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Volume 12, Number 10, October 2006

ARI Organizes a Special Conference at Clemson to Speak University on Teaching at Objectivist Summer Conference 2007

ecently ARI organized a weekend confer- Most of the twenty attendees were not Objec- e are pleased to report that Dr. Leonard Rence for participants in the BB&T Charitable tivists and came from backgrounds as diverse as WPeikoff will present a lecture course at Foundation-sponsored programs for the study of philosophy, religion and business. Several lengthy Objectivist Summer Conference 2007 based on capitalism. At the event professors, college deans question periods were devoted to questions about his forthcoming book, The DIM Hypothesis. The and ARI staff discussed ’s masterpiece, the novel and about in general, conference will take place in Telluride, Colorado. Atlas Shrugged, its ideas and including: How should one Here is the description of his course: strategies for teaching it in a teach Atlas Shrugged to reli- classroom setting. gious students? “The conference served Feedback on the confer- three purposes,” said Debi ence was universally positive, Ghate, vice president of and all the participants are academic programs for ARI. eager to do another confer- “It gave us a chance to meet the BB&T-funded ence next year, to deepen their understanding of professors and develop a relationship with them, it the ideas in Atlas Shrugged. enabled the professors to network with each other This conference was hosted by the Clem- and it helped them with content for the courses son Institute for the Study of Capitalism. The they are teaching this year using Atlas Shrugged.” Institute, founded in 2005 with a grant from John Allison, chairman and CEO of BB&T, the BB&T Charitable Foundation, is devoted to kicked off the weekend by talking about BB&T’s exploring the moral foundations of a free society, corporate values: Reality, Reason, Independent and sponsors a variety of conferences, lectures, Thinking, Productivity, Honesty, Integrity, Justice, seminars and colloquia, a junior fellows program Dr. Leonard Peikoff Pride, Self-Esteem and Teamwork. that provides Clemson undergraduates with an Dr. , ARI’s executive direc- opportunity to interact with some of the country’s “Dr. Peikoff’s book identifies three different tor, and Dr. , ARI senior fellow leading scholars on capitalism, and two one-week modes of integration, i.e., of interrelating and dean of the Objectivist Academic Center, seminars for high school students on the moral concretes, such as individual percepts, facts, then addressed the question: Why teach Atlas foundations of capitalism. The Clemson Institute choices, etc. The book then demonstrates the Shrugged? Dr. Edwin Locke, professor emeritus plans to sponsor a visiting scholars program, power of these three modes in shaping Western at the University of Maryland, and Dr. C. Bradley summer seminars for college students and an culture and history. Thompson, executive director of the Clemson undergraduate program that focuses on the moral, “In his lectures, Dr. Peikoff presents and Institute for the Study of Capitalism, discussed legal, constitutional, political and economic foun- explains six of the chapters in his twelve- how to teach Atlas Shrugged based on their expe- dations of a free society. chapter book. The first three, dealing with riences in the college classroom. epistemology, explain why there are only three possible interpretations of integration (symbolized by the acronym DIM), and which “The Jihad Against the West: philosopher is the source of each. The second three illustrate the power of the DIM hypothesis The Real Threat and to reveal the anatomy of Western culture, by considering the trends prevalent in literature, the Right Response” education and politics since the Renaissance. “Students will receive well in advance Conference in Boston a highly detailed outline of the material. arlier this month ARI held a weekend Islamic totalitarianism, and the right response Each lecture will be followed by a question- Econference event in Boston, “The Jihad necessitates engaging in a principled, ideologi- and-answer period.” [“DIM” is short for Against the West: The Real Threat and the cal battle to defend the West from the jihad Disintegration, Integration and Misintegration.] Right Response,” October 20–22. declared against it. Dr. Peikoff worked closely with Ayn Rand ARI assembled a distinguished panel of The conference featured a series of speak- for many years and was designated by her as Middle East experts to answer some of