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Post 21

Thursday, October 4, 2007 - 8:17am

In Depth will be interviewing David Horowitz The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America this week - Horowitz is a great speaker!

Updated info below, podcast avail for those without cable.

Ted

(Edited by Ted Keer on 10/04, 10:09am)

Post 22

Thursday, October 4, 2007 - 10:07am

Email David Horowitz your questions! (updated info!)

Here is the info cut-and-pasted from the booktv.org website. Visit there to submit an email question. If you do not have cable, you can watch the podcast at booktv.org after the show airs.

In Depth: David Horowitz

Upcoming Schedule

Sunday, October 7, at 12:00 PM
Monday, October 8, at 12:00 AM
Saturday, October 13, at 9:00 AM

About the Program

Our guest for In Depth on Sunday, October 7th (LIVE Noon-3pm ET) is David Horowitz. Mr. Horowitz is the founder of the David Horowitz Freedom Center (formerly the Center for the Study of Popular Culture) and the publisher of FrontPage Magazine. Mr. Horowitz's books include: "Destructive Generation" (with Peter Collier), "Radical Son," "Uncivil Wars," and "Unholy Alliances." His most recent books are "The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America" and "Indoctrination U:The Left's War Against Academic Freedom." For more, visit: horowitzfreedomcenter.org. You can participate by calling in during the program or by e-mailing your questions to booktv@c-span.org.

Don't miss this show, Horowitz is a liberal/moderate critic of the leftist media and academia, and a great speaker.

Ted Keer

Post 23

Thursday, October 4, 2007 - 5:16pm

That's a surprising characterization of David Horowitz. He has many good points, but I would have labeled him strongly Conservative.

On what do you base your description?

Post 24

Thursday, October 4, 2007 - 9:08pm

Last I heard, Horowitz planned to attend our "Atlas 50th" on Saturday. Make of that what you will.

Post 25

Thursday, October 4, 2007 - 9:11pm

Quick question: was Greenspan invited to the Atlas celebration?

Post 26

Friday, October 5, 2007 - 7:55am

My understanding is that he is one of those people like Hitchens who woke up one day and found out they were conservative. I may certainly be wrong. He's a great speaker and his work stands on its own.

Ted

Post 27

Friday, October 5, 2007 - 10:17pm

Pete,

Quick answer: yes, he was invited.

Post 28

Saturday, October 6, 2007 - 7:48am

Robert, you're killing me!! :-) Do you know if he accepted the invitation?

Post 29

Sunday, October 7, 2007 - 9:27am

No, he couldn't. Ed Crane of Cato reportedly asked him personally, again, this week, and he had a schedule conflict and sent his regrets.

However, the celebration was UNBELIEVABLE. I'll be blogging about it as time permits, with photos.

The movie news alone was worth the visit.

So was Barbara Branden's stunning tribute to Ayn Rand at the Cato reception. Not a dry eye in the house.

Later...

Post 30

Sunday, October 7, 2007 - 3:33pm

FYI - Horowitz was at the 50th Anniversary conference. I saw him in the audience.

Post 31

Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 6:14pm

Atlas Celebration from Washington, DC, on TV-Sat Oct 13-over 3 hours discussing Ayn Rand's impact today!

12:00 PM	1 hr, 13 min	Ayn Rand Panel 1 "Atlas Shrugged" Authors: Nigel Ashford; Mimi Gladstein; Anne Heller; Edward Hudgins; David Kelly
1:10 PM	1 hr, 14 min	Ayn Rand Panel 2 "Atlas Shrugged" Authors: Tibor Machan; David Mayer; Douglas Rasmussen; William Thomas
2:25 PM	1 hr, 13 min	Ayn Rand Panel 4 "Atlas Shrugged" Authors: Edward Crane; John Fund; Fred Smith

Ayn Rand Panel 1 "Atlas Shrugged"

Bookmark Program

Authors: Nigel Ashford; Mimi Gladstein; Anne Heller; Edward Hudgins; David Kelly

Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, October 13, at 12:00 PM

About the Program

October 2007 marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of "Atlas Shrugged," Ayn Rand's bestselling novel (an estimated 6 million copies have sold to date). To celebrate the anniversary, the Atlas Society held a conference in Washington, DC to discuss Rand's philosophy and the impact of the book. During this panel, Anne Heller, Ayn Rand biographer; Mimi Gladstein, author of "Atlas Shrugged: A Reader's Companion"; and David Kelley, Atlas Society senior fellow, talk about Rand's life, writing and impact in academia. The discussion was moderated by Nigel Ashford of the Institute for Humane Studies.

About the Authors

Author	About the Author	Book Title
Edward Hudgins		Executive Director, The Atlas Society
Nigel Ashford		Senior Program Officer, Institute for Humane Studies
Anne Heller		Ayn Rand Biographer
Mimi Gladstein		Department Chair, University of Texas
David Kelly		Founder, The Atlas Society

Ayn Rand Panel 2 "Atlas Shrugged"

Bookmark Program

Authors: Tibor Machan; David Mayer; Douglas Rasmussen; William Thomas

Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, October 13, at 1:10 PM

About the Program

October 2007 marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of "Atlas Shrugged," Ayn Rand's bestselling novel (an estimated 6 million copies have sold to date). To celebrate the anniversary, the Atlas Society held a conference in Washington, DC to discuss Rand's philosophy and the impact of the book. During this panel, Tibor Machan of Chapman University, William Thomas of the Atlas Society, and David Mayer of Capital University talk about Rand's views on ethics, life, and the American Revolution. The discussion is moderated by Douglas Rasmussen of St. John's University.

About the Authors

Author	About the Author	Book Title
Douglas Rasmussen		Philosophy Professor, St. John's University
Tibor Machan		Professor, Chapman University
William Thomas		Program Director, The Atlas Society
David Mayer		Professor, Capitol University

Ayn Rand Panel 4 "Atlas Shrugged"

Bookmark Program

Authors: Edward Crane; John Fund; Fred Smith

Upcoming Schedule

Saturday, October 13, at 2:25 PM

About the Program

October 2007 marks the 60th anniversary of the publication of "Atlas Shrugged," Ayn Rand's bestselling novel (an estimated 6 million copies have sold to date). To celebrate the anniversary, the Atlas Society held a conference in Washington, DC to discuss Rand's philosophy and the impact of the book. During this panel, Fred Smith of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Edward Crane of the Cato Institute, Edward Hudgins of the Atlas Society, and John Fund of the Wall Street Journal talk about Ayn Rand's views on politics, the fight for freedom, and the future of objectivism.

About the Authors

Author	About the Author	Book Title
John Fund		Columnist, Wall Street Journal
Fred Smith		President and Founder, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Edward Crane		President and Founder, Cato Institute

(Edited by Sam Erica on 10/10, 6:31pm)

Post 32

Saturday, October 13, 2007 - 2:53pm

Kudos to CSPAN2 for devoting 4 hours on a Saturday to discussions of Ayn Rand�s ATLAS SHRUGGED. They incorrectly identified Doug Rasmussen as Ed Hudgins, but I think we can overlook that.

Apparently those of us who are anxiously awaiting the release of the movie version have a lot to be anxious about. It sounds as if Taggart Transcontinental may well have been morphed into an airline. I will try to stay optimistic. Perhaps prayer will help.

Tibor Machan explained that Hume said you can derive ought from is, you just can�t deduce it (and so he was really in basic agreement with Rand). [Huh?] That bizarre comment followed what may have been the best talk of the day. To his credit, Machan did a great job of explaining the uniqueness of Ayn Rand�s approach to egoism.

It was nice to see Ed Crane of the Cato Institute talk about the importance of Ayn Rand�s ideas for the future of America and capitalism, and argue against the purely utilitarian defense of freedom.

And it was truly terrific to see John Stossel of ABC listening attentively in the audience.

I do not like the Gutless Society�s refusal to adopt a strong moral stance in the prosecution of the war on terror. Their "official" defense of �Just War Theory� (and it�s altruistic implications) is astonishing to me and destructive to the future of Objectivism. But then ARI refuses to let Christopher Hitchens publish Requiem for Man in an atheist anthology.

Ayn Rand never wanted to be part of an ideological movement. I wonder why.

