Q&A Panel on Objectivism by Onkar Ghate, Elan Journo, Aaron Smith
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Conference Europe 2020
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Reason Versus Faith and Emotionalism by Aaron Smith
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Conference Europe 2020
Free Will by Onkar Ghate
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Conference Europe 2020
Q&A Panel on Reason, Purpose and Self-Esteem with Yaron Brook, Onkar Ghate, Elan Journo, Aaron Smith
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Conference Europe 2020
Capitalism Versus Statism: The Real Lessons of the Berlin Wall by Yaron Brook
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Conference Europe 2020
The Virtue of Selfishness by Elan Journo
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Conference Europe 2020
How Did Freedom Fare in the Supreme Court This Year? (2018) with Amy Peikoff, Larry Salman, Steve Simpson
Gay wedding cakes. Compulsory union dues. Mandatory disclosures for pregnancy centers. Police searches of cell phone records. These are just a few of the subjects the Supreme Court has taken up this term. The Court’s major cases impact freedom in America and involve fascinating political and philosophical questions. Our panel of experts: Amy Peikoff, Larry Salzman and Steve Simpson, analyze some of the Court’s most momentous decisions from this term and explain their implications.
Recorded live at OCON 2018 on July 3, 2018.
Music in Stone: Architecture and Sense of Life by Barry Wood
Architecture is in a class of its own among the arts, combining utilitarian function and expressive power. How, though, can a building, which is nonrepresentational, convey meaning? In this lecture, Dr. Wood draws on Ayn Rand’s writings on architecture, including The Fountainhead and The Romantic Manifesto, to deepen our understanding of how great buildings concretize abstract values. The talk includes analyses of several works of world architecture from an Objectivist perspective.
This lecture was delivered on July 5, 2018 at OCON 2018.
“Crypto Currencies” Panacea or Ponzi Scheme–or Neither? by Jim Brown, Lars Christensen, Carter Laren, Lawrence White
Bitcoin. Ethereum. Litecoin. Ripple. These and other digital currencies have fired the imagination of free-market advocates. Can crypto currencies replace fiat currencies? Can they compete with gold? What’s the future of the blockchain technology on which these inventions are built? Our panel of experts: Jim Brown, Lars Christensen, Carter Laren and Lawrence White have different points of view, and they will discuss the future — and the failings — of these fascinating innovations.
Recorded live at OCON 2018 on July 1, 2018.
Creativity Comes from the Subconscious — or Does It? by Edwin A. Locke
This talk argues that the prime mover in creativity is the conscious mind even though the subconscious plays a critical role. The conscious aspect includes: having a purpose or goal, passionate love of the goal, active thinking, vision, independent judgment, tenacity and objectivity, and the willingness to change goals or strategies in the face of failure. The role of intelligence and the subconscious will be explained. Dr. Locke gives specific examples from literature, business and science.
Yaron Brook and David Pakman Debate: “Does Pure Capitalism Work?”
Listen to the final installment in a series of four discussions between Ayn Rand Institute chairman Yaron Brook and David Pakman about Ayn Rand and Objectivism. Pakman is the host of the internationally syndicated television and radio program The David Pakman Show.
Yaron Brook and David Pakman Debate: “Should We Have Welfare Programs?”
Listen to the third in a series of four discussions between Ayn Rand Institute chairman Yaron Brook and David Pakman about Ayn Rand and Objectivism. Pakman is the host of the internationally syndicated television and radio program The David Pakman Show.
Yaron Brook and David Pakman Debate: “Is Capitalism Moral?”
The second of four debates between Yaron Brook and David Pakman. This debate covers the question: “Is Capitalism Moral?”
Yaron Brook Debates David Pakman on Ayn Rand
Listen to the first in a series of four discussions between Ayn Rand Institute chairman Yaron Brook and David Pakman about Ayn Rand and Objectivism. Pakman is the host of the internationally syndicated television and radio program The David Pakman Show.