the ing events and panel discussions with Dr. heir to her estate. He has taught philosophy most important questions of our time: What is Yaron Brook, Daniel Pipes (a scholar of the at Hunter College, Long Island University the nature of today’s terrorist threat? Is there Middle East), Flemming Rose (the Danish and New York University. He is the author of a common goal among the assorted terrorist editor who commissioned the “Mohammad” The Ominous Parallels and of Objectivism: groups? Who are they and what do they actu- cartoons), Robert Spencer (a writer on Islam), The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, the definitive ally want? What accounts for the seemingly Peter Schwartz and Dr. John Lewis. presentation of Ayn Rand’s philosophy. renewed sense of purpose amongst so many Events took place at Tufts University, Mark your calendars: the conference will of them? What can and must the West do to Boston’s World Trade Center and Faneuil Hall, take place July 6 to July 15, 2007. A catalog ensure victory? Is peace possible? concluding with a public lecture by Dr. Brook describing the lectures and courses will be mailed While the experts answered these com- at Ford Hall Forum. to readers of Impact in the coming months. plex questions from different points of view, Impact will bring readers further details in they all agreed on one thing: the real threat is our December issue. Reaching Out to Academia

RI has embarked on a range of new outreach Aactivities for college professors and for aca- demia in general. The purpose of these programs is to reach college students with—and help make academia more hospitable to—Ayn Rand’s ideas. Impact is pleased to highlight some the program’s recent activities: We have put together a Web site (www Explaining Altruism’s two inhuman tenets: (a) that any concern .aynrand.org/profresources) that informs profes- with one’s own interests is evil, regardless sors interested in studying or teaching Ayn Rand’s Dominance of what these interests might be, and (b) corpus the many ways in which ARI can help that the brute’s activities are in fact to one’s them. A number of professors have already used Each month Impact suggests readings and other own interest (which altruism enjoins man the site to order free review copies of Ayn Rand’s resources for fans of Ayn Rand’s fiction who wish to renounce for the sake of his neighbors).” books or to obtain sample syllabi to help design to learn more about her philosophy, Objectivism. (Introduction to The Virtue of Selfishness) their courses. And so people are left with the choice ARI is responsible for acting as a liaison yn Rand held that altruism—the moral (with the former option seeming the more with the BB&T Charitable Foundation-sponsored Acode that demands one sacrifice oneself palatable): sacrifice oneself to others or programs for the study of capitalism. At Clemson to others—is senseless and destructive. Yet sacrifice others to oneself. University, for instance, we recently organized a she also observed that altruism has been the Ayn Rand rejected this as a false alterna- conference for professors where we discussed the dominant ethical theory for over two thousand tive. “The Objectivist ethics holds that human reasons for teaching Atlas Shrugged and strategies years. What explains this paradox? If altruism good does not require human sacrifices and for doing so effectively (see page 1). We assist is so destructive, why is it so widespread? A cannot be achieved by the sacrifice of anyone the professors in ordering Ayn Rand’s books, and key to altruism’s dominance, according to Ayn to anyone. It holds that the rational interests send ARI speakers to visit their campuses. We Rand, is its corruption of moral concepts. of men do not clash—that there is no conflict facilitate a dialogue among the various schools, Altruism, Ayn Rand writes, “has indoctri- of interests among men who do not desire and we expect that many of their students will nated men with the idea that to value another the unearned, who do not make sacrifices nor enter the Atlas Shrugged essay contest, with some human being is an act of selflessness, thus accept them, who deal with one another as going on to join the Objectivist Academic Center. implying that a man can have no personal traders, giving value for value.” (“The Objec- interest in others—that to value another tivist Ethics,” in The Virtue of Selfishness) Continued on page 4 means to sacrifice oneself.” (“The Ethics of For further reading on this topic (in addi- Emergencies,” in The Virtue of Selfishness) tion to the essays already