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Highlights of Objectivist Summer Conference 2009 Yaron Brook Volume 15, Number 8, August 2009 Highlights of Objectivist Summer Conference 2009 y all accounts, Objectivist Summer Confe- “Free Minds and Free Markets” investigated The panelists were John Allison, newly B rence 2009, held July 3–11, was a rousing the philosophic underpinnings of freedom and appointed Distinguished Professor of Practice at success. Continuing a trend of high attendance showed that a defense of capitalism requires a Wake Forest University Schools of Business and in recent years, 460 attendees made their way to defense of man’s mind. chairman and former CEO of BB&T Corporation; the summer conference in Boston to hear lectures Mr. Allison and Mr. Fortun discussed the Debi Ghate, senior director of the Anthem Founda- from Objectivist intellectuals and socialize with methods and challenges of implementing at tion for Objectivist Scholarship and vice president others who share a passion for Ayn Rand’s ideas their businesses a corporate philosophy based of Academic programs at ARI; John Lewis, newly and their applications. in Objectivism. The talks were inspiring exam- appointed Visiting Associate Professor of Politi- Here are some highlights from the event: ples of applied Objectivism in action. This was cal Science at Duke University; Robert Mayhew, Mr. Fortun’s first general session lecture. Professor of Philosophy at Seton Hall; and Greg General Sessions and Optional Courses featured Salmieri, newly appointed Visiting Assistant new and returning speakers. This year’s general Professor of Philosophy at the University of North sessions included lectures by John Allison, Carolina, Chapel Hill. Harry Binswanger (two lectures), Wayne Fortun, Ms. Ghate, who organized the panel, led off by Onkar Ghate, Allan Gotthelf, Greg Salmieri, describing the progress of the Anthem Foundation Peter Schwartz and Tara Smith (two lectures). and the heightened interest in Objectivism in aca- A number of the sessions focused on Atlas demia. Anthem moved its operations to Irvine last Shrugged: Dr. Salmieri’s “Atlas Shrugged on year and has since taken over ARI’s professor out- the Role of the Mind in Man’s Existence” and reach program. It has worked closely with BB&T in Dr. Smith’s two lectures, “No Tributes to Caesar: continued on page 3 Good or Evil in Atlas Shrugged” and “‘Human- The optional courses this year featured a mix ity’s Darkest Evil’: The Lethal Destructiveness of of returning and first-time speakers. The new Non-Objective Law.” Dr. Gotthelf’s “Hallmark’s speakers were Kris Biniek and Robert Knapp. Atlas Shrugged Annual Sales of Objectivism: The Benevolent Universe Premise The returning: Craig Biddle, Thomas A. Bowden, Record Broken in June and the Heroic View of Man” also drew on the novel, Yaron Brook, Eric Daniels, Elan Journo, Ellen as well as on The Fountainhead and Ayn Rand’s Kenner, Andrew Lewis, John Lewis, Edwin A. o thundering applause, Dr. Brook announced nonfiction. Locke, Lee Pierson, Sandra Schwartz, Lisa Van- Tat the Objectivist summer conference that In a two-part lecture titled “The Objective vs. Damme and Barry Wood. sales of Atlas Shrugged have officially surpassed the Intrinsic and the Subjective,” Dr. Binswanger 205,000, the annual sales record that was set last discussed Ayn Rand’s discovery of a new con- Academic Panel. A regular component of the year. What is most remarkable is that there remain cept of objectivity and the false alternatives that summer conference, the Academic Panel features six months still to go before the close of the year. it obliterates. In “The Separation of Church and Objectivists who are giving Ayn Rand’s ideas a “There is a legitimate shot at reaching half State,” Dr. Ghate discussed the proper case for a forum in colleges and universities. Always excit- a million books sold in 2009,” said Dr. Brook, separation of religion and government and exam- ing, the panel this year made a clear statement that “especially if we can quickly kick the new ined the flaws in the arguments that are most Objectivism has not only achieved a foothold in Atlas Shrugged Initiative program into gear.” often heard today for or against it. Mr. Schwartz’s academia, but is advancing. [See “September Benefit Dinner,” on page 4.] Yaron Brook Gives Keynote Speech at July 4th Boston Tea Party n July 4th Yaron Brook delivered the key- “The Tea Party phenomena continue to be a O note address to an estimated Tea Party crowd positive sign of growing unrest with the policies of three hundred in Boston’s Christopher Colum- of the U.S. government today,” said Dr. Brook to bus Park. It was America’s birthday, but it was not Impact after the speech. “I was happy to have had a celebration. Amid the fountains and green lawns, the chance to influence those in the crowd who are with the majestic city harbor behind him, Dr. Brook searching for