Volume 9, Number 4, April 2003

Announcements Corporation Invites Breaking News: New Bookstore Catalog Published. The ARI to Create and Entries to Anthem Bookstore has issued its Spring 2003 catalog; highlights include Dr. ’s taped Contest Skyrocket lectures on “Integration as the Essence of Run Executive Personal Identity.” The catalog was mailed this Training Program At press time the total number of entries in our month. The bookstore’s Web site is high school essay contest on Anthem was www.aynrandbookstore.com. A publicly-traded high-tech corporation, 8,073—an increase of 44 percent over last year. Hutchinson Technology Inc., recently invited the The final tally may yet be higher, because Institute to create and implement at the submissions continue to trickle in after the corporation’s headquarters a senior executive deadline (an entry qualifies if it is postmarked training program based on . The first no later than the deadline of March 18). Grading of its kind, this training program is now in of the essays is now in progress, and we expect progress; plans to expand the program and offer to announce the winner in July. it more widely are underway. In 2002 we received a total of 10,495 Objectivism is neither being smuggled in nor entries for the Anthem and Fountainhead lightly sprinkled on the reading lists: it is the contests; that total surpassed all previous core, the foundation upon which the entire records. The deadline for submissions to the program is built. The explicit purpose of the 2003 Fountainhead contest is April 15. [See program is to show how the ideas of Objectivism page 6 for related story about ARI’s classroom provide the basis for success in business. resources for teachers.] continued on page 2 Stanford Course on Ayn Rand Students Invited to Attend Last spring Stanford University offered an Summer Conference accredited, undergraduate course on Ayn Rand’s . The course was arranged under the ARI Lecture Series 2003. ARI is encouraging students who are interested auspices of the university’s Student-Initiated “America vs. Americans” by Dr. Leonard Peikoff in learning about the application of Ayn Rand’s Course program. Jason Rheins, the student who will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Irvine, philosophy to attend the Objectivist Summer instigated the course, has arranged for it to be California, on April 21. Time: doors open at Conference. We have arranged four discounted offered again this spring. 6:30 PM; lecture begins at 7:30 PM The lecture registration options for students; see table on The new nine-week course, which began will be followed by a Q & A session. See related page 4. (It is also possible for people to register April 1, meets twice a week. The lectures are to story on this page. for courses, lectures or evening events be delivered by a number of ARI speakers, piecemeal; pricing is available upon request.) including Dr. , Dr. , OAC Accepting Applications. The Objectivist continued on page 4 Dr. Yaron Brook and Dr. John Lewis. Mr. Rheins, Academic Center is now accepting applications who will lead the discussion seminars and grade to its undergraduate program for the fall 2003 ARI Lecture Series 2003 to the student assignments, will also lecture. semester. The deadline is April 21, 2003. The undergraduate program is a systematic course of Feature Dr. Peikoff continued on page 2 study designed to give aspiring intellectuals a thorough grounding in the basics of Ayn Rand’s On April 21 Dr. Leonard Peikoff will deliver the Inside This Issue philosophy. For more information and to apply, third installment of the Lecture „ Discovering Ayn Rand’s Philosophy: please visit our Web site: www.aynrand.org. Series 2003. The title of his lecture is “America vs. Americans,” which he delivered earlier this Why Should One Act on Principle...... page 2 month at the Ford Hall Forum in Boston. For time „ In The Media: Briefly Noted ...... page 3 and location, see the announcements section. SPECIAL OFFER Last month Dr. Yaron Brook, executive „ From the “Yes File” ...... page 3 director, presented the second installment of the Register for both weeks of the conference ARI Lecture Series 2003. In his lecture, titled „ Outreach: Offering Intellectual Ammunition..page 3 “Why Do They Hate Us?” he argued that militant by April 30, 2003, and receive a $50 credit „ Ayn Rand In Academia ...... page 4 for audiotapes at the Ayn Rand Bookstore, Islamists hate America not because of concrete redeemable at the conference bookstore. political grievances, but for deeply philosophic „ Student Newspaper Expands Distribution ...... page 4 reasons. More than 400 people attended the (Register for either the first or the second „ The New Intellectuals: Q & A with week, and receive a $25 credit for event. Dr. Brook and Dr. Onkar Ghate, ARI resident fellow, took part in a Q & A session Dr. Eric Daniels ...... page 5 audiotapes.) The bookstore offers the most following the lecture. complete selection of Ayn Rand’s lectures For further details about the series, or to „ Ayn Rand’s Books In German ...... page 6 and courses available. obtain selected video tapes from either the 2002 „ ARI Appoints VP of Cultural Programs ...... page 6 or 2003 series, please visit our Web site: www.aynrand.org. „ Lesson Plans For Teachers...... page 6 Corporation Invites ARI to Create and Run Executive Training Program continued from page 1 DISCOVERING “It was this premise—that Objectivism is the philosophy for success—that motivated AYN RAND’S Hutchinson Technologies to approach the Institute,” said Mr. Carl Barney, a member of PHILOSOPHY ARI’s board of directors and CEO of CollegeAmerica, Inc. Based in Minnesota, and with locations ethics and politics. Yet man’s need to act on around the world, Hutchinson Technology is a Why Should One Act rational principles, he argues, is inescapable. leader in the design and manufacture of The lecture includes many concrete suspension assemblies, a critical component in a illustrations. In one of them he asks, “should computer’s hard disk drive. The company, which On Principle? one rob a bank?” and proceeds to contrast the is listed on NASDAQ, produces the majority of Each month Impact suggests readings for fans of principled vs. the short-range, disintegrative the worldwide supply of the component. Ayn Rand’s fiction who wish to learn more about her philosophy, Objectivism. (pragmatist) approach to morality. Objectivism holds that it is only by means A Systematic Training Program of rational principles that man can guide his Designed by Dr. Yaron Brook, ARI executive oday’s intellectual and political leaders, no life. Dr. Peikoff’s lecture elaborates and clearly director, and Dr. Onkar Ghate, ARI resident matter what their particular views, agree T explains this point. fellow, the syllabus of the two-year program is unanimously on one point: life is so “complex” rigorous, methodical and extensive. that no sweeping, all-embracing principles can Suggested Readings The first module demonstrates the help us deal with it. inextricable connection between philosophy In politics, for instance, it is alleged, that “Why Should One Act On Principle?” a and business. The aim is to train executives we can no longer talk about “free trade”; to use lecture delivered at The Ford Hall Forum on in philosophical self-defense, so they can a generalization that involves every country, April 24, 1988, by Dr. Leonard Peikoff. An successfully counter the corrupt philosophy every product, every group of consumers and edited transcript of it was published in The of the culture. Subsequent modules teach producers, every era of history, is hopelessly Intellectual Activist, February 27, 1989. how to apply reason to business to make “simplistic.” Such an approach, it is said, Vol. 4, No. 20; audio- and videotapes of rational and moral decisions, how to cannot cope with the fine-grained subtleties, the Dr. Peikoff’s talk are available from the Ayn communicate effectively and how to lead nuances of each particular situation. Rand Bookstore: employees. These lectures, which will be The answer, implicit in today’s practice, is to www.aynrandbookstore.com. presented by Dr. , Dr. Gary Hull, disintegrate: we can try to address free trade “The Objectivist Ethics” in The of Robert Tracinski and others, further develop with respect to one country (Japan, say) and Selfishness by Ayn Rand. the theme that the Objectivist philosophy is within it, of one segment of the economy “The Anatomy of Compromise,” in the key to being practical and successful. (automakers); but even then, that’s too much. We : The Unknown Ideal by The final module drives home this point would have to narrow down further, to family Ayn Rand. by putting business in a wider historical and cars, and perhaps only those manufactured by “Credibility and Polarization,” in the Ayn economic context. Here the objective is to the three leading companies and whose engines Rand Letter, Vol. I, Issue 1, by Ayn Rand. demonstrate the power of long-range thinking do not exceed 165 horsepower. Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand and principled action, and the self-defeating But as Dr. Leonard Peikoff has explained, by Dr. Leonard Peikoff. consequences which follow from their whatever the question or dispute, such an opposite: pragmatism. approach can offer nothing but range-of-the- moment compromises, expedient workarounds. See also: Reaching More Businessmen In essence, this approach is self-defeating, Dr. Peikoff’s Web site (www.peikoff.com) According to Dr. Brook, who presented the first because it jettisons principles as useless. In his features excerpts from his books as well as module, the response to the program thus far has 1988 Ford Hall Forum lecture, “Why Should a complete list of his numerous taped been so favorable, that Hutchinson has suggested One Act on Principle?” Dr. Peikoff argues that lecture courses on Ayn Rand’s philosophy. that executives from other corporations be invited it is only man’s conceptual faculty—the faculty The Ayn Rand Lexicon (, to participate in the program. of forming principles—that is man’s means of ed.) is a mini-encyclopedia of Miss Rand’s ARI is exploring the possibility of adapting coping with complexity. Our leaders, “thanks to views on some 400 topics. the syllabus offered at Hutchinson for use in centuries of bad philosophy, distrust and reject The Ayn Rand Bibliographic Search business courses at universities around the this faculty, and are therefore helpless to lead Engine www.aynrand.org/books/biblio/ country. Already, a few institutions have shown or to know what to do.” allows you to locate where in Ayn Rand’s an interest in incorporating Objectivism into Dr. Peikoff explains the nature and writings she addressed a specific topic. their curricula. objectivity of principles and how they are relied ARI’s Web site offers suggested reading Dr. Brook said that the Institute’s goal now upon in every field of human endeavor, yet lists as well as introductory essays on is to raise enough financial support to promote rejected in the realm of human conduct—in Objectivism: www.aynrand.org/objectivism/ the program being taught at Hutchinson to other corporations and business schools. Mr. Barney, a businessman and longtime supporter of ARI, has made a major donation to help support the expansion of the executive training program. Stanford Course on Ayn Rand, continued from page 1 “To have the desired impact, a major project such as this one will require major funding,” he The students who attended the course last Objectivism. The course will cover some of the said. “There are numerous costs involved in year gave it an overwhelmingly favorable fundamental aspects of Objectivism’s views on further developing, staffing and promoting this evaluation; some urged that the course be reality, reason, human nature, the good, and program to corporations and business schools. awarded more funding. government. Special emphasis will be placed on Opportunities such as this are precious: we must A senior majoring in philosophy, Mr. Rheins Objectivism’s code of ethics, . act now . . . to ensure that we can reach as many is also a student at the Objectivist Academic Some prior exposure to Rand, especially her businessmen as possible.” Center. In addition to instigating and running fiction, is recommended though not required.” The Institute invites your support for the course on Objectivism a year ago, he taught this program. an enrichment course on for Sample assignment [example drawn from last high school students, which was offered at year’s course]: “Contrast Objectivism’s view of * * * Stanford. Its title was “The Fountainhead: The what selfishness and are with the view Philosophy and Art of a Literary Masterpiece,” that is commonly accepted. Which is correct, If you are interested in having ARI speakers and it met for a total of ten hours over five and why?” address your corporation, association or weeks. Dr. Andrew Bernstein, who helped Readings will include (but will not be professional group, please contact our speakers design this course, was a guest lecturer. limited to): “Philosophy Who Needs It”; “Faith bureau. The Institute can offer large-scale, and Force: The Destroyers of the Modern multi-year educational programs—such as that About the Undergraduate Course World”; “The Objectivist Ethics”; “Man’s offered at Hutchinson Technologies—as well as Title: “Introduction to Objectivism: Rights”; “The Nature of Government”; “The courses, seminars and lectures. The Philosophy of Ayn Rand.” Metaphysical versus the Man-Made”; “Volition as Cognitive Self-Regulation”; “The Soul of an * * * Description [from the Stanford University course Individualist”; “Reason, Emotion, and the catalog]: “This course is designed to introduce Arbitrary” [from the Objectivist Forum]; students to Ayn Rand’s philosophical system, “Selfishness Without a Self.” 2 In the Media: Briefly Noted From the “Yes File”

„ Dr. Andrew Bernstein’s article “In Defense In reaction to ARI editorials, media soldiers, and NATO allies I’m working of the Cowboy,” elicited a flood of e-mails from a wide range of readers, including interviews and our various projects, we with. Generates some good discussions. retired army and navy personnel, New York receive a considerable number of comments Keep up the fight! Thanks again.” Fire Department officers and working from the public in the form of e-mail, letters cowboys from Texas and Colorado. and phone calls. We collect the encouraging * * * On her top-rated radio talk show in comments in the “Yes File.” Its purpose is to February, Dr. Laura Schlesinger read aloud From: A reader, writing from a Jordanian Dr. Bernstein’s article in its entirety, and give us anecdotal samples of the effect that acknowledged ARI as the source. our work has in the culture, which can serve e-mail address as an inspiration. The “yes” is an Subject: “Historians Perverting „ Dr. C. Bradley Thompson’s article, titled affirmation: that Ayn Rand’s ideas are indeed American History,” an op-ed by ARI “Historians Perverting American History,” reaching new minds, that the Institute’s writer Dr. C. Bradley Thompson also drew a large number of comments (two efforts are succeeding. From time to time we of which are reprinted at right). The article, totally agree with you and I am which was published in the Pittsburgh circulate some of the comments among our Tribune Review (among other places), staff and writers. “Iutterly shocked. American History is provoked one columnist on that paper to In this occasional feature, Impact the History of Freedom and of one of the write in response. We have received word reprints a selection from the “Yes File” for Greatest Nations in the world, all our that Dr. Thompson’s article was distributed children should be proud of it. Even by e-mail to a large number of members of the interest of our donors—whose financial though I am not an American, I studied the National Association of Scholars, a support makes ARI’s successes possible. professional group known for its attempts to the American History and Revolution in defend academic standards. * * * [former] Rhodesia, and I am very proud of [the] Historic Achievements of the „ , chairman of ARI’s board of From: Adam Baptista, Denver, Colorado Founding Fathers; they were not directors, recently wrote an op-ed in which Subject: “Giving Real Meaning to HEROES of America but of all the he argued that the hostility of the “anti-war” Veterans Day,” an op-ed by ARI writer WEST, and mine. protestors is not toward war, nor even toward ” war with Iraq—but toward America and its Dr. Edwin A. Locke philosophy of . The article, * * * titled “They Hate Us, Too,” appeared in would like to thank your organization (among others) the Gulf News, an English- for publishing such articles as the one From: Dr. Charles H. V. Ebert, language daily newspaper published in the “I Distinguished Teaching Professor, United Arab Emirates. about veterans day (11/04/02). I am among the only people that I know who adheres to Emeritus, Physical Geography, reason and a philosophy that espouses the University of Buffalo „ “America Needs a Leader like George Subject: the op-ed cited above Washington,” an op-ed by Dr. , rights of man. As a result, I am constantly was published in (among others) the hearing comments and assertions that can, at Chicago Sun-Times and the Pittsburgh best, be considered to have erroneous aving taught for 49 years I have Tribune Review. The article echoes the philosophical underpinnings or, at worst, evil “Hseen—and deplored—the trends theme of Dr. Ridpath’s lecture titled “What outlined by [Dr. Thompson]. The one- Would the Other George Do?” which was [ones] (environmentalist comments are the sided views which prevail today, and the the first lecture given in the Ayn Rand worst of the latter). By the time I finished Institute Lecture Series 2003. this article, tears streamed down my face incredible intellectual void that exists because I was reminded that somebody out where a solid and comprehensive „ “Smashing Windows for Peace,” by there is thinking. Thank you.” understanding of American and World Dr. Robert Garmong, a writer for ARI, history should be, certainly are was published in the March 27 issue of * * * frightening and discouraging. How can The Orange County Register. In his article that generation be . . . educated and Dr. Garmong argued that the so-called peace protesters substitute force for an From: Kreg Schnell, Major, U.S. Army, [make] intelligent decisions which will argument. (The Register titled the piece stationed in Kosovo affect the future of our country. How “Violent Protests Far From Free Speech.”) Subject: in response to an ARI op-ed in the can that generation stand up for values Army Times that are needed to survive in the world „ Following is a partial listing of ARI op-eds of today and tomorrow? I hope that issued recently. hanks for getting me hooked up with many people will have the opportunity “Thought Control” “Tthe editorials. I disseminate them to read and to heed your thought- By Dr. Onkar Ghate regularly throughout the officers and enlisted provoking article!”

“Don’t Defy the United Nations—End It” By Robert Tracinski

“Senate Should Allow Drilling in ANWR” Outreach: Offering Intellectual Ammunition By Dr. Andrew Bernstein The executive training program that ARI is now speakers bureau) lectured at a one-day seminar in “Privatize the Space Program” running at Hutchinson Technologies, Inc. (see San Diego for business executives in the By Dr. Robert Garmong page 1) forms part of our wider efforts to provide computer industry. The title of the event was: intellectual support to businessmen. Following “Rebooting Your Business: How Software “Innocents in War” the widespread vilification of business last Companies Can Thrive in Lean Times”; the event By Dr. Onkar Ghate summer, ARI intensified its campaign to defend was organized by Odegard Labs. the morality of capitalism. One aspect of that Dr. Brook also addressed the Young “Baby Kim’s Secret Weapon” campaign is our public outreach program. In the Republicans of Costa Mesa and the Laguna By John Dawson last few months, Dr. Yaron Brook, executive Niguel Rotary Club (both in Southern director, has received numerous invitations to California), and a number of groups interested in “The Spirit of Columbia” speak before business and cultural groups. The the Arab-Israeli conflict, among others. By Dr. Robert Garmong number of inquiries received by our speakers To learn more about ARI’s public outreach bureau is climbing. program or to arrange a speaking event, please Recently Dr. Brook and Dr. Edwin A. Locke visit our Web site: business.aynrand.org. * * * (a senior ARI writer and a member of our

3 Students Invited to Summer Conference, continued from page 1 Student Newspaper The conference will take place at the Pacific Objectivist intellectuals. The lectures and Expands Distribution Palms Resort Hotel in Industry Hills, California, courses presented at the conference are from July 5 to July 17, and feature three unavailable in today’s universities. The New Intellectual, a newspaper published by keynote lectures by Dr. Leonard Peikoff. * * * the University of Toronto Objectivist club, is By making it possible for more students to For information on the conference and to now available at six college campuses. It is attend the conference, we aim to advance our register, please call 1-800-365-6552 ext. 239, or distributed for free at the University of Toronto, long-range goal of finding and training future visit: www.objectivistconferences.com. McGill University, the University of Western Ontario, York University, Queen’s University and the University of Central Florida. There are Notes: Discounted Registration for also plans to make it available in coffee shops in Students in College or High School „ Option (1) includes tuition for all general sessions and Victoria, British Columbia. evening events, board and the banquet(s). The newspaper features a variety of Rates for Students Two-Week One-Week „ Option (2) includes tuition for general sessions and Registration Registration evening events. articles and interviews, produced mainly by „ One-week registrations can be for either the first half members of the Objectivism club at the (1) Sharing a Double-Occupancy Room $845 $445 (July 5-July 11) of the conference or the second half University of Toronto, as well as ARI editorials (2) Commuting to the Conference $345 $185 (July11-July 17). defending reason, egoism and capitalism. Currently the paper is printed in Toronto and delivered to other campus clubs by hand or Conference Highlights ‡ “Vanderbilt and American Free Enterprise” by postal mail. As the paper’s distribution by Dr. Eric Daniels widens, it may be feasible to send it The brochure for the Objectivist Summer ‡ “The 19th-Century Atomic War” electronically to other campus clubs, which Conference 2003 has been produced and by David Harriman would print it independently. mailed to readers of Impact and customers of ‡ “The Assault on Self-Esