Objectivism 101 Lecture Series



This is a series of lectures I experimented with during 2004-2005 for a small group of participants. I present it as is, with little editing, as a resource for you to enjoy.

The course was intended to try to explain the philosophy of Objectivism in a systematic manner with education as the goal. Participants were assumed to have some familiarity with the philosophy, and Ayn Rand's novels in particular.

Philosophy

  1. WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

  2. STRUCTURE OF PHILOSOPHY


Epistemology

  1. THE THEMES OF EPISTEMOLOGY

  2. SENSE PERCEPTION

  3. INDUCTION AND DEDUCTION

  4. INTEGRATION

  5. STANDARDS OF EVALUATION

  6. EMOTIONS

  7. OBJECTIVITY

  8. CONCEPTS

  9. CONCEPT FORMATION

  10. DEFINITIONS AND WORDS

  11. HIGHER LEVELS OF ABSTRACTION

  12. HIERARCHICAL THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE

  13. REASON VS. FAITH

  14. LOGIC

  15. CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT


Metaphysics

  1. THEMES OF METAPHYSICS

  2. LAW OF IDENTITY

  3. CAUSALITY AND CHANGE

  4. CONSCIOUSNESS

  5. OBJECTIVE REALITY


More Epistemology

  1. AXIOMATIC CONCEPTS

  2. FREE WILL AND VOLITION

  3. VOLITION, FOCUS AND EVASION

  4. CERTAINTY


Ethics

  1. THEMES OF ETHICS

  2. VALUES

  3. OBJECTIVE, SUBJECTIVE, INTRINSIC

  4. EMOTIONAL RESPONSES AND SELECTING VALUES

  5. RATIONAL ETHICS AND STANDARDS OF VALUE

  6. LIFE: THE ULTIMATE VALUE

  7. THE CHOICE TO LIVE

  8. HAPPINESS

  9. VIRTUES

  10. HARMONY OF INTERESTS

  11. THE TRADER PRINCIPLE

  12. MORALITY AS A GUIDE TO LIVING

  13. INDIVIDUALISM VS. COLLECTIVISM

  14. ALTRUISM

  15. ETHICS OF EMERGENCIES

  16. COMPROMISE IN ETHICS


Politics

  1. THEMES OF POLITICS

  2. THE CONTEXT OF POLITICS

  3. INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

  4. FORCE: THE VIOLATION OF RIGHTS

  5. PROPERTY RIGHTS

  6. THE EPISTEMOLOGICAL NEED FOR GOVERNMENT

  7. WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?

  8. THE LAW

  9. GOVERNMENT AS A THREAT

  10. TAXATION

  11. WHAT ABOUT ANARCHY?

  12. SELF-DEFENSE AND GUNS


Esthetics

  1. THEMES OF ESTHETICS

  2. MAN'S NEED FOR ART

  3. WHAT ART DOES

  4. NORMATIVE ABSTRACTIONS

  5. A RE-CREATION OF REALITY

  6. METAPHYSICAL VALUE-JUDGMENTS

  7. SELECTIVITY AND ART

  8. SENSE OF LIFE

  9. JUDGING ART

  10. FORMS OF ART

  11. CONCLUSION



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