answers. Unfortunately, rather than delivered a solemn message. spending this day in celebration of America and of “Happy Fourth,” he greeted the crowd. “It’s our liberty, we had to spend it as did our Founding a bit of a sad Fourth, though. It’s sad because Fathers 233 years ago—fighting for our freedom.” Yaron Brook speaks to Tea Party demonstrators at Christopher Columbus Park there’s a Tea Party going on. We had a Tea Party Dr. Brook’s appearance at the Tea Party was the once. It should have been the last time this own self-interest and happiness as one’s proper last of three Tea Party speeches by Objectivists in country had ever seen a Tea Party. Because of the moral purpose. Boston that day. ARI board member John Ridpath consequences of that Tea Party, this country, the We need to “dump . in the river with the spoke on Boston Common, and John Lewis, Visit- greatest country in the history of man, was created. tea” the idea that you have a moral obligation to ing Associate Professor of Political Science at Duke That should have been it. We shouldn’t need this. your neighbor, he said to loud applause. And we University, immediately preceded Dr. Brook in This is tragic. This is sad. And we should be angry need to replace it with the notion that your moral Christopher Columbus Park. On the opposite coast, about the fact that we need a Tea Party today.” responsibility is “to rationally pursue your life ARI analyst Alex Epstein spoke to three hundred Dr. Brook went on to explain the reason for to the best of your ability. To make the most out ralliers at a July 4th Tea Party in San Diego. America’s fading freedom—its acceptance of of the life you have on this earth. To be, to use a All of the Tea Party speeches are available for altruism as cliché, the best that you can be.” viewing on ARCTV and the ARI YouTube chan- a moral The enthusiastic crowd cheered and whistled nel. Readers are ideal—and throughout the speech. They waved signs, some encouraged to to identify of which referenced Ayn Rand or Atlas Shrugged. share the links the way Many visited a nearby ARC (Ayn Rand Center for with others. out—the Individual Rights) display booth and took pam- embrace of phlets and signed up for mailing lists. Their vigor the pursuit was encouraging. Their numbers, in light of the Demonstrators in Christopher Columbus Park of one’s gravity of the message, were perhaps too few. ARC booth in Christopher Columbus Park OAC Graduates Largest Class Ever he Objectivist Academic Center held a private Tceremony during the Objectivist summer conference honoring the fourteen graduates of 2009. This is the largest graduating class in the eight-year history of the OAC. ARI president Yaron Brook and OAC dean and ARI senior fel- low Onkar Ghate spoke at the ceremony, with vice The Purpose of Art president of Academic programs Debi Ghate serv- of abstractions, and needs the power to bring his ing as master of ceremonies. Each month Impact suggests readings and other widest metaphysical abstractions into his immedi- resources for fans of Ayn Rand’s fiction who wish ate, perceptual awareness. Art fulfills this need: to learn more about her philosophy, Objectivism. by means of a selective re-creation, it concret- izes man’s fundamental view of himself and of existence. It tells man, in effect, which aspects of his experience are to be regarded as essential, rt has been an element of man’s life from significant, important.” (“Art and Cognition,” The A the most primitive cultures to today’s most Romantic Manifesto) advanced civilizations. What is art? And why is She observes elswhere that “[it] is not jour- it so central to man’s life? Ayn Rand’s answers to nalistic information or scientific education or OAC graduation ceremony these questions are unique and illuminating. moral guidance that man seeks from a work of art The key is the philosophical nature of art. As (though these may be involved as secondary con- Both Dr. Brook and Dr. Ghate expressed opti- Ayn Rand explains: “Metaphysics—the science sequences), but the fulfillment of a more profound mism for the future. Dr. Ghate urged the audience that deals with the fundamental nature of reality— need: a confirmation of his view of existence—a to imagine what it would be like to live in a culture involves man’s widest abstractions. It includes confirmation, not in the sense of resolving cogni- that was improving, rather than deteriorating. To every concrete he has ever perceived, it involves tive doubts, but in the sense of permitting him to make that vision a reality, he stressed, we don’t such a vast sum of knowledge and such a long contemplate his abstractions outside his own mind, need massive numbers, but, as Samuel Adams chain of concepts that no man could hold it all in in the form of existential concretes.” (“Art and said, a “tireless minority.” That is what the OAC is the focus of his immediate conscious awareness.
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