ayn rand 1905-1982

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Ayn Rand Ayn Rand 1905-1982 1905-1982 Rand was born and Rand was born and educated in Soviet educated in Soviet Russia. Russia. She lived under She lived under totalitarian rule. totalitarian rule. Left/escaped Russia in Left/escaped Russia in 1926 for America which 1926 for America which she saw as exemplifying she saw as exemplifying her individualistic her individualistic philosophy philosophy . .

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Ayn Rand 1905-1982. Rand was born and educated in Soviet Russia. She lived under totalitarian rule. Left/escaped Russia in 1926 for America which she saw as exemplifying her individualistic philosophy. Ayn Rand’s “Anthem”. Philosophy. Ego, Id, Superego (Freud). - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Ayn RandAyn Rand1905-19821905-1982

Rand was born and Rand was born and educated in Soviet Russia. educated in Soviet Russia.

She lived under She lived under totalitarian rule. totalitarian rule.

Left/escaped Russia in Left/escaped Russia in 1926 for America which 1926 for America which

she saw as exemplifying she saw as exemplifying her individualistic her individualistic

philosophyphilosophy..

Page 2: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Ayn Rand’s Ayn Rand’s “Anthem”“Anthem”

PhilosophyPhilosophy

Page 3: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Ego, Id, Superego (Freud)Ego, Id, Superego (Freud)

Ego: the self; the individual as aware Ego: the self; the individual as aware of himself.of himself.

Id: instinctive energy; dominated by Id: instinctive energy; dominated by the pleasure principle and impulsive the pleasure principle and impulsive wishingwishing

Superego: the conscienceSuperego: the conscience

Page 4: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Value SystemsValue Systems

AltAltruism: Unselfish concern for the welfare ruism: Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; opposed to egoism.of others; opposed to egoism.

Collectivism: socialism.Collectivism: socialism.

Individualism: the leading of one’s life in Individualism: the leading of one’s life in one’s own way without regard for others; one’s own way without regard for others; laissez-faire economics; the state exists for laissez-faire economics; the state exists for the individual not vice versa.the individual not vice versa.

Page 5: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Thinking ProcessesThinking Processes

RReason: To think coherently and logically; eason: To think coherently and logically; to draw inferences or conclusions from to draw inferences or conclusions from facts known or assumed.facts known or assumed.

Mysticism: attaining knowledge of Mysticism: attaining knowledge of spiritual truths through intuition and spiritual truths through intuition and mediation.mediation.

Page 6: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Three AntipodesThree Antipodes

• Individualism vs. Individualism vs. CollectivismCollectivism

• Egoism vs. AltruismEgoism vs. Altruism

• Reason vs. MysticismReason vs. Mysticism

Page 7: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

HeroesHeroes

Heroic characters risking their lives for ideals: Heroic characters risking their lives for ideals: triumph of individual spirit, triumph of those who triumph of individual spirit, triumph of those who reject the power of the collective.reject the power of the collective.

AnthemAnthem isn’t specifically anti-Russian. isn’t specifically anti-Russian. Intellectuals in America in the 1930’s were Intellectuals in America in the 1930’s were intoxicated by communism.intoxicated by communism.

Page 8: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Questions Raised by Questions Raised by AnthemAnthem

If we could design a society, what would we If we could design a society, what would we design?design?

What is the moral and just society?What is the moral and just society?

Does my life belong to the group?Does my life belong to the group?

Can a society without freedom be productive?Can a society without freedom be productive?

Do I have the right to pursue my own happiness?Do I have the right to pursue my own happiness?

Page 9: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

PrometheusPrometheus --name means name means

“forethought”“forethought” - Story of - Story of

PromethusPromethus stood throughout stood throughout

centuries as a centuries as a great rebel great rebel against injustice against injustice & authority & & authority & power, bringing power, bringing light and reason.light and reason.

Thomas Edison Thomas Edison was called the was called the Prometheus of our Prometheus of our time.time.

FrankensteinFrankenstein = = The New The New Prometheus.Prometheus.

Page 10: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Gaea/Gaia (guy-ah or Gaea/Gaia (guy-ah or jee-ah)jee-ah)

Mother Earth. Married Uranaus (brother). (Overhanging Mother Earth. Married Uranaus (brother). (Overhanging heavens).heavens).

Page 11: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Themes: Utopia & Themes: Utopia & DystopiaDystopia

anti-Utopiaanti-UtopiaCreativityCreativity

Page 12: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Themes: Individualism vs. CollectivismThemes: Individualism vs. Collectivism

Collectivism = subjugation of individual Collectivism = subjugation of individual to group. Worth determined by service to to group. Worth determined by service to the group.the group.

Individualism = each person is Individualism = each person is independentindependent

Individualism doesn’t mean doing Individualism doesn’t mean doing whatever you feel like. It means each whatever you feel like. It means each person has the same rights. person has the same rights.

