Thereafter, she published her own work and lectured on the Objectivist moral ethic to which she often referred to as "a philosophy for living on earth" based on rational self-interest and the balance between the needs of the individual and moral principles based on a commitment to objective situational perception and analysis (Merrill, 1998).

In principle, Objectivism maintains that self-interest or rational egoism is a valid perspective but that the individual's perceptions must always be guided by an objective

(vs. subjectively biased) understanding of one's rights and obligations with respect to others and to society. While the main purpose of life according to and is self-

fulfillment, it is rational objectivity that both distinguishes appropriate from inappropriate moral actions and that establishes the role of the individual in society. Like other moral philosophers of her time, including the infamous physicist Albert Einstein and the philosopher and historian Bertrand ussell, and suggested that while…...

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References

Branden, B. (1987). The Passion of Ayn Rand. New York: Anchor Books.

Merrill, R. (1998). The Ideas of Ayn Rand. London: Open Court.

Peikoff, L. (1993). Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. New York: Plume.

Rand, A. (1964). The Value of Selfishness. New York: Signet.

First, this viewpoint essentially discounts all abstract works from being called "art." This idea seems counterintuitive to many; numerous art critics, collectors, viewers, and even Rand (see below) consider abstract art to be art, based on the metaphysical emotions it re-creates. Rand's Objectivist philosophy does not completely accept emotions as having an existence independent of a subject, and therefore her view on non-representational art is at least consistent with Objectivist metaphysics. However, it seems that her definition of art as it pertains to music is incompatible with her dismissal of non-representational art, since she states that music re-creates reality by sound waves evoking metaphysical emotions (Rand, Vis Arts 109). It may be argued that her view of music is consistent with Objectivism if the music is combined with lyrics; however, Rand appears to be unclear on this point.
Rand's view that work of art must be judged by an "objective,…...

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Works Cited

"Ayn Rand." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 5 Feb. 2011.

Heller, Anne C. Ayn Rand and the World She Made. New York: Doubleday, 2009. Print.

Kreiner, Leslie Elizabeth. "Toward a Definition of Art." Art Education.46. 3 (1993): 7-11.

Web. 6 Feb. 2011.

Ayn and, "Antitrust: The ule Unreason" alleged purpose Antitrust laws protect competition; purpose-based socialistic fallacy a free, unregulated market inevitably lead establishment coercive monopolies.
emarks on Causation and Liability

This reading discusses the relationship between conduct and result. This mainly refers to an injury afflicted to a person because of negligence by another person. The writer specifies that an individual should be compensated for any injury they suffer that is directly caused by another individual's negligence Thomson, 1984.

The direct cause of injury might not be easily identified especially if there are two or more parties involved, but if the individual can prove that all parties were negligent then the parties should pay for the damages. The probability of negligence determines the percentage of payment by each party. The legal system is mainly concerned with justice and fairness. In the case presented in the paper, the plaintiff is injured, and there is…...

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References

Braham, M., & Hees, M. v. (2009). Degrees of Causation. Erkenntnis (1975-), 71(3), 323-344. doi: 10.2307/40267440

Carnegie, A. (1889). Wealth. The North American Review, 148(391), 653-664. doi: 10.2307/25101798

Robert Lussier & Herbert Sherman. (2009). Business, Society and Government Essentials: An Applied Ethics Approach. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc.

Thomson, J.J. (1984). Remarks on Causation and Liability. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 13(2), 101-133. doi: 10.2307/2265272

Rand merely suggests that lacking any purpose in life is a moral failing of the individual. According to this view, a person who contributes nothing to others but lives very "purposefully" to satisfy an arbitrary personal interest in gardening, or cooking, or classic comic book collecting is living a life that is morally and spiritually superior to one who maintains no highly motivated purpose but happens to improve the lives of others through his profession.
This failure to distinguish between life purposes with a worthwhile effect and life purposes that are both harmless and useless to others implies that the comic book collector is necessarily a more fulfilling and moral life than that of the person who simply enjoys life and lives humbly and peacefully with others. In my opinion, the individual who lives for any unexamined purpose (or one that actually accomplishes nothing but self-fulfilment) may be lower on…...

Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand
The Rationalization and Pursuit of Self-interest of Humanity in "The Virtue of Selfishness" by Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand's collection of essays in the book "The Virtue of Selfishness" provides insightful thoughts about the emergence of rationalization and individualism within the individual. The author discusses how the dawn of humankind had already seen the emergence of individualism and rationalization. It is only in the process of being nurtured by the social environment that the individual learns how to detest, even consider evil, the 'virtue' of selfishness.

In discussing Rand's "philosophy" that selfishness is a virtue, this paper discusses five essays, which the author of this paper considers as the most crucial in explaining the concepts that Rand introduces in the book. The discussion is followed by an analysis of the author's claims and premises regarding the topic and assesses each premise or concept introduced in the context…...

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Works Cited

Rand, A. (1989). The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism. NY: Signet.

Anthem, the author Ayn Rand once again examines the conflict between the individual and society. The story occurs in a fictional location and society where the individual possess no rights. It is the responsibility of the individual to serve the state and any form of independent thinking or action is strictly prohibited. Against this background, the hero of the story, Equality 7-2521, emerges as an intelligent young man who has a dream of being scientist but, instead, is directed by the state to be a street sweeper. In direct opposition to the state, Equality secretly performs scientific research and experiments and, in the process, he discovers the electric light. Equality is excited by his discovery and is hopeful that it will benefit society but he soon learns that the state looks upon his discovery negatively and the governing Council actually threatens to destroy it.
The struggle that forms the basis…...

..and the profound contempt for man's nature is obvious." Therefore, man should not embrace values others than he has decided for himself. In terms of the relation with the community, this should be the result of the peaceful and moral coexistence between the individuals which are al driven by their rationale choices.
The philosophical perspectives of both Reich and Rand also consider the very essence of human nature and the role state has from this perspective. However, taking into account the differing points-of-view, Reich and Rand attribute different interpretations on these two points.

Reich has a more communitarian oriented perspective on the nature of man. From his writings, it can be concluded that in his view, the human being is good in nature, with moral values and an interest for its fellows' well-being. However, the changing society and the new accent placed on the continuous desire for "rich to become richer and…...

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Bibliography

Hallowell, John. Main Currents in Modern Political Thought, New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1950.

Rand, Ayn. Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. New York: Penguin, 1967.

Reich, Robert B. I'll be short. Essentials for a Decent Working Society. Boston: Beacon Press, 2002

Walsh, James H. George Soros: Open Society and Open Borders. Tuesday, July 25, 2006. News Max.com website. Accessed 22 September 2007, at http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/7/25/104735.shtml

It is this attitude that places Roark upon the road of discover that leads to himself and his inner drive to create beauty.
From Rand's book, it becomes clear that she is presenting her philosophy of objectivism. It is a philosophy that promotes the spirit of individualism rather than the collective; and of the pursued of happiness for the individual in question. According to William Thomas, however, this is not an isolated type of individualism. It is acutely aware of the other human beings among whom the individual functions. As such, it is aware of the necessity of achieving individual happiness while keeping in mind the rights of others. In the act of building businesses, inventing technologies, and creating art (Thomas), individuals who subscribe to objectivism do so with an awareness of the community and its needs.

When applied to the world we know today, the spirit of entrepreneurship can be…...

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Sources

Kelley, David. Life: Your Adventure in Entrepreneurship. The Atlas Society. 2009.  http://www.objectivistcenter.org/ct-2238-life_adventure.aspx 

Rand, Ayn. The Fountainhead. Lexington Books, 2007

Thomas, William. What is Objectivism? The Atlas Society. 2009.  http://www.objectivistcenter.org/cth-32-408-FAQ_is_Objectivism.aspx

Atlas Shrugged
hat is the Moratorium on Brains? Is there a similar moratorium currently?

In the novel Atlas Shrugged, author Ayn Rand discusses a dystopian condition which she calls the "moratorium on brains." By this, Rand refers to the death of individualism and individual thought. Instead of supporting unique thinking and the power of invention, the corruption of the government and the social hierarchy in its entirety has changed the national landscape. People who thought for themselves and tried to define their selves as individuals disappear entirely or they simply vacate their jobs and get replaced by sinister people who will neither question the authority figures nor try to differentiate themselves. Those who remain behind understand that they are discouraged from thinking or using their minds in any capacity other than to perform regular ordered tasks throughout the day. They are being shackled intellectually by the government and thus are never able…...

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Works Cited:

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. New York, NY: Signet, 1996. Print.

Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, depicts interplay of two forces: regulated economic freedom and free-market system. This paper describes the philosophy and the practical stances of both the schools of thought within the context of events that occur in the book.
ATLAS SHRUGGED

Atlas Shrugged is a fictional account, which depicts the causes, the results, and the ultimate connotations attached to the moral and philosophical self-destruction that the mankind, in general, is slipping into in a gradual fashion. The most significant cause and hence the philosophy behind this moral decadence is the lack of belief in the morality of self-interest. And the vehicle through which this is perpetuated is the governmental control featuring diminishing economic freedom. Therefore the plot of Atlas Shrugged revolves around diminishing economic freedom resulting in intellectual stagnation. However there exists an opposing force that provides a directly opposite plan of action with a directly opposite belief system. Those…...

Rand's Rational Self Interest
Rand’s philosophy regarding selfishness and altruism contains a crucial dichotomy, as virtually anyone’s philosophy regarding opposite concepts would. However, the opposition in Rand’s concept may surprise those who are not familiar with her philosophy. At a very basic level, Rand is stating that selfishness is actually good, and that altruism is really evil in “Introduction to the Virtue of Selfishness”. Thus, there is opposition found within this opposition, as most people would say the inverse of the aforementioned statement. However, the author reveals there are facets of selfishness which are morally beneficial, and aspects of altruism which are decidedly malefic.

Rand’s philosophy, then, is that the polarization of these terms is responsible for the moral boons of the former and the moral disadvantages of the latter. The author states that most people equate selfishness with a blanket “evil” (Rand 5), which they do not distinguish from the results…...

Success cannot be genealized; too often the wod is used as a tem efeing to financial independence o owning one's own company. Yet the sanitation woke who goes to bed each night with a smile on he face also connotes success in the moden wold. I suppot a multiplicity of success, a divesity of deams fulfilled.
My success, howeve, definitely includes financial independence and caee ecognition, but it also includes the clea conscience that comes fom knowing that I did it all by and fo myself, with confidence and conviction. Like Roak in Rand's book, I got whee I am today due to my had wok and not hand-outs. Thus fa I have not compomised my beliefs o goals to fit with pevailing noms, just as Roak would not deign to design that which disgusted him o sell out. Like Roak I listen to intenal cues and heed not the…...

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references, determining which courses to take in college, and seeking professional experience that will help me master the skill sets requisite for success as a CPA. Therefore, I hope to find internship positions within firms that I am interested in the hopes of eventually securing an entry-level position immediately upon graduation. I also need to network with role models in the field, and when I am enrolled at USC I will immediately seek interactions with like-minded yet challenging individuals in a mutually supportive atmosphere.

Along with taking relevant coursework I hope also to participate fully in campus life: through social and athletic activities I can truly flourish as a student at USC. Though I am just taking the first steps toward a successful accounting career I know now that I will contribute to the USC campus environment. My singular set of skills and philosophies will be an asset to the USC community, in which I feel I will flourish and succeed. My definition of success therefore currently includes admission to the university as an accounting major. Thank you for your consideration.

Moral Environment
Ayn Rand's The Ethics of Emergencies speaks about the value of selfishness or self-interest. Although "selfishness" might seem negative at first, Rand's explanation makes quite a bit of sense. Rand speaks about selfishness as a rational process in which a person sets his/her hierarchy of values and lives according to those values in order to achieve the moral purpose of life: one's own happiness.

Summary of The Ethics of Emergencies

According to Ayn Rand's The Ethics of Emergencies, the moral purpose of life is to achieve one's own happiness. Describing her belief in Objectivism in 1962, Rand stated, "Man -- every man -- is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others. He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of…...

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Works Cited

Dictionary.com LLC. (2012). Altruism. Retrieved on June 10, 2012 from thesaurus.com Web site:  http://thesaurus.com/browse/altruism?s=t 

Peikoff, L. (2012). Malevolent universe premise. Retrieved on June 10, 2012 from aynrandlexicon.com Web site:  http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/malevolent_universe_premise.html 

Rand, A. (1964). The Ethics of Emergencies. In A. Rand, & N. Branden, The Virtue of Selfishness (pp. 49-56). New York, NY: New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Rand, A. (2012). Introducing Objectivism. Retrieved on June 10, 2012 from aynrandlexicon.com Web site:  http://aynrandlexicon.com/ayn-rand-ideas/introducing-objectivism.html

recurring dream in which I am standing at a podium in front of a large audience. I am the head of an organization, although my exact title and the nature of the organization are vague. In the dream, I deliver a speech, detailing some aspect of company policy. I am sure of myself; I speak with authority and conviction but for some reason I stand alone. Not one member of the crowd agrees with me, likes me, or supports me. When I wake up I feel a strange mixture of pride and humiliation. Yet like Howard Roark, hero of Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead, I realize that my unpopularity does not preclude my success. Roark succeeds not according to an external scale of measurement, based on societal values or norms and fueled by conformity. Rather, Roark is a hero and a success because of his unflinching individualism and his…...

Capitalists of the orld Unite! You Have Everything to Gain -- profit, individual excellence, and personal appeal!
In her fictional work of philosophy entitled Atlas Shrugged, one of Ayn Rand's central characters, Francisco d'Anconia, expresses outrage at the expressed ideal that "money is the root of all evil." He argues instead that money is the root of all human advancement and gain. Money provides motivation for humans to rise above the level of beasts and create unique works of human production and the imagination. Money is an objective standard of valuation, unlike airy systems of merit that are open to bias. It is for this reason, d'Anconia ominously says, why the systems of money evaluation and money production is one of the first things that are attacked by invaders, when attempting to destroy a country.

Rand's protagonist accuses those that spout "that phrase about the evil of money," as being aristocrats.…...

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Work Cited

Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. 1946

1. In both Anthem by Ayn Rand and Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, the characters challenge societal norms in unique ways that force readers to question the limitations placed on individuals within their respective societies. Anthem follows the story of Equality 7-2521, a man living in a dystopian future where individuality is forbidden, and the word I has been eliminated from society. Similarly, Harrison Bergeron takes place in a society where everyone is forced to be equal in every aspect, with handicaps imposed on those who excel in any way. These characters push back against the oppressive rules of their....

Character Analysis from "Anthem" and "Harrison Bergeron" 1. Paragraph In the dystopian worlds depicted in Ayn Rand's "Anthem" and Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron," societal norms are rigidly enforced, stifling individuality and free thought. However, amidst these oppressive regimes, extraordinary characters emerge to challenge the status quo, defying expectations and inspiring hope for a better future. This essay will delve into a character analysis of Equality 7-2521 and Harrison Bergeron, examining how their actions subvert societal norms and ultimately spark a revolution within their respective societies. 2. Equality 7-2521: A Voice of Reason in a World of Suppression Equality 7-2521, the protagonist of "Anthem," is....