Transforming Burnout with Selfishness – Ellen Kenner, Edwin A. Locke and Jean Moroney
Burnout is a vicious cycle involving loss of motivation for one’s job or career. Internal causes include altruism, the duty premise and secondhand values. External causes include unrealistic expectations of others and injustice. Our panel of experts: Ellen Kenner, Edwin A. Locke and Jean Moroney discuss how making selfish value choices breaks the vicious cycle of burnout, so you can experience a virtuous cycle of productivity for achieving selfish goals.
A View from the Front Lines of a Public Energy Company by Nicholas J. Deluliis
The shale revolution is one of man’s most impressive achievements. Born out of a spirit of entrepreneurism, disruptive thinking and self-interest, this revolution has brought the United States out of an era of energy scarcity and into an era of energy abundance. However, allied forces in government, media and the radical green movement conspire to destroy the shale revolution, despite its virtues, through Trojan Horse tactics linked to collectivist social purposes. Deluliis examines this effort to build a societal paradigm predicated on government control of private enterprise and the enabling of the second-hander.
Climate, Energy and the Environmentalist Movement by Keith Lockitch
Today, climate change is viewed in our culture as a crisis of unprecedented scale that is uniquely threatening and intractable. Yet if we explore the history of the environmentalist movement, we find a pattern of forecasting similar environmental catastrophes that failed to materialize. What is it about environmentalism that gives rise to this pattern of ailed predictions, and what lessons can we draw from them about today’s concerns related to climate and energy?
Recorded live at OCON on June 25, 2020.
From Metaphysical Facts to Moral Guidance by Aaron Smith
This session—part lecture, part class discussion—explores the fact that, and the ways in which, the guidance offered by the Objectivist ethics flows from the recognition of certain universal facts about human nature and the nature of the world in which man lives. The purpose of the session is to highlight the connection between facts and values from a uniquely Objectivist perspective.
Recorded live at OCON on June 24, 2019
Falling In Love With Poetry (Part 2) by Lisa VanDamme
The goal of this talk is to help you fall in love – or more in love – both with poetry and with love itself. With a symphonic integration of all the resources of language, great love poets take the most elusive nuances, thrills, mysteries, and motifs of love and throw them into sharp relief. During this talk, you will see these facets illumined by such timeless poets as Tennyson, Donne, Millay, and Browning.
You will experience the power of poetry to sharpen our vision, intensify our feelings, deepen our souls, and expand our capacity to love.
Recorded live at OCON 2018.
Falling In Love With Poetry (Part 1) by Lisa VanDamme
The goal of this talk is to help you fall in love – or more in love – both with poetry and with love itself. With a symphonic integration of all the resources of language, great love poets take the most elusive nuances, thrills, mysteries, and motifs of love and throw them into sharp relief. During this talk, you will see these facets illumined by such timeless poets as Tennyson, Donne, Millay, and Browning.
You will experience the power of poetry to sharpen our vision, intensify our feelings, deepen our souls, and expand our capacity to love.
Recorded live at OCON 2018.
The Influence of Ayn Rand on My Life and Business Career by Lars Seier Christensen
Mr. Christensen, co-founder of Denmark’s Saxo Bank and founder of the private equity firm Seier Capital, has had a long, successful career as an innovator in banking and finance. In this talk, he discusses his business career and the role that Objectivism has played in his personal and professional development.
This talk was recorded at Objectivist Summer Conference 2018.
The Philosophical Roots of Chinese Strategic Thought by Scott D. McDonald
Traditional Chinese philosophy continues to influence the thinking and values of Chinese Communist Party leadership, and informs a system of Chinese strategic thought that differs significantly from that of the West. This talk introduces the fundamentals of Chinese philosophy, their relationship to Chinese strategic culture, and their influence on PRC security policy, in order to demonstrate the importance of understanding an adversary’s philosophy and shed light on the nature of the PRC’s campaign against the United States.
This talk was recorded at Objectivist Summer Conference 2018.
Nurturing the Reader in Every Child with Lindsay Journo and Cornelia Lockitch
Is one of your goals as a parent or teacher to nurture a passion for reading in your children? Do you wonder about the role of reading instruction or screen time on the decline of reading in our culture? This presentation offers inspiration and practical advice for: – Building intrinsic motivation in children – Developing critical skills through a phonetic base and “total reading” – Choosing books (includes suggested reading lists by age) – Preparing your home or classroom environment – Exploring morality through literature.
