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The OAC Reaches Milestone TM Volume 12, Number 9, September 2006 The OAC Reaches Milestone Undergraduate Program Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary Yaron Brook to Speak at he Objectivist Academic Center provides a learn new skills, principles, and integrations in Ford Hall Forum Tformal, systematic education in Ayn Rand’s my OAC classes, but also cleared up countless philosophy to students around the globe, giving rationalistic confusions in my understanding of n October 22 Dr. Yaron Brook, ARI’s them an unrivaled opportunity to study closely Objectivism, many of which were unknown to me. Oexecutive director, will speak at the Ford with Objectivist intellectuals. Thanks to the OAC, I made a huge leap forward in Hall Forum. His topic will be “Democracy This month the OAC undergraduate program my understanding of Objectivism. I will be a better vs. Victory: Why the ‘Forward Strategy of celebrates its fifth anniversary. Those five years philosopher, and a better person, as a result.” Freedom’ Had to Fail.” have been marked by remarkable growth, as the But the benefits of the OAC to students extend OAC works to train the future teachers and writers beyond their coursework. The Institute provides who will advocate Ayn Rand’s many other means of financial, ideas in the culture. intellectual and moral support, The predecessor to the such as grants for graduate OAC was the Objectivist school applications and schol- Graduate Center (itself an arships that enable students to outgrowth of an intensive attend Objectivist conferences. seminar on Objectivism taught Currently ARI is working to by Dr. Harry Binswanger to Objectivist gradu- expand its scholarship offerings for OAC students, ate students during the early ’90s). At its peak the including scholarships to attend the American Phil- OGC included seminars by Dr. Leonard Peikoff osophical Association’s annual meetings, as well on proper philosophical methodology, courses as scholarship awards for top OAC students. by Dr. Binswanger on Objectivism and Mr. Peter Today more than one hundred students partici- Schwartz’s course on the principles of writing. pate in the OAC, a number that continues to grow Dr. Brook will deliver his Ford Hall Forum address at Faneuil Hall, an In 2000 Dr. Onkar Ghate—himself a former each year. Part of this astounding growth comes historical site in Boston. OGC student—was hired by ARI to develop a new from increased marketing efforts by the Institute. From 1961 to 1981, Ayn Rand was a frequent curriculum for the study of Objectivism targeting Word of mouth has also played a significant role, invited speaker at the Ford Hall Forum in Boston. undergraduates. In September 2001 the OAC’s as OAC students express their enthusiasm for the Since her death, Dr. Leonard Peikoff has spoken undergraduate program formally began. program to fellow students and other Objectivists. at the Forum on a number of occasions, most Today the undergraduate program provides And now that some OAC courses are offered for recently in 2003. This will be Dr. Brook’s first students with courses on philosophy, writing and college credit, we expect interest to grow even time speaking at the Forum. communication, Objectivism and proper philo- more in the coming years. To sustain this growth Dr. Brook’s lecture will be preceded by a sophical methodology. Each class includes graded and avoid having to turn away qualified students, special weekend conference, “The Jihad Against assignments and rigorous testing, as well as regu- the Institute must hire additional instructors and is the West: The Real Threat and the Right lar feedback from instructors. actively soliciting funding for this effort. Response,” organized by Objectivist Confer- A recent graduate of the OAC undergraduate This month also marks the first anniversary ences. It will feature several lecture events and a program, Diana Hsieh, reflected on the program’s of the new OAC graduate program. This past year panel discussion, beginning with a campus club value to her: “When I entered the OAC, I was OAC graduate students took a year-long course, talk by Dr. Brook at Tufts University on Friday acutely aware that my understanding of Objectiv- Practicum in Philosophical Method, taught by evening. Speakers and panelists include: John ism was insufficient for serious scholarly work in Dr. Binswanger. Other graduate-level courses are Lewis, Robert Spencer, Daniel Pipes, Flemming philosophy. Happily, the education I received at the offered on a rotating basis. Rose and Peter Schwartz. OAC exceeded my wildest hopes. I didn’t merely Continued on page 4 For more information, and to register, please visit www.objectivistconferences.com. Study Objectivism, Earn College Credit n March Impact announced a pilot program that audio commentary from the college’s Web site. Inside This Issue: Iwould allow students participating in the OAC’s As part of this program, Dr. Ghate has been Introduction to Philosophy course to