cited), see “Faith Similarly, altruism has perverted the and Force: Destroyers of the Modern World,” concept “selfishness.” “In popular usage,” in Philosophy: Who Needs It, and “The Soul Special Events at Exhibit Miss Rand writes, “the word ‘selfishness’ is of an Individualist” and “This is Stand and Think: Readings from a synonym of evil; the image it conjures is of Speaking,” in . All the Unpublished Ayn Rand a murderous brute” who cares about noth- of the items cited in this column can be A series of readings from the unpublished works of Ayn Rand, ing but satisfying his whims. “The ethics of purchased from the Ayn Rand Bookstore. To illuminating her personal life in Los Angeles, her involvement with altruism has created the image of the brute, order, please visit www.aynrandbookstore. 1940s anticommunist intellectual activism and her work on her as its answer, in order to make men accept com or call 1-800-729-6149. fourth and final novel, Atlas Shrugged. Saturday, Oct 21, 2006 3:00 pm —Life in Los Angeles Saturday, Nov 18, 2006 3:00 pm —Hollywood and Communist Propaganda Ayn Rand Exhibit Opens in Los Angeles: Saturday, Dec 9, 2006 3:00 pm —Atlas Shrugged Read by Michael S. Berliner (editor Letters of Ayn Rand), Exploring Ayn Rand’s Years in Hollywood Jeff Britting and others

Film Series: About and by Ayn Rand t the Frances Howard Goldwyn Regional to be hosted at the exhibit. (See sidebar at The series opens with the documentary Ayn Rand: A Sense of ABranch of the Los Angeles Public Library, right.) These include exploring Ayn Rand’s Life (1997 Academy Award ™ Nominee for Best Documentary an exhibit documenting Ayn Rand’s personal creative-intellectual work and political activ- Feature) followed by three feature films with screenplays written and creative life in Hollywood opened earlier ism during Hollywood’s Golden Age of studio by or cowritten with Rand: You Came Along, Love Letters, The this month and will filmmaking. Addi- Fountainhead. run through Febru- tional programming Saturday, Jan 13, 2007 7:30 pm —Ayn Rand: A Sense ary 2007. includes “Stand and of Life The exhibit Think,” a reading Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Bing Theatre documents Ayn series featuring Miss Strand Releasing (1998), Directed by Rand’s personal and Rand’s unpublished Admission $12 professional activi- works, an Ayn Rand Saturday, Jan 20, 2007 3:00 pm —You Came Along ties in Hollywood, film series and a lec- Frances Howard Goldwyn Hollywood Regional Library, from 1926 to 1951, ture on the history of exhibit space in a series of repro- adapting The Foun- Paramount Pictures (1945), Directed by Jim Farrow ductions of rare tainhead to film. Screenplay by Ayn Rand and Robert Smith, (16 mm) photographs and “This is a land- manuscripts drawn mark event,” said Jeff Saturday, Jan 27, 2007 3:00 pm —Love Letters Frances Howard Goldwyn Hollywood Regional Library, from the Ayn Rand Britting, archivist exhibit space Archives, a special at ARI. “This is the Paramount Pictures (1945), Directed by William Dieterle collection of ARI. first exhibit of its Screenplay by Ayn Rand, (VHS) On display are items kind, which will raise chronicling Miss awareness of Ayn Saturday, Feb 3, 2007 3:00 pm — Frances Howard Goldwyn Hollywood Regional Library, Rand’s early years Rand and her ideas, exhibit space as a film extra and get people talking Warner Bros. (1949), Directed by King Vidor junior screenwriter about her life and her Screenplay by Ayn Rand, (DVD) for Cecil B. DeMi- philosophy, while lle, her 1940s Holly- helping bring people (Library screenings: limited, unreserved seating; wood political activ- in to the library. I admission free) Film introductions by Jeff Britting ism and her work on hope to see many the film adaptation Ayn Rand on the roof of her Hollywood apartment. more of these exhib- Lecture: “Adapting The Fountainhead to Film” of The Fountain- its in the future.” A history of Rand’s adaptation and the two competing adaptations head, as well as the drafting of her final novel The library exhibit is free and open to the pub- that would have contradicted her esthetics and philosophy. and literary masterpiece, Atlas Shrugged—a lic. The library can be reached at 323-856-8260. novel begun while living near Hollywood and For more information on this exhibit and its associ- Saturday, Feb 10, 2007 3:00 pm —Jeff Britting, lecturer under contract to Paramount Pictures. ated events, please e-mail [email protected]. Frances Howard Goldwyn Hollywood Regional Library, A number of special events are scheduled exhibit space

 The New Intellectuals: A Conversation with Dr.