The reading list mentioned can be found here: http://bit.ly/reader2019
Recorded live on June 24, 2019 as part of OCON 2019
Victor Hugo and You: The Art of Spiritual Splendor by Shoshana Milgram
Hugo was a giant. He created brilliantly Romantic novels, poetry and plays, and he did so with dedicated purpose: “Everything in a work of art is an act of will.” Learn about the life, works and impact of the man Ayn Rand considered “the greatest novelist in world literature.” His writing, he said, “knocks on the door and says, Open up, I have come for you.” Let’s accept his invitation.
This talk was recorded live on June 25th as part of OCON 2019.
Practicum on “Motivation by Love” by Jean Moroney
Do you select actions because they help you achieve values (“motivation by love”) or avoid failures (“motivation by fear”)? The same action can lead to happiness or suffereing depending on your reason for taking it. You will learn:
– The full meaning of “motivation by love” and its antithesis “motivation by fear
– The need to act from “motivation by love,” i.e., with the achievement of your values as your primary focus
– How to switch to a values-focus when you spot “motivation by fear”
Recorded live on June 24, 2019 as part of OCON 2019
Achieving Happiness: Living Life with Purpose
Objectivism is a “philosophy for living on earth” as Ayn Rand wrote. In this discussion, Ms. Agarwal and Mr. Tsfany relate how they understand the process of implementing Rand’s philosophy in one’s life and career. The conversation covers aspects of discovering, defining and pursuing a life of purpose and, consequently, happiness and fulfillment. This talk was recorded at Objectivist Summer Conference 2019.
21st Century Breakthroughs and Challenges in Infectious Disease by Amesh Adalja
In this talk, Dr. Adalja provides a guided tour of some of the most game-changing innovations that are on the horizon in the field of infectious disease. Using the field of infectious disease as a backdrop, he discusses such topics as the microbiome, universal flu vaccines, CRISPR-CAS gene editing, bacteriophages, antimicrobial resistance, and immunotherapies. He also discusses the topic of regulation in this field and how it may impact innovation. Recorded live at OCON on June 23, 2019.
Free Speech, Free Minds, Free Markets by Tara Smith
Many people believe that while freedom of speech is a vital human liberty, economic freedom is entirely separate, merely a distant and inferior relation. This lecture exposes their error by examining the underappreciated implications of free speech on free markets. After isolating the First Amendment’s core concern as intellectual freedom, Smith demonstrates how the mind is the bridge between speech and property—between intellectual activity, on the other hand, and its manifold material rewards, on the other.
Recorded Live in Cleveland on Thursday June 27th, 2019.
Q&A Panel: Yaron Brook, Onkar Ghate, Keith Lockitch and Gregory Salmieri
The COVID-19 pandemic and the response to it at all levels of government have disrupted all of our lives. As we begin to contemplate the challenge of reopening and rebuilding the economy in the face on the ongoing spread of the virus, it’s critical to employ the right philosophical framework for thinking about these issues, and to not be misled by false alternatives, wishful thinking, tribalistic finger-pointing and other forms of distorted thinking.
This Q&A is the final talk recorded on April 18, 2020, as part of AynRandCon-LIVE, a free online event offering a framework for thinking about the COVID-19 crisis from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism.
Thinking Objectively in Times of Crisis by Gregory Salmieri
The COVID-19 pandemic and the response to it at all levels of government have disrupted all of our lives. As we begin to contemplate the challenge of reopening and rebuilding the economy in the face on the ongoing spread of the virus, it’s critical to employ the right philosophical framework for thinking about these issues, and to not be misled by false alternatives, wishful thinking, tribalistic finger-pointing and other forms of distorted thinking.
This is the third of four talks recorded on April 18, 2020, as part of AynRandCon-LIVE, a free online event offering a framework for thinking about the COVID-19 crisis from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism.