Look for Rand’s definition of Look for Rand’s definition of “self” in “self” in AnthemAnthem

Page 13: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Individualism Individualism continuedcontinued

Not every person can be as happy as the next. Forced Not every person can be as happy as the next. Forced brotherhood will only deplete the spirits of the brotherhood will only deplete the spirits of the successful.successful.

Individual happiness is the culmination of patience, Individual happiness is the culmination of patience, work, and physical or material expenditure.work, and physical or material expenditure.

““Group think” – our society seems to look down on Group think” – our society seems to look down on people who like to be alone, who don’t want to follow people who like to be alone, who don’t want to follow a group or be with a group.a group or be with a group.

Page 14: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Themes: Egoism: “concern for one’s own interests”Themes: Egoism: “concern for one’s own interests”

ambition ambition wanting things for oneself wanting things for oneself loving someone loving someone thinking for oneself thinking for oneself egoism is not god in the religious sense. Ego is the egoism is not god in the religious sense. Ego is the

highest value. The source of what is good.highest value. The source of what is good.

Rand said Rand said she wrote the book for people who she wrote the book for people who consider EGO immoralconsider EGO immoral..

Page 15: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Themes: Egoism Themes: Egoism continuedcontinued

those who allow self-interest to dominate those who allow self-interest to dominate are called greedy, selfish, evil. But are called greedy, selfish, evil. But without selfishness, we lose our advanced without selfishness, we lose our advanced mindmind

self-love as one of the primary aspects of self-love as one of the primary aspects of freedom and self-governance.freedom and self-governance.

COMPASSION COMPASSION notnot the antithesis of the antithesis of SELFISHNESS. SELFISHNESS.

Work for rational self-interest---not Work for rational self-interest---not sacrifice self to others or ask others to sacrifice self to others or ask others to sacrifice self to us. Rejection of altruism.sacrifice self to us. Rejection of altruism.

Page 16: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Themes: Free WillThemes: Free Will

We have CHOICE.We have CHOICE. Free will = choice to think or not. We aren’t doomed to a life of Free will = choice to think or not. We aren’t doomed to a life of

despair and defeat.despair and defeat. We are all responsible for our own behavior – not society, We are all responsible for our own behavior – not society,

heredity, or past.heredity, or past.

(Choice Theory: We cannot necessarily change (Choice Theory: We cannot necessarily change forces but can change our behavior, thinking, forces but can change our behavior, thinking, emotions, and reactions. Success identity: we have emotions, and reactions. Success identity: we have strength, responsibility, and self-discipline.)strength, responsibility, and self-discipline.)

Page 17: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

Theme: ReasonTheme: Reason

This is what is preeminent in humans. The mind/conceptual faculty. This is what is preeminent in humans. The mind/conceptual faculty. This leads to emotions (the ability to make value judgments). This leads to emotions (the ability to make value judgments). Reason possesses volition – ability to make choices).Reason possesses volition – ability to make choices).

Reason is the property of the individual brain. No such thing Reason is the property of the individual brain. No such thing as collective brain. We choose to use reason. We can choose as collective brain. We choose to use reason. We can choose not to reason (not to decide is to decide).not to reason (not to decide is to decide).

That which you do That which you do notnot know is not a charge against know is not a charge against you; that which you refuse to know is immoral.you; that which you refuse to know is immoral.

Page 18: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

ObjectivismObjectivism

• Wishing won’t make it so.Wishing won’t make it so.• Only source of knowledge is reason. Only Only source of knowledge is reason. Only

guide to action.guide to action.• Humanity: each person is an end to Humanity: each person is an end to

him/herself. Cannot sacrifice self to others or him/herself. Cannot sacrifice self to others or others to self.others to self.

• Ideal political/economic system = laissez faire Ideal political/economic system = laissez faire capitalism. capitalism.

• Anarchy = irresponsible, irrational, anti-Anarchy = irresponsible, irrational, anti-intellectualintellectual

Page 19: Ayn Rand 1905-1982

After reading After reading Anthem…Anthem…

What laws do we have today that Rand would What laws do we have today that Rand would agree and disagree with? What programs, parts of agree and disagree with? What programs, parts of our lives are collectivist?our lives are collectivist?

How would Rand stand on issues such as abortion, How would Rand stand on issues such as abortion, death penalty, welfare, income taxes, draft, drug death penalty, welfare, income taxes, draft, drug use, environmental protection, capitalism, bail outs, use, environmental protection, capitalism, bail outs, farm subsidies, “Buy American” programs, farm subsidies, “Buy American” programs, affirmative action, prayer in school, the space affirmative action, prayer in school, the space program?program?

Compare the idea of equality in the Declaration of Compare the idea of equality in the Declaration of Independence vs. Independence vs. AnthemAnthem

What message does Rand have for young people What message does Rand have for young people today?today?

Page 20: Ayn Rand 1905-1982