's Only Means of KnowledgeThe Arbitrary as Neither True nor FalseCertainty as ContextualMysticism and Skepticism as Denials of ReasonChapter 6: ManLiving Organisms as Goal-Directed and ConditionalReason as Man's Basic Means of SurvivalReason as an Attribute of the IndividualChapter 7: The Good"Life" as the Essential Root of "Value"Man's Life as the Standard of Moral ValueRationality as the Primary VirtueThe Individual as the Proper Beneficiary of His Own Moral ActionValues as ObjectiveChapter 8: VirtueIndependence as a Primary Orientation to Reality, Not to Other MenIntegrity as Loyalty to Rational PrinciplesHonesty as the Rejection of UnrealityJustice as Rationality in the Evaluation of MenProductiveness as the Adjustment of Nature to ManPride as Moral AmbitiousnessThe Initiation of Physical Force as EvilChapter 9: HappinessVirtue as PracticalHappiness as the Normal Condition of ManSex as MetaphysicalChapter 10: GovernmentIndividual Rights as AbsolutesGovernment as an Agency to Protect RightsStatism as the Politics of UnreasonChapter 11: CapitalismCapitalism as the Only Moral Social SystemCapitalism as the System of ObjectivityOpposition to Capitalism as Dependent on Bad EpistemologyChapter 12: ArtArt as a Concretization of MetaphysicsRomantic Literature as Illustrating the Role of Philosophy in ArtEsthetic Value as ObjectiveEpilogue: The Duel Between Plato and AristotleReferencesIndex