Objectivity in Government in Times of Crisis by Yaron Brook
The COVID-19 pandemic and the response to it at all levels of government have disrupted all of our lives. As we begin to contemplate the challenge of reopening and rebuilding the economy in the face on the ongoing spread of the virus, it’s critical to employ the right philosophical framework for thinking about these issues, and to not be misled by false alternatives, wishful thinking, tribalistic finger-pointing and other forms of distorted thinking.
This is the second of four talks recorded on April 18, 2020, as part of AynRandCon-LIVE, a free online event offering a framework for thinking about the COVID-19 crisis from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism.
Anthem Discussion Series (Session 3) with Aaron Smith and Agustina Vergara Cid
In this series, teachers from the Ayn Rand Institute will discuss Rand’s background and the history of Anthem; the novel’s plots, central themes and characters; how the novel compares to other well-known works; and how the novel relates to the era in which it was written and to today.
Discussed in this episode: Anthem as Ayn Rand’s Hymn to Man’s Ego
This is part 1 of a 4-part book discussion series on Ayn Rand’s Anthem, taking place on Fridays at 10:00 am PT from March 27 – April 17. Watch live on YouTube or register at https://courses.aynrand.org/webinars/Anthem to ask questions before or during the webinar.
Update: we added a bonus Q&A session on Friday, April 24 at 10 am PT!
The Fountainhead Discussion Series (Session 3) with Ben Bayer and Keith Lockitch
In this series, teachers from the Ayn Rand Institute will discuss Rand’s background and the history of The Fountainhead; the novel’s plots, central themes and characters; how the novel compares to other well-known works; and how the novel relates to the era in which it was written and to today.
Discussed in this episode: THE FOUNTAINHEAD: PART I, CHAPTERS 9–15
This is part 3 of a 9-part book discussion series on Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, taking place Fridays at 12:00 pm PT from March 27 – May 22. Watch live on YouTube or–to ask questions–register at https://courses.aynrand.org/webinars/fountainhead
The Fountainhead Discussion Series (Session 2) with Ben Bayer and Keith Lockitch
In this series, teachers from the Ayn Rand Institute will discuss Rand’s background and the history of The Fountainhead; the novel’s plots, central themes and characters; how the novel compares to other well-known works; and how the novel relates to the era in which it was written and to today.
Discussed in this episode: THE FOUNTAINHEAD: PART I, CHAPTERS 1–8
This is part 2 of a 9-part book discussion series on Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, taking place Fridays at 12:00 pm PT from March 27 – May 22. Watch live on YouTube or–to ask questions–register at https://courses.aynrand.org/webinars/fountainhead
Anthem Discussion Series (Session 2) with Aaron Smith and Keith Lockitch
In this series, teachers from the Ayn Rand Institute will discuss Rand’s background and the history of Anthem; the novel’s plots, central themes and characters; how the novel compares to other well-known works; and how the novel relates to the era in which it was written and to today.
Discussed in this episode: Individualism vs. Collectivism in Anthem
This is part 2 of a 4-part book discussion series on Ayn Rand’s Anthem, taking place on Fridays at 10:00 am PT from March 27 – April 17. Watch live on YouTube or register at https://courses.aynrand.org/webinars/Anthem to ask questions before or during the webinar.
Update: we’ve just added a bonus Q&A session on Friday, April 24 at 10 am PT!
Free Speech and the Threat of Tech Regulation by Yaron Brook, Dave Rubin, Brian Amerige and Greg Salmieri
Dave Rubin of the Rubin Report is joined by Yaron Brook, Brian Amerige, and Greg Salmieri LIVE from OCON to talk about big tech censorship, the Google leak, Project Veritas, free speech, YouTube demonetization, fake news, and more.
Anthem Discussion Series (Session 1) with Aaron Smith and Keith Lockitch
In this series, teachers from the Ayn Rand Institute will discuss Rand’s background and the history of “Anthem;” the novel’ plots, central themes and characters; how the novel compare to other well-known works; and how the novel relates to the era in which it was written and to today.
This is part 1 of a 4-part book discussion series on Ayn Rand’s Anthem, taking place on Fridays at 10:00 am PT from March 27 – April 17. Watch live on YouTube or register at https://courses.aynrand.org/webinars/Anthem to ask questions before or during the webinar.
