rlO 97 ....._,__,,. OBJECTIVIST CONFERENCE A LYCEUM INTERNATIONAL CON FEREN CE - ,:s;:r· .. w; . ·'' ; ( •' ., - i r ,• I Ill ;UllflO 97 ~; ..,,. "' J " _ _,1 OBIECTIVIST CONFERENCE ---- -·-·~ --/.,,...~ ~-:.: \ . - , ...... ..- •·-•:---.- ~ ... • \"t,'.' • ~:-- ..·.; .• ,. ,,,.. ' ti.hl Y.:· -·~ .~ .... --.... ·~t .. .l ): , May 30 - June I, 1997 , ; ) ' l Hotel Palace '· f~ Brussels, Belgium :t~ , •·.Jc'.l; , l: TABLE OF CONTENTS SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 4 DR. LEONARD PEIKOFF 5 DR. ANDREW BERNSTEIN 6 DR. MICHAEL BERLINER 7 DR. GARY HULL 8 DR. JOHN RIDPATH 9 RESOURCES 10 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 10 UPCOMING EVENTS 11 2 1'' CE NTURY SPEAKERS BUREAU 12 PROFIT IS MORAL SEMINARS 14 NOTE PAGES 16 ... , .~~-~;;~·' ~:; ~ --:--~~· -;., ... • • '.ll< . "i ( A LYCEUM INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE , -- ,,,, - . ,i:J,··~-- tf·t.·':' ""~.,:. ~HEDULE OF EVENTS ~ONFERENCE INFORMATION Friday May 30th DRESS The dress for all conference functions, including 9:00AJ'1 - I0:3 0Al'1 Registration desk check-in receptions and dinners, is business casual. I0:45Al'1 - 12 :3 0PM Dr. Andrew Bernstein 12:30PM - 2:00PM LUNCH-optional meal plan BREAKFAST 2:00PM - 3:30PM Dr. Gary Hull Those attendees staying at Hotel Palace have 3:45PM - 5: ISPM Dr. Andrew Bernstein, continued breakfast each morning of their stay. Check with 5: I SPM - 6:30PM EVENING BREAK hotel staff for time and location of breakfast. 6:30PM - 8:00PM Reception and dinner 8: ISPM - 9:45PM Dr. Michael Berliner MEAL PLAN Those attendees registered as double or single occupancy at Hotel Palace will receive a MEAL Saturday May 31st PLAN name badge. Check with the LYCEUM registration desk for information on where lunch 9:00AM - I0:30Al'1 Dr. John Ridpath will be served. Lunch includes wine or soft drink. 10:45AM - 12:30PM Dr. Leonard Peikoff-History and Philosophy If you wish to purchase the meal plan, please 12:30PM - 2:00PM LUNCH-optional meal plan contact the LYCEUM registration desk. 2:00PM - 3:30PM Dr. Gary Hull, concluded 3:45PM - 5: 15PM Question & Answer Panel-All Speakers NAME BADGE 5: ISPM - 9:45PM FREE TIME You will find your name tag included in your registration packet. If your name is incorrect, please notify the LYCEUM registration desk. Sunday June 1st Name badges must be worn to all conference events, including meals. Not only does your 9:00AM - 10:3 0AM Dr. John Ridpath, concluded name badge allow conference staff to distinguish 10:45AM - 12:30PM Dr. Leonard Peikoff-Morality attendees from other hotel guests, but they are 12:30PM - 2:00PM LUNCH-optional meal plan also an easy way to get to know each other. 2:00PM - 3:30PM Dr. Andrew Bernstein, concluded Your name badges should indicate if you registered for the meal plan; if you did and it is not noted, please notify the LYCEUM registration desk. MEETING ROOM LOCATION All courses and lectures will take place in the meeting Q&ACARDS room, Delvaux, located on the 8th floor. Included in your registration packet are four question and answer cards. Please submit your LOCATION OF LUNCHES cards to Dr. Yaron Brook or a member of the All lunches will be served in the Salon des Arts, located conference staff by 2 PM on Saturday. Questions on the ground floor. may also be taken from the floor. · RECEPTION & DINNER LOCATION TAPE RECORDING Cocktails will be served in the foyer of Rogier I , located No event at Euro 97 may be audiotaped, on the ground floor, followed by dinner served in videotaped or otherwise reproduced, because Regier I . it is copyright protected. 4 lsuR021 -8EONAIR.ID ~IIIKOIFIF Leonard Peikoff Ph.D., Philosophy Dr. Peikoff, Ayn Rand's associate for more than 30 years and her legal and intellectual heir, is the leading Objectivist philosopher. He is the author of Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, the first systematic presentation of Ayn Rand's philosophy, and The Ominous Parallels, and is the editor of several Objectivist anthologies. He taught philosophy at New York University, Long Island University, Hunter College, the University of Denver, and the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. Dr. Peikoff is the host of the weekly radio talk show, "Philosophy: Who Needs It," now being syndicated across the United States. • ,it ·-·- · -- Uniry in Epistemology and Ethics HOW TO UNITE HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY Does philosophy make science, including history, possible- or is it vice versa? What, if any, is the role of historical fact in validating the principles of epistemology? of ethics? of politics? Do we learn that reason is man's basic means of survival by studying the nature of man or the history of men? Why did Ayn Rand say that she could not have formulated her ethics prior to the Industrial Revolution? How would an Objectivism formulated in the 17th century differ from the philosophy in At/as Shrugged? IS MORALITY DIFFICULT OR EASY TO PRACTICE? Virtue, fundamentally, as the choice to focus . Since knowledge must be a unity, does focus entail continuous mental work and/or struggle in order to perform the requisite integrations? If one is being influenced by a subconscious defense mechanism, can he be said to be in focus? If one is fully in focus, are his mental processes necessarily objective? Can a man ever act against his moral beliefs and yet still be fully in focus (e.g., the case of Rearden)? Can he still be an example of the unity of thought and action, i.e., of integrity? A L Y CEU M I NTE R NAT I ONAL CO N FE R ENCE 5 ~NIDREW alERNSTIEIIN ' Andrew Ph.D., Philosophy Dr. Bernstein currently teaches Objectivism at Marymount College in Tarrytown, New York, and has taught Objectivism at the New School for Social Research in New York City. He is an adjunct professor of philosophy at Pace University, Iona University and the State University of New York at Purchase. He is the author of the "Teacher's Guide to The Fountainhead," published by New American Library, and is a member of both the Speakers Bureau of the Ayn Rand Institute and the 21st Century Speakers Bureau . Ayn Rand's Fictional Characters as Philosophical Arche~pes: Part Two How is the conformism of Peter Keating an example of Kant's metaphysics? In what sense does Robert Stadler adhere to Plato's theory of human nature? Which fundamental premise of Kant's ethics is shared by Gail Wynand and Dominique Francon? These, and countless similar questions, can be answered only when it is understood that Ayn Rand's fictional characters are more than unique, unrepeatable individuals: they are dramatized instances of philosophy in action. Even the minor characters of Atlas Shrugged, e.g., Mr. Thompson, Floyd Ferris, Lillian Rearden, embody such philosophical principles as (respectively): Pragmatism, Skepticism, Nihilism. Focusing on The Fountainhead and At/as Shrugged, Dr. Bernstein will analyze the philosophical principles that comprise the essence of many of Ayn Rand's leading characters. 6 -ce6 uRO 21 ~HAIEIL Cl11ERILIINIER Michael 5. Ph.D., Philosophy Dr. Berliner taught philosophy of education and philosophy for twenty years until he became executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute in 1985. He is the editor of Letters of Ayn Rand and has recently completed the cataloging of Ayn Rand's papers. Ayn Rand in Russia Recent biographical projects-some still in progress- have greatly increased interest in Ayn Rand's early life. Drawing largely on materrial in the Ayn Rand lnstitute's recently created archives, Dr. Berliner provides new information and insights about Ayn Rand's life in the years prior to her arrival in America. The focus in this talk is on values : her own and those of her family. The primary source materials are interviews of Ayn Rand and letters to her from family. The evening features slides of historic photos and recordings she selected for her "musical biography." A I Y C. E UM I NTERNATIONAL C ON F ERENCE 7 ~ARY ~ULIL Gary Hull • Ph.D ., Philosophy Dr. Hull teaches philosophy at Whittier College and has taught ethics at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University. He is currently teaching a year- long undergraduate seminar on Objectivism for the Ayn Rand Institute. Dr. Hull has lectured at numerous Objectivist conferences, is a graduate of the Ayn Rand lnstitute's graduate training program, and is a member of the lnstitute's Speakers Bureau. He is the author of the "Study Guide to Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand," has written articles for The Intellectual Activist, and is a guest host for Leonard Peikoff's radio show, "Philosophy: Who Needs It. " Metaphysical Value-Judgments and Their Role in Art In At/as Shrugged, what premise motivates Dagny's comment to Galt: "We never had to take any of it seriously, did we?" In The Fountainhead, why doesn't Dominique want a career? Why do some people opt to hoard money for retirement rather than pursue a business dream- while others take calculated risks to make their values a reality? Each of these concretes is caused by certain metaphysical value- judgments. This three-hour course explains the essence of such judgments, and the crucial role they play in all areas of one's life, from one's attitude toward justice to one's enjoyment of everyday activities. The course includes an explanation of how art concretizes metaphysical value-judgments, and of the role these judgments play in one's personal response to art. 8 ~ UR027 J;6HN .@!DPATH John Ph.D., Economics Dr. Ridpath is an associate professor of economics and intellectual history at York University in Toronto, Canada, and is a member of the board of directors of the Ayn Rand Institute. Widely recognized for his lecturing skills, public speaking and debates in defense of capitalism , he is a recipient of the prestigious award from the Ontario Council of University Faculty Association for outstanding contribution to university teaching.