receive col- approved as an adjunct professor at Chapman • Discovering Ayn Rand’s Philosophy: Altruism lege credit through Chapman University. That pilot University College. We expect other OAC program was a resounding success. instructors to obtain similar approvals. • New Legislation Enables Tax-Advantaged As a result, ARI and Chapman are in discus- There are significant costs associated with Charitable Contributions from IRAs sion regarding expansion of our offerings through this program. Some of those costs are covered by Chapman’s distance learning program for col- a generous grant from the Anthem Foundation • Academic Activities at Objectivist Summer lege credit to the entire first year of the OAC for Objectivist Scholarship, but as the program Conference 2006 undergraduate program—both Introduction to grows, additional funding will be necessary. • Anthem and The Fountainhead Essay Dean of Philosophy, taught by Dr. Onkar Ghate, “This is an exciting development,” said Contest Winners Announced the OAC, and Introduction to Writing, taught by Dr. Ghate. “If the OAC is going to continue Dr. Keith Lockitch. to expand, it is crucial that students can earn • A Conversation with Dr. John P. McCaskey Students who participated in the pilot college credit program reported that they were pleased with for their study of Objectivism. I look forward to • Memorial Scholarship Funds Support OAC the online platform. They completed weekly the day when every OAC course has received Students assignments online, and received regular university accreditation.” • Five Years of OAC Success feedback from their instructor by downloading New Legislation Enables Tax-Advantaged Charitable Contributions from IRAs n August the Pension IProtection Act of 2006 (PPA) was enacted into law. Of potential interest to qualifying ARI donors is one Altruism which means: self-immolation, self-abnegation, of the bill’s charitable giving self-denial, self-destruction—which means: incentives: For individuals who have Individual Each month Impact suggests readings and other the self as a standard of evil, the selfless as Retirements Accounts (IRAs) and who have resources for fans of Ayn Rand’s fiction who wish the standard of the good.” (“Faith and Force: reached the age of 70 1/2, tax-free distributions to learn more about her philosophy, Objectivism. Destroyers of the Modern World”) to nonprofit organizations are now possible. By grasping that a value is that which (Previously, distributions from traditional IRAs n her writings, Ayn Rand devotes considerable furthers one’s own life and by grasping that the were fully taxable.) Iattention to unmasking the morality of essence of altruism is sacrifice, “the surrender Now, in addition to being tax-free, such distri- altruism: to exposing its full meaning, its of that which you value in favor of that which butions also count toward the IRA holder’s annual mystical foundations, its hopeless contradictions you don’t” (“This is John Galt Speaking,” in Required Minimum Distribution. And since there and its devastating effects on human life. This For the New Intellectual), Ayn Rand was able is no tax deduction involved—the distribution is was necessary because, despite its destructive to identify the anti-life meaning of the morality simply excluded from gross income—even those nature, altruism has stood as the dominant of altruism. who do not itemize deductions may participate. ethical theory in the West since the rise of “Since nature does not provide man with an Can you take advantage of the “IRA chari- Christianity. To understand today’s world, and automatic form of survival,” writes Miss Rand, table rollover”? Here are the requirements: to fight to establish a more rational one, it is “since he has to support his life by his own imperative to understand altruism. effort, the doctrine that concern with one’s own • You must have reached the age of 70 1/2 before “The basic principle of altruism,” writes interests is evil means that man’s desire to live making a charitable distribution from your IRA. Ayn Rand, “is that man has no right to live for is evil—that man’s life, as such, is evil. No doc- • Distributions must be from your traditional or his own sake, that service to others is the only trine could be more evil than that.” (Introduction rollover IRA; other retirement plans, such as the justification of his existence, and that self- to The Virtue of Selfishness) SEP-IRA and 40l(k) do not qualify. sacrifice is his highest moral duty, virtue and Further discussions of altruism can be • Distributions must be made directly to the value.” (“Faith and Force: Destroyers of the found in nearly all of Ayn Rand’s writings. nonprofit organization (not via a withdrawal Modern World,” in Philosophy: Who Needs It) Those interested in reading more on this topic by you). Most people regard altruism as synony- (in addition to the essays already cited) are • Distributions must be made to qualified orga- mous with benevolence.
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