Dr. Tara Smith is a profes- philosophers is that they tend to view Ayn Rand’s current book, where I first came up with a certain sor of philosophy at the whole approach to philosophy as simplistic, as not example or formulation while teaching a class—on University of Texas, where rising to the level of being serious, rigorous work. honesty, for instance. she currently holds the So there’s always a struggle to try to break through Impact: You received the first fellowship Foundation Fel- that. On the one hand, you don’t want to compli- from the Anthem Foundation for Objectivist lowship. She earned her cate things for the sake of it. On the other hand, Scholarship. How did that come about and what PhD from Johns Hopkins you have to address a certain number of the kinds does it involve? University in 1989. She is of objections that eighty or ninety percent of your TS: I got an e-mail from John McCaskey, the author of Moral Rights audience is going to have. To reach the academic whom I had not heard of, in which he said he & Political Freedom and audience you’re going have to take their context liked my work and wanted to meet with me about Tara Smith Viable Values as well as into account. perhaps supporting it. So we got together while he numerous journal articles. Impact: I understand ARI provided some was in Austin for some other reason, and we had Her latest book is Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics: assistance that helped you write the book. a long talk about my work. He didn’t say anything The Virtuous Egoist. TS: Right. I received a grant a few years ago about a fellowship or funding, and to tell you the Impact recently spoke with Dr. Smith about when I was starting the writing of this book from truth, I went away that day kind of disappointed— her newly published book, her Anthem Foundation the Charles Sures Memorial Fund [now dissolved]. this was a completely new sort of thing, somebody Fellowship and her future writing plans. ARI gave me a grant to be on leave from teaching expressing interest in supporting my work. I didn’t * * * for a semester, such that I could get a really good even know what that could possibly mean, but I start on the project. I’ve found with each of my knew it sounded good and after this very pleasant Impact: Could you start by telling us about your books that I like to have a semester off near the meeting and his not saying another word about it, new book? beginning of the work to concentrate exclusively I thought, “Oh well.” I didn’t hear another word TS: The book is basically about Ayn Rand’s on batting out a draft, however ragged or rough from him for a long time. Finally, maybe six or view of how to lead a moral life—how to be a it might be. I like to have basically the entire seven months later, I heard from the development rational egoist. Rand is well known for defending thing—a full, if quite preliminary draft—to work director of the university that there was a John selfishness, but people rarely have any concept of from when I’m back at work teaching and advis- McCaskey who wanted to set up a fellowship. what she even means by “selfish.” What I wanted ing and my attention is divided twenty-eight ways. That was the start of it. Originally it was to do in this book was really try to flesh out, to So, yes, ARI’s assistance was very helpful. going to be for something like $10,000 a year, identify what Rand would regard as a truly selfish, Impact: Your book was published by Cam- which sounded great. Within a few months, it was moral individual. bridge University Press, an extremely prestigious becoming $30,000, and then much more. He had As you know, she elaborated on seven major academic publisher. How did that come about? decided to corral other contributors and that’s how virtues that were essential to living the right kind TS: Good fortune! that came about. So really it just fell into my lap. of selfish life, and that constitutes the core of the In general, when writing philosophy, one Impact: What are some of the other things book. I elaborate on rationality as the fundamental should try to get the best publisher one can, Anthem has done? virtue, and then the six major derivative virtues whether you’re shooting for journals or book pub- TS: The nice thing with Anthem is that I have she identified—independence, honesty, integrity, lishers. And when it comes to books, it’s standard the freedom to use the funds however I see fit, for justice, productiveness, and pride. I also take up a practice to submit a proposal to a number of dif- the purpose of promoting the teaching of, study of few related issues, like the status of certain widely ferent potential publishers simultaneously. As with and writing on Objectivism (well, subject to my accepted “virtues,” such as charity, or how an ego- my previous books, I initially sent out materials department’s approval for certain activities). ist can be a good friend. to a handful of publishers to get started, expecting One of the best benefits of the Anthem fellow- Impact: Who is the intended audience for that when I received rejections from the first batch, ship is that it has enabled me to bring in visiting your book? then I would go to the B list. faculty members for an entire semester or, in one TS: Good question. It is primarily aimed at I received several rejection letters, as I had case, an entire year. I’ve had , academic philosophers. It’s certainly accessible anticipated. Then to my great surprise I got a let- Darryl Wright, and Amy Peikoff, for students of Objectivism who’ve studied the ter from Cambridge requesting the entire manu- all in for at least a semester to teach one or more philosophy for a few years. It doesn’t take a great script, which of course is the first step to getting courses. They taught standard courses, such as depth of background knowledge by any means, published—but only the first step. I was really intro to philosophy, epistemology, ethics, etc. so it’s definitely accessible to those people. But shocked when I opened a letter—an old-fashioned, It was great for me to have a colleague around as with my previous books, it’s really addressed snail-mail letter, because the editor said she had who was interested in the same sort of issues I’m to the academic. In my last book, Viable Values, had trouble with my e-mail address—reporting interested in and who approached philosophical I addressed what philosophers call “meta-ethics,” that the press’s external readers had both recom- questions in a kindred way. When I did have such the foundations of ethics. I wanted to answer the mended publishing my book. There were still visitors, we would always make it a point to meet question “why be moral?” This book is the follow- hurdles to go through for final approval, but that’s regularly and talk about different issues in what up: how to be moral. how it came about. we were working on and what we were teaching. Philosophers typically go to great pains to Impact: Would you say that teaching or Another thing I’ve sponsored is what I call an make sure they don’t attack straw men. They place research is your main interest? Anthem Research Consultancy. A few years ago, a high value on getting the other position right. TS: I always have a hard time with that when I wasn’t going to be having a visitor through Yet when moral philosophers reference Ayn Rand, question. I really enjoy both very much. I think an entire term, it occurred to me that I could still nine times out of ten, they misrepresent her. Usu- in some ways my focus has been drifting a little reap some of the benefits of colleagues in resi- ally they don’t even address her at any length, but more toward the research and writing in the past dence by gathering a few other scholars here for a you’ll get a few very dismissive, sneering sen- few years, but I definitely enjoy both, and at least short time during spring break. Drs. Binswanger, tences. So part of what I say in the introduction to at this stage, I would not want to give either up. Gotthelf, Mayhew and Ghate have all participated the book is, if you want to dismiss Ayn Rand, fine, I would not want a full-time research position. in these. During a consultancy, the basic plan is for but let’s first get her straight. Let’s first figure out For a few reasons. each participant to spend part of each day working what it is she says. So in a certain sense I’m trying In part, you can feel efficacious in a much privately on whatever research project is on his to set the record straight. In another sense you more immediate sense teaching than you can when own plate, and also to spend a chunk of each day might say I’m just trying to get Ayn Rand’s ideas you are writing philosophy. And I think that’s just meeting to discuss one of the other participant’s on record. And I’m also trying to give some of the pleasant, it’s enjoyable. Now I’m not saying I feel projects. We’ve now done that a couple times and arguments for why she thinks honesty is a virtue extremely efficacious every teaching day. There it has gone really well. I’ll probably be hosting or pride is a virtue, etc. are certainly days when you feel like, “I didn’t do another one of those this year. Now if academic philosophy wants to have at so well” or “I didn’t explain that nearly as clearly” I’ve also organized some mini-conferences, it, fine. That would be great, that would be a real or “I didn’t understand that as clearly as I thought workshops, things of that sort. Some