 Borderlines
by Joseph Rowlands
One of the topics in Objectivist epistemology is the method of concept-formation. It discusses how it is we can take different entities in reality, and create a useful mental abstraction. How do we go from individual trees to the concept 'tree'? How do we go from instances of the color blue, to the concept 'blue'? ... (Read more...)
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Not Enough Justice?
by Joseph Rowlands
A common type of question Objectivists get involves some horrific action a person can take that is technically not a violation of anyone's rights. This may include the torture of animals, a guy is emotionally abusive to his girlfriend, parents who refuse to educate their children, or a wife who insists on cooking vegetarian dishes. All of them travesties of justice, and yet the law is not allowed to remedy them. (Read more...)
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 Valentine's Gifts
by Joseph Rowlands
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. Romance is in the air. Little red hearts are on every storefront. Young couples are planning to celebrate their love. Yes tomorrow, Cupid is in command. What more fitting a time could there be to talk about property rights! (Read more...)
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Objectivity and Art
by Joseph Rowlands
One of the central principles of Objectivism, as well as one of the more powerful tools, is the concept of objectivity. (Read more...)
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Confusing the Issue
by Joseph Rowlands
One problem with arguing with a theist about god is that their position becomes increasingly more abstract. (Read more...)
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 Self-Reinforcing Ideas
by Joseph Rowlands
We're in a war of ideas. If we intend to change the sick elements of the culture, we have to attack the ideas that are behind them. And to do that, we need to understand why people hold on to bad ideas. (Read more...)
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False Dichotomies
by Joseph Rowlands
In studying the ideas of Objectivism, it's hard not to notice how often the term 'dichotomy' comes up. (Read more...)
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Thursday
December 11, 2003 |
 The Ethics - Politics Connection
by Joseph Rowlands
Objectivists hold that politics is grounded in ethics. Even in non-Objectivist thought, every political theory is based on some ethical premises. The welfare state is dependent on egalitarianism and the static view of life. Communism is dependent on altruism, collectivism, and materialism. And of course, Objectivist politics is grounded in Objectivist ethics. (Read more...)
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Unrugged Individualism Reviewed
by Joseph Rowlands
David Kelley wrote Unrugged Individualism to be "the first comprehensive Objectivist analysis of benevolence". In this short monograph (59 pages), he makes an excellent start. (Read more...)
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Altruism and Integrity
by Joseph Rowlands
Some people dismiss the Objectivist critique of altruism by proclaiming that altruism doesn't really require self-sacrifice. (Read more...)
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Floating Abstraction Day
by Joseph Rowlands
There's a television cartoon called Futurama that I want to talk about. At times it's hilarious, and the half hour shows are packed pretty tight. The story hinges on a guy named Fry who gets stuck in cryogenic freeze for 1000 years, waking in a world of robots, aliens, and space ships. The potential topics for the show are wide-reaching, and they occasionally hit on a very interesting theme. (Read more...)
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Fundamental Premises
by Joseph Rowlands
A question that often comes up is what the difference between philosophy and science is. (Read more...)
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 Anger Management
by Joseph Rowlands
"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger; anger leads to hate; hate leads to suffering." - Yoda (Read more...)
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Addiction and Free Will
by Joseph Rowlands
Not too long ago, I watched a John Stossel special Help Me, I Can't Help Myself, on the nature of addiction. The show centered around the philosophical argument of Free Will vs. Determinism. (Read more...)
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Patent Suicide
by Joseph Rowlands
There's been a lot of talk about passing Medicare prescription drug benefits. (Read more...)
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Tuesday
September 16, 2003 |
The Death of Democracy in California
by Joseph Rowlands
Yesterday, Sept 15, 2003, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the state of California is to become a Kingdom ruled by His Royal Majesty, King Gray Davis I. (Read more...)
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Why Altruism?
by Joseph Rowlands
The other day I listened to some associates discuss the welfare state. Instead of giving my own opinion on the topic, I thought I'd listen in on them. (Read more...)
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Death by Religion
by Joseph Rowlands
Recently I had a conversation with a Christian. She tried to make the claim that Christianity is more peaceful than Islam, based on what current affairs. In the Middle East, there's terrorism, dictatorships, suicide bombers, and holy wars. In the West, you have a bunch of people who go to church, sing songs, and have picnics. Who could argue with that? (Read more...)
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Rational Individualism
by Joseph Rowlands
In Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead, Howard Roark was a man who didn't care what other people thought. Well, actually he did in some ways. He cared about his friends, and he was concerned about why some people were secondhanders. But the fact that people thought things didn't matter to him in the sense that it wasn't a reason to believe or disbelieve that thing. An idea was either true or false, and he used his own mind to determine that. (Read more...)
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Is Libertarianism Evil?
by Joseph Rowlands
How does one learn the concept of freedom? Joseph Rowlands explains that there are many roads you can follow. (Read more...)
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Virtuous Living (13 of 13): Conclusion
by Joseph Rowlands
That's the major Objectivist virtues. In each of these cases we can see the moral principle that defines the virtue, and we can see that it can be interpreted in a couple of ways. (Read more...)
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SOLOC 2 Conference Summary
by Joseph Rowlands
Testimonials, pictures, speakers list, etc. (Read more...)
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Virtuous Living (12 of 13): Honesty
by Joseph Rowlands
The last virtue I want to talk about is that of Honesty. Rand described Honesty as "the recognition of the fact that the unreal is unreal and can have no value". (Read more...)
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Virtuous Living (11 of 13): Independence
by Joseph Rowlands
The moral principle here is that your life is your own, and you're the only one that can live it. It means that you need to act directly, and not attempt to get or let other people do your living for you. It's the recognition that life is purposeful action, but it needs to be your purpose and your action, or it's not really living. (Read more...)
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Virtuous Living (10 of 13): Pride
by Joseph Rowlands
The moral principle here is that you need to want to live. You need to make your life the ultimate value, and to appreciate it as such. (Read more...)
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