Aristotle and the Romantic Manifesto by Robert Mayhew
In the Romantic Manifesto, Ayn Rand reports that before she heard the name “Aristotle,” she had accepted his principle “that fiction is of greater philosophical importance than history, because history represents things only as they are, while fiction represents them ‘as they might be and ought to be.’” The aim of this talk is to explain the role of this principle in Aristotle’s esthetics and Ayn Rand’s, and to note other parallels between the Poetics and Romantic Manifesto.
Recorded live on June 27, 2019 in Cleveland, OH.
Spreading Objectivism: A Vision for ARI’s Future by Tal Tsfany
Tal Tsfany, ARI’s president and CEO, reviews ARI’s mission to spread Objectivism and the progress made during 2018–19. ARI’s strategy for the future is presented together with many data points and insights collected through newly implemented technologies and methodologies. Tal then answers questions about the direction ARI is taking.
Recorded live on June 25, 2019 in Clevland, OH.
The New Moral Case for Fossil Fuels by Alex Epstein
For the last five years, Alex Epstein’s 2014 New York Times bestseller, The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, has been one of the most important books in the world of energy policy, influencing leading politicians, executives, commentators and court cases. In early 2020, Penguin will release the revised and expanded The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels 2.0. In this talk, Mr. Epstein relates new developments in his thinking, research, and persuasion methodology, which he hopes will change the energy debate in 2020.
Recorded live at in Cleveland, OH on June 23, 2019.
Highlights from the Romantic Manifesto by Onkar Ghate, Yaron Brook
The Romantic Manifesto is a rich and philosophically penetrating book. It is, Rand states in her introduction, a “declaration of my personal objectives or motives” as an artist and “of the theoretical grounds that entitle me to these objectives and motives.” We explore some of the insights into Objectivism we get from her manifesto and some lessons to take—or not to take—from the book to increase one’s enjoyment of art and of life.
Recorded live at OCON 2019 in Cleveland, OH.
How to Fill Your Life With Art by Yaron Brook, Onkar Ghate
A central message of The Romantic Manifesto is the value of enriching your life with great art. But how? Dr. Brook has long pursued a passion for bringing Romantic art to Objectivists and other buyers and seeking out great art around the world. Join him for a discussion of the difference between great art and art you like; how to define your personal favorites; and how, over time, to elevate your taste in art.
Recorded live in Cleveland on June 24, 2019
Literature and the Quest for Meaning by Lisa VanDamme
One essential condition of fulfillment and happiness is the philosophic conviction that your life belongs to you. But it is only a condition. A truly fulfilled and happy life requires a sense of meaning. How to achieve that meaning is a question for which we have few tried-and-true, culturally established answers. Thankfully, one resource we do have for answering that question, or even knowing how to go about considering it, is great art. This talk explores how classic literature can contribute to the vital quest for meaning.
Recorded live in Cleveland on June 26, 2019
Principles and Personal Values by Gregory Salmieri
Morality is widely seen as a counterweight to self-interest, and it is often thought that adherence to esthetic principles constrains the artist’s ability to express himself and an audience’s ability to respond in a genuinely personal way. On this common view, principles are opposed to personal values. In this talk, Dr. Salmieri explores Rand’s contrary view that principles identify what makes personal values possible and that adhering to them enables an individual to value on a grand scale.
Recorded live in Cleveland on June 25, 2019
Ayn Rand on Art with Yaron Brook, Onkar Ghate and Robert Mayhew
Yaron Brook, Onkar Ghate and Robert Mayhew have a panel discussion and Q&A on various aspects of Ayn Rand’s perspective on art.
Recorded live at OCON 2019 in Clevland, OH on June 23, 2019.
Why Should I care About Israel? with Elan Journo
Israel is talked about often in the media, but many Americans don’t understand why we are so preoccupied with this country.
Often Israel is spoken of in a negative context: boycotts at universities, condemnations by the United Nations, and so on. What makes Israel worse than other countries? On the flip side, good defenses of Israel are scant. Is Israel important to U.S. foreign policy? If so, why?
Join David Birnbaum as he interviews foreign policy expert Elan Journo on the question: Why should I care about Israel?