involved a advance, if they now wanted to engage some of I did.” But there’s something very gratifying about few graduate students with an interest in Objec- the arguments. clarifying things for students, opening up their tivism, from other universities, as well as faculty Impact: Did you find any special challenges minds to certain questions, to certain answers, to from other universities, such as Dr. Mayhew and in addressing academic philosophers on this issue? the seriousness and importance of philosophy, or Dr. Gotthelf. Visitors would come in and have TS: Yes and no. In one sense, no, because, as whatever it is I’m teaching. That’s fun. their work-in-progress critiqued. someone who has been in academia for a while Further, and I think this is important, the I’ve had faculty members participating in a now, I can’t say this posed unique problems. teaching definitely helps my research. You’re deal- series of two or three lectures presented to my This is what I’ve been doing now since graduate ing with a whole range of students, both in terms department, where commentators were University school: trying to speak in a way that academic phi- of their interest and their levels of ability, and you of Texas faculty members, getting some dialogue losophers can understand. You have to do that in need to break things down into very clear steps going that way. order to get things published, whether it’s articles and pieces. Doing that invariably aids my own I’ve had visitors in to speak to some of my or books. understanding of what, in philosophy, are often classes. A few years ago, for instance, I taught an In another sense, the challenge any advocate very complex issues. And that certainly helps my of Objectivism faces when he addresses academic own writing. I can remember cases, even in the Continued on page 4  The New Intellectuals: A Conversation Reaching Out to Academia, continued from New Ayn Rand Bookstore Catalog with Dr. Tara Smith, continued from page 3 page 2 honors seminar. We do have a very good honors As in previous years ARI will attend the program at the university, full of really top-notch eastern division of the American Philosophical students, and I taught a class on values in the Association’s annual conference. This allows us philosophy and fiction of Ayn Rand. Dr. Shoshana to meet face to face with professors and promote Milgram came in and gave a couple of lectures ’s works and the resources the Insti- Atlas Shrugged, which the students loved. tute makes available for professors interested in And I should say, I have sometimes been able studying or teaching them. ARI will also attend to reduce my teaching load by using some of the the Modern Language Association’s conference funds to get what they call “buy out,” which gives in Philadelphia to meet with high school teachers. me more time to work on research. That alone, In September the Anthem Foundation for apart from all of these other activities, has been Objectivist Scholarship put together a highly suc- an extremely valuable contribution from Anthem cessful and historic conference at the University that I wouldn’t otherwise have had. Time is really of Pittsburgh, “Concepts and Objectivity: Knowl- what’s at a premium in an academic career. I cer- edge, Science, and Values,” which featured both tainly find that I need large, uninterrupted blocks prominent non-Objectivist and Objectivist philoso- of time to immerse myself in a subject, to make phers, including ARI senior fellow and dean of the any decent progress in my thinking. Any relief in Objectivist Academic Center Dr. Onkar Ghate, and demands on my time is helpful, whether it’s sim- member of the ARI Board of Directors Dr. Harry ply having an assistant who can fetch things at the Binswanger. Impact will report further about this library for me—which is something I have, thanks conference in our next issue. Subscribers to Impact will receive the 68-page 2007 Ayn Rand Bookstore to the fellowship—or teaching one less course in In order to make it easier to teach Ayn Rand in catalog in early November. a given semester, which allows the research and the classroom, we are working with the Ayn Rand writing to go on at a much faster clip than it other- Estate and Copyright.com (a leading online facilita- Impact is published monthly by the Ayn Rand® Institute (ARI) and is complimentary to current donors who contribute $35 or more per year. wise would. So, however slow the clip may seem tor of copyright licensing) to automate the process For information on how you can support ARI and to learn about to people not in academia, believe me, it would be for requesting permission to reprint Ayn Rand’s our projects, please visit our Web site: www.aynrand.org. Atlantis