[what yeah okay]

	Originally Posted by Haumea To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	C'mon, Rand is basically Nietzsche for the masses, like Anton LaVey. Those who call her a sociopath are idiots - her philosophy was basically a 'fuck you' to the murderous Soviet commies she ran from, a bunch of genuine sociopaths if there ever were.

After reading "My Years With Ayn Rand" by Nathaniel Branden, it's pretty obvious she was a sociopath. Regardless...

Ayn Rand : Philosophy :: Uwe Boll : Film

[emrah]

	Originally Posted by Antares To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Scien...tism?

Yes. Scientism. Taking science as the only reliable way of securing knowledge.

Or, as Bertrand Russell puts it: "Whatever knowledge is attainable, must be attained by scientific methods; and what science cannot discover, mankind cannot know."

[Disillusioned]

	Originally Posted by Bevan To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Are you a gambling man? I have not read 'Atlas Shrugged', but I will bet you $100 that if I do I can prove it is not a description of psychopathy. Descriptive writing is an exercise in observation. Furthermore, a description of psychopathy specifically requires clinical observation by a professional in the field of psychology, or at least a writer who has studied the subject in depth.

I didn't know so much emphasis would be placed on my use of the word "description". What I meant was that Rand showed all the characteristics of a sociopath

	Psychopaths have a lack of empathy and remorse, and have very shallow emotions. They are generally regarded as callous, selfish, dishonest, arrogant, aggressive, impulsive, irresponsible, and hedonistic...

And her moral theory of objectivism (which falls into ethical egoism) is merely a theory founded on psychopathic ideals. I'm not referring to the whole of the literary work, I know it follows the story of a productive citizen John Galt who goes on strike to deny his talents to society etc. etc. I'm referring specifically to her ethical theory which she smuggled into the story. But if you want to get particular about philosophy then I would be referring to her work The Virtue of Selfishness where she elaborates on the ideas presented in Atlas Shrugged.

Rand labeled her work objectivism, yet she said everything she wrote emanated from her own mind. Such an admission reveals subjectivity, and rules out any literary or philosophical influence. Rand's output cannot be compared to any legitimate literary or philosophical work. If you try connecting the dots no coherent image will emerge. Even formulating a theory must begin with observation of external phenomena. Rand's work, and I hesitate to call it work, negates itself and cannot be taken seriously.

That's not the case. She was actually quite versed in philosophy. And her work was philosophical, it just wasn't a very good theory.

	Rand acknowledged Aristotle as her greatest influence and remarked that in the history of philosophy she could only recommend "three A's"—Aristotle, Aquinas, and Ayn Rand.

How egotistical of her...

	Originally Posted by Haumea To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	C'mon, Rand is basically Nietzsche for the masses, like Anton LaVey. Those who call her a sociopath are idiots - her philosophy was basically a 'fuck you' to the murderous Soviet commies she ran from, a bunch of genuine sociopaths if there ever were.

Nietzsche was an ethical nihilist, Rand was an ethical egoist. They are completely separate theories, ethical egoism is much more absurd. And I'm just going off of the definition for sociopath. It just is what it is and she fits the description to a T.

Also, what does any of this have to do with communists? Communism is not an ethical theory.

[Bevan]

	Originally Posted by Disillusioned To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	I didn't know so much emphasis would be placed on my use of the word "description". What I meant was that Rand showed all the characteristics of a sociopath

Point taken. I'm an obsessive wordist. I was just trying to demonstrate how she really had no objectivity, and couldn't see past her nose, but I can see how the post was abrasive. My intention was to take her further down a notch or two.

---------- Post added 05-19-2012 at 09:24 AM ----------

Where she belongs. Seal the coffin and be done with it.

[Chaotic Enigma]

If you consider Sartre an existentialist and philosopher, then I can suggest you read also Hermann Hesse. Any of his books are worth reading, but I invite you to read "Narcissus and Goldmund" (also known as Death and the Lover), a story that essentially focuses on the anthitesis between Nietzsche's "Apollonian versus Dionysian", which are embodied by the characters. In my opinion it's a master piece!! Some parts are written like poetry! *-*
By the same author, I'd also suggest "Siddhartha", a story that perspires the echo of oriental philosophy.

[Lupercal]

Originally Posted by Chaotic Enigma To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

If you consider Sartre an existentialist and philosopher, then I can suggest you read also Hermann Hesse. Any of his books are worth reading, but I invite you to read "Narcissus and Goldmund" (also known as Death and the Lover), a story that essentially focuses on the anthitesis between Nietzsche's "Apollonian versus Dionysian", which are embodied by the characters. In my opinion it's a master piece!! Some parts are written like poetry! *-* By the same author, I'd also suggest "Siddhartha", a story that perspires the echo of oriental philosophy.

The Glass Bead Game is excellent too :D

[Bevan]

I'm infatuated with Camus right now, but I suppose Sartre should be next. I have a copy of 'Siddhartha', a relic from days gone by. It's probably worth reading again.

[Chaotic Enigma]

	Originally Posted by Lupercal To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	The Glass Bead Game is excellent too :D

Yes, so I have heard!!! I wanted to get that the last time I went to the book store but they didn't have it, so now I'm reading Steppenwolf. I am just so in love with Hesse's way of writing and find that my ways of seeing the world are so close to his.

Oh and Rousseau's Origin of inequality should be on the list. In my opinion it's the first socialist "manifesto" or so to say.

[Lupercal]

	Originally Posted by Chaotic Enigma To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Yes, so I have heard!!! I wanted to get that the last time I went to the book store but they didn't have it, so now I'm reading Steppenwolf. I am just so in love with Hesse's way of writing and find that my ways of seeing the world are so close to his.

I have a copy of Steppenwolf but I haven't got round to reading it yet - it is on my list though. You might like The Sea of Fertility by Yukio Mishima, it's very different to Hesse but reincarnation and Buddhist philosophy is the thread that runs through the four novels that make up the tetralogy. Definitely worth picking up if you can find a cheap copy, the single volume edition (Penguin Modern Classics, 1985) is best.