Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand (February 2 1905–March 6 1982; first name pronounced (IPA) {{IPA|/aɪn/}} (rhymes with 'mine')), born Alissa "Alice" Zinovievna Rosenbaum, was best known for her philosophy of Objectivism and her novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Her philosophy and her fiction both emphasize, above all, her concepts of individualism, rational egoism ("rational self-interest"), and capitalism. Believing government has a legitimate but relatively minimal role in a free society, she was not an anarchist, but a minarchist. Her novels were based upon the archetype of the Randian hero, a man whose ability and independence causes conflict with the masses, but who perseveres nevertheless to achieve his values. Rand viewed this hero as the ideal and made it the express goal of her literature to showcase such heroes. She believed:

Legacy

Rand's funeral was attended by some of her prominent followers, including Alan Greenspan. A six-foot floral arrangement in the shape of a dollar sign was placed on her casket. http://www.eckerd.edu/aspec/writers/atlas_shrugged.htm

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1985, Leonard Peikoff, a surviving member of "The Collective" and Ayn Rand's designated heir, established "The Ayn Rand Institute: The Center for the Advancement of Objectivism". The Institute has since registered the name Ayn Rand as a trademark, despite Rand's desire that her name never be used to promote the philosophy she developed. Rand expressed her wish to keep her name and the philosophy of Objectivism separate to ensure the survival of her ideas.

Related Topics:
1985 - Leonard Peikoff - The Collective - Ayn Rand Institute

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Another schism in the movement occurred in 1989, when Objectivist David Kelley wrote an article called "A Question of Sanction," http://www.wetheliving.com/boston/sanction.html in which he defended his choice to speak to non-Objectivist libertarian groups. Kelley wrote that Objectivism was not a "closed system" and should engage with other philosophies. Peikoff, in an article for The Intellectual Activist called "Fact and Value" http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=objectivism_f-v, argued that Objectivism is, indeed, a closed system, and that truth and moral goodness are intrinsically related. Peikoff expelled Kelley from his movement, whereupon Kelley founded The Institute for Objectivist Studies (now known as "The Objectivist Center").

Related Topics:
1989 - David Kelley - Libertarian - The Intellectual Activist - The Objectivist Center

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rand and Objectivism are less well known outside North America, though there are pockets of interest in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and her novels are reported to be very popular in India (http://www.theatlasphere.com/metablog/000058.php). Her work has had little effect on academic philosophy, for her followers are mostly (with some notable exceptions) drawn from the non-academic world.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~