Legacy®, the Institute’s planned giving program, and related indicia a lot slower if it weren’t for these sorts of enhance- works for classroom use. are registered trademarks. The Ayn Rand Archives is a special ments that Anthem has allowed. As we get additional funding, we hope to collection of the . Objectivist Conferences (OCON) and the Ayn Rand Bookstore are owned by Second Renaissance, In short, Anthem makes possible a vast expand our academic outreach programs by Inc., which is operated by the Ayn Rand Institute. Second number of great things, and I’m sure I’ve for- offering professors free books targeted by field, Renaissance, Inc., and the Ayn Rand Institute do not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and courses offered. All photos gotten a few. getting Ayn Rand included in anthologies where of Ayn Rand are used by permission of the Estate of Ayn Rand. her writings are appropriate and offering courses Purchases from the Ayn Rand Bookstore do not qualify as The second and final part of this interview will on teaching Ayn Rand to interested professors. We tax-deductible contributions to the Ayn Rand Institute. appear next month. also plan to build on the success of our Clemson Editor: Assistant Editor: Don Watkins Editorial Advisers: Dr. Yaron Brook, Mark Chapman, conference by organizing conferences in other Debi Ghate, Anu Seppala Designer: Simon Federman * * * fields, such as philosophy, literature and history. Printing: David Antonacci Copy Editor: Donna Montrezza Headquarters: 2121 Alton Parkway, Suite 250 * * * Irvine, CA 92606-4926 Phone: 949-222-6550 Fax: 949-222-6558 © The Ayn Rand Institute 2006. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Commentary: Ayn Rand in Academia TM In his occasional column Dr. Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute, looks at the wider context of ARI’s activities.

f we are to reverse the cultural trends of mys- organized a conference at Clemson University Iticism, altruism and collectivism, it is crucial called “Teaching Atlas Shrugged.” The confer- that we get Ayn Rand’s ideas—and the profes- ence was for professors and deans who are part sors who teach and write them—into the univer- of the BB&T Charitable Foundation-sponsored sities. Through our academic outreach programs, programs for the study of capitalism. At that the Institute is doing that. conference, Dr. Onkar Ghate and I discussed Campus clubs continue to promote Ayn Rand’s the value of teaching Atlas Shrugged, while ideas on campus in various ways: holding Dr. C. Bradley Thompson and and Dr. Edwin regular meetings to discuss her ideas; promot- Locke each discussed how to teach the novel. ing our Atlas Shrugged essay contest and the John Allison, chairman and CEO of BB&T, Objectivist Academic Center; distributing copies gave an inspiring talk on BB&T’s corporate of The Undercurrent, a student-run newsletter values. There was real excitement among the that regularly features ARI op-eds; bringing in professors, most of whom were not Objectiv- Objectivist speakers. ists, about teaching the novel. Just recently, for instance, the Penn State With the explosion of Ayn Rand scholarship Objectivist Club hosted a talk by Dr. Andrew in recent years, it is vital that we let academia Bernstein, who spoke on capitalism in front of a know that that scholarship exists. We are doing crowd of more than two hundred people. A well- that. For example, at this year’s American Philo- known conservative speaking at the same time sophical Association conference in Washington, failed to get an audience half as large. D.C., and the Modern Language Association’s All of these activities help to raise aware- conference in Philadelphia, we are not only ness of Objectivism on campuses nationwide. promoting Ayn Rand’s and Leonard Peikoff’s Thanks especially to the efforts of BB&T works—we are promoting scholarly research Charitable Foundation and the Anthem Founda- on Ayn Rand and Objectivism—works such tion for Objectivist Scholarship, we are see- as Dr. Robert Mayhew’s Essays on Ayn Rand’s ing Ayn Rand’s ideas discussed in more and “Anthem” and Dr. Tara Smith’s latest book, Ayn more college classrooms, both by Objectivist Rand’s Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist. and non-Objectivist professors. This translates I have only scratched the surface of the into thousands of students who are now being Institute’s academic outreach efforts. We still exposed to Ayn Rand by their teachers during have a long way to go before Ayn Rand’s ideas their college years. are a fixture of American universities. But these ARI collaborates with both these organiza- successes are real—and they are growing. tions in a variety of ways. For example, we —Yaron Brook