Post 33

Saturday, October 13, 2007 - 3:05pm

Dennis, I haven't a clue as to where you got the idea that TAS, as an organization, has taken an "official" position on exactly how to prosecute the war on Islamofascism -- let alone by endorsing traditional "Just War Theory" (which we do not).

TAS acts largely as a forum for the dissemination of Ayn Rand's principles -- not as an orthodoxy that insists all members adhere to "official" positions on specific applications of those principles. Individuals speak for themselves, and that includes the staff.

In other words, I think you must be confusing us with other organizations.

As for "gutless," it seems that you are not familiar with my own writing; with the outspoken public stands TAS took following 9/11; certainly not with the content of The New Individualist; or with the fact that our blunt, uncompromising takedown of the conservative movement just earned one of the top national journalism awards.

If this is gutlessness, Dennis, make the most of it.

Incidentally...what, exactly, have YOU done to promote these principles on a national scale?

P.S. An afterthought: I'm glad that so many of our critics are eagerly awaiting a film that TAS, alone among Objectivists, has been working on directly and for years, to see that it finally is made, and made right.
(Edited by Robert Bidinotto on 10/13, 3:08pm)

Post 34

Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 6:43am

I would be interested in reading a clarification of Tibor's comment on the is/ought dichotomy (perhaps an article)? Like Dennis, I was puzzled when I heard it.

Post 35

Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 12:26pm

I, too, would appreciate someone familiar with the subject commenting on Machan's statement.

As a layman, I understood him to be making a very pedantic point. To deduce something, there must be a direct relationship from premise to conclusion. E.g. x = 1, y = 2, therefore x + y = 3. Machan said that the terms of the ought are not in the premise of the "is" therefore one cannot deduce ought from is. He contrasted this with the word "derive" which my dictionary defines as "base a concept on a logical extension or modification of (another concept)". So, Machan seemed to be saying the the "ought-is" gap is a canard.

Post 36

Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 12:28pm

As a layman, I understood him to be making a very pedantic point. To deduce something, there must be a direct relationship from premise to conclusion. E.g. x = 1, y = 2, therefore x + y = 3. Machan said that the terms of the ought are not in the premise of the "is" therefore one cannot deduce ought from is. He contrasted this with the word "derive" which my dictionary defines as "base a concept on a logical extension or modification of (another concept)". So, Machan seemed to be saying the the "ought-is" gap is a canard.

That was about what I got out of it.....

Post 37

Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 5:39pm

Robert,
This is a rehash of territory we have covered here before, ad nauseum. I will happily withdraw my assessment of the Gutless Society when its leaders (a) officially disavow the Position Statement posted here (and published in the old Navigator) and the implied endorsement of �Just Law Theory� posted here; and (2) begin offering op-eds comparable to those of ARI cited here. It is not "orthodoxy" for an organization to advocate such viewpoints but encourage dissent among its membership (which is the policy I have always endorsed) . On the other hand, "Position Statements" (like this) which imply the agreement of all members are stupid and unnecessary and do carry the taint of orthodoxy.

As long as TAS hides behind the bromide of an individual�s obvious right to speak for himself, you are either (a) pandering to those who do not agree with Objectivism (i.e., libertarians); or (b) revealing a gross inability to grasp how abstract ideas (specifically egoism) apply to the real world. I am (perhaps charitably) assuming the first of these, and I consider your organization�s willingness to do so a moral abomination.

Incidentally...what, exactly, have YOU done to promote these principles on a national scale?

Nothing, other than post my opinions here and elsewhere. It may not be much, but at least I can sleep at night, knowing I have not taken actions which directly undermine the power of Ayn Rand�s philosophy to stop the senseless sacrifice of American soldiers and prevent the massive loss of innocent American lives in the future.

Post 38

Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 8:14pm

I wrote:

Incidentally...what, exactly, have YOU done to promote these principles on a national scale?

Dennis replied:

Nothing, other than post my opinions here and elsewhere. It may not be much, but at least I can sleep at night, knowing I have not taken actions which directly undermine the power of Ayn Rand�s philosophy. . .

Well, I've done much, much more on behalf on Rand's philosophy -- accomplishing much of it during those hours when you were sleeping so peacefully.

Let me add that I do not gauge my virtue by the actions which I have not taken.

Post 39

Saturday, October 20, 2007 - 8:28pm