Training the Next Generation
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Newsletterof the Ayn Rand@Institute Volume6, Number 4, April 2OO0 Training the Next Generation Since 1995, ARI's undergraduate course on Objectivism: The asked to submit assignments-have included students from Philosophy of Ayn Rand (UPAR) has offered students compre- other disciplines as well as individuals well advanced in their hensive, systematic training in Objectivism-training available careers as lawyers, software engineers, physicists, architects, nowhere else. As the prerequisite course for the Objectivist teachers, businessmen. UPAR helps such individuals develop Graduate Center, UPAR is our means of finding and encour- their ability to think in essentials and to apply philosophy in aging new intellectuals. But UPAR alumni are not the only their own lives and professions. ones to benefit; teaching the course has helped sharpen the UPAR is two academic semestersof 15 weeks each. Stu- skills of the instructors too. dents attend classesby dialing in to ARI's teleconferencing sys- UPAR essentializes the key ideas of Objectlvism, integrates tem, which allows two-way communication between all the those ideas into their broader philosophic context, and con- participants. Thanks to inexpensive long-distance telephone cretizes their real-life personal importance. Students read Dr. rates, students from as far away as Australia and Israel have Peikoff 's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, the course been able to attend UPAR. (We are working to develop on-line textbook, and attend weekly lectures that help illumlnate the video courses.) practical, concrete application of philosophy in the students' This year Dr. Harry Binswanger shares the teaching of lives. UPAR with Dr. Onkar Ghate, who will teach the course alone "By emphasizing how the philosophy is lntegrated-week next year. Dr. Ghate explained how class assignments improve after week-UPAR helped me understand ObJectivism more a student's thinking and writing: completely," said Marc Baer (UPAR, 1995), who is a graduate "By writing short papers on a given topic in Objectivism, student tn philosophy at the University of California at Irvlne the students develop the ability to concretize the philosophy in and attends the Objectivist Graduate Center. It was also very personally relevant ways. In private tutorials, I critique their important, Baer pointed out, "to meet regularly with Dr. work, and the discussion that develops as a result is impor- Hull-to learn from an expert who could answer all of my tant to their learning. The opportunity to apply Objectivism, questions." Dr. Gary Hull, who proposed and designed UPAR, then get feedback from an Objectivist professor, is something taught the course from 1994 to 1999. that they cannot get elsewhere." More than 100 students have attended UPAR. Although In addition to providing intellectual nourishment, the the course serves as a prerequisite for admission to the Objec- weekly lectures are spiritually refueling for the students. In tlvlst Graduate Centet students who do not intend careers as contrast to the irrationallty of today's academic world, UPAR professional intellectuals are always encouraged to apply. is like an oasis. Whereas typical university classes in the hu- Graded students-who are assigned homework, quizzes, and manities are nihilistic, UPAR focuses on profound values: tutorials-have typically been college undergraduates, usually mastering Objectivism, perfecting one's method of thinklng, in the humanities. Auditors-who attend classes but aren't Gontinued on page 3 Gountering "Earth Day" and Defending Technology The Ayn Rand Institute is joining with the Committee for the Objectivist campus clubs, at college campuses nationwide. Moral Defense of Capitalism (CMDC) in a campaign to op- For added impact, other ARI op-eds opposing environmen- pose the celebration of "Earth Day" and to defend industry talism will be sent to 500 college newspapers well in advance and technology. of the march. On Earth Day (April 22) environmentalist groups plan to To help arm some of the victims, we are now sending arti- march in Washington, D.C., and use the occasion to demand cles in defense of industry and technology to corporations and tougher government regulation of industry and technology. organizations that have been attacked by the environmentalists. The ARI-CMDC campaign will culminate on Earth Day with a We hope also to arrange radio, TV and print news inter- counter-march and protest against environmentalism in views for ARI speakers. In addition, we will promote the Washington. "For once," said Robert Tracinski, chairman of the Earth Day counter-march at our environmentalism Web pag- CMDC, "they will face open, articulate, principled opposition." es: http://environmentalism.aynrand.org. ARI has produced a new pamphlet with articles and op- If you would like to attend the counter-march or other- eds that blast environmentalist myths and defend man's moral wise be involved in the campaign, pleasecontact Nick Proven- right to exploit nature for his own survival. The pamphlet will zo of the CMDC, (540) 548-2918, or visit their Web site at be distributed at the counter-march and, with the help of www.moraldefense.com. ln Moral Defense of Forestry bypeter schwartz Thefollowing is an excerpt of a speechdelivered by Peter Schwartzon January 28 before the California Forestry Association.It has beenreproduced without any additional editingfor print. The entire speechwill soon be ovoilable at ARI b environmentalis m Webs ite (http: //environmentalism. aynrand. org). There is a seriousinjustice being perpetratedagainst advocates,however, are policies divorcedfrom any your industry.You in the forestrybusiness are facing connectionto humanwelfare. Let me explainwhy I ever-increasingrestrictions on your activities.You saYthis' face growing oppositionby environmentalistson what If you look at the conJlictsbetween tl re interests you can do, whereyou can do it, how you can do it. of man and the so-called"interests" of nafure,it be- Why? Why arethese obstacles being continually comesclear that the first are invariablysacrificed to placedin your path?It is not becausethe environmen- the secondby environmentalists.Whenever there is a ialistshavl beter politicalcontacts than you do, and hydroelectricdam to be built, it is the welfareof the not becausethey havemore skilled PR people. snail darteror the Chinooksalmon that is inviolate, The environmentalists,in my view,have one fun- andthe welfareof manthat is dispensable.Whenever damentalpower: it is the power of a moral principle. there is a choice betweencutting down trees for hu- The environmentalistsclaim you haveno moral man use and leavingthem in placefor the spotted right to cut down treessimply to makea profit. They owl, it is the bird's homethat environmentalistssave claim that morality is on the side of protectingthe andhuman habitation that goesunbuilt. redwoodsand saving the spottedowls. They gain sup- Huge hacts of Arctic land are off-limits to pro- port amongpoliticians and amongthe public for one ductive enterprises,in order not to disturb the cari- reason:they are able to assertthat their goalsare bou and the ice floes.Mining is prohibitedwhen it morally virtuous, and that yours are not. disturbsthe movementsof snakes.Mosquito- and al- Now, in reality the exactreverse is true. The act ligator-infestedswamps (euphemi stically called "wet- of transformingthe ffees of a forest into housesand lands") are deemedsacred, not to be defiledby man- fumiture and books-the act of transformingraw na- madedrainage. (Even land that is actuallygrowing tuie into humanvalues that enhancehuman iife-rs a cropscan be christenedwetlands, if somebureaucrat highly moral activity, while the attemptto block such decidesthat vegetationtypically found in swamps activity is not. All of you here are engagedin the cre- could havegrown therehad the cropsnot beenplant- ation of humanvalues-while the environmentalists ed.) The most beneficialprojects, from housingde- are engagedin the opposite. velopmentsto scienceobservatories to hospital cbm- And thatis whatI'd like to discusstoday. I'd like to plexes,are haltedif there is any danger-if thereis talk to you aboutthis battle-which is a battleof ideas any allegationof danger-to somepiddling species. taking placebetrveen foresty and environmentalism. The incalculabledamaee inflicted on humanbe- I am far from an experton the forestrybusi- ings by suchprohibitions Is immaterialto environ- ness-but I do know aboutenvironmentalism. So let mentalists.They have abandoned even the pretext of us look at this movementand seewhat it standsfor, holding humanhappiness as their ultimatepurpose. In and how, therefore,it can most effectivelybe fought. its place,as the open secretwhich the public is un- Now, pleasebear in mind that when I talk about able to takefi.rlly seriorsly, is the premisethat nature must environmentalism,I do not meana movementthat remainmchanged as an endin iself It is thepremise that seeksclean air and litter-freeroads. That is not what naturemust be protected notfor ma4butfiom man environmentalismis. Any rationalhuman being under- As you in the forestryindustry devise ever-im- standshow such conditionsare desirablebecause provingmethods of production,you arehit with ever- they are beneficialto him. One would not enshrine moreconstraints. Instead of beingpraised for your the environmentif one were simply opposedto dirt. work, insteadof being hailed for making all our lives If, for example,you valueclean clothing, you do not betterby creatingthe