Ayn Rand and Objectivism

Ayn Rand and Objectivism - Sky Strube H01

• Rand’s Objectivism - “The concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his nobliest activity, and reason as his only absolute.” 
• She first expressed this idea in The Fountainhead (1943). 
• The name “Objectivism” comes from the idea that human knowledge and values are objective; they exist and are determined by the nature of reality, to be discovered and are not created by one’s thoughts. 
• Rand said that she named her philosophy “Objectivism” because the name she wanted for her philosophy based on the primacy of existence - “Existentialism” - had already been taken. 
• The opposite of Objectivism is Collectivism. An ectreme case of Collect 
• Tenants of Objectivism: 
• Reality exists independently of consciousness 
• Human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception 
• One can attain objective knowledge from perception through the process of concept formation and inductive logic 
• Proper moral purpose of one’s life is the pursuit of one’s own happiness (Egoism) 
• The social system consistent with this morality is one that displays fill respect for individual rights embodied in laissez-faire capitalism 
• The role of art in human life is to transform humans’ metaphysical ideas by selective reproduction of reality into a physical form. 
• Main principles: objective reality, absolute reason, individualism, and laissez-faire capitalism 
• Objective reality – there is one true reality happening (if a tree falls and no one’s around to hear it does it make a sound? Absolutely yes) 
• Absolute reason – facts are the only thing that should guide people 
• Individualism – the individual should be empowered above everything else 
• Laizzez-faire capitalism – the economy is completely unregulated and separate from the government. 

Anthem 

• When Ayn Rand wrote Anthem (1937) she hadn’t fully developed her concept of Objectivism, but it was present in the story. 
• Equality 7-2521 is a member of an entirely Collectivist society. 
• Equality struggles with the idea of Collectivism, as it is revealed through the novella that he is an egoist. 
• The philosophical conflict throughout Anthem is Collectivism vs. Objectivism. 
• Rand organized the Collectivist society to suppress the power of the individual so the group can succeed (an idea that she absolutely hated) 
• Equality is assigned the mundane task of being a street sweeper. Equality proves himself to be outstanding in many ways, including but not limited to academically and physically. He had an issue with hid abilities and talents going to waste on a mindless task like street sweeping when he could be helping the community advance. Equality goes to the council with his objection and is told that his assignment is for the greater good. Tasks are given as the council sees fit and they have the final say. The council is the closest thing to an individual that the society has. 
• Equality spends most of the novella trying to understand and expand his differences in private.  
• At the end of the story, Equality uncovers a library full of individualist literature and learns the concept of “I” instead of the “we” he has always known in his Collectivist society. 

Quiz

1. What year was Anthem written?

2. What is Equality's full name?

3. Name one of the four main principles of Objectivism.

4. What is the opposite of Objectivism?

DQ

1. Do you see any pros of a Collectivist Society?

2. Do you agree more with Collectivism or Objectivism?

BONUS: 

1. What do Equality 7-2521 and Liberty 5-3000 change their names to at the end of the story?

Key: 

1. 1937 (published 1938)

2. Equality 7-2521

3. objective reality, absolute reason, individualism, or laissez-faire capitalism

4. Collectivism

Bonus: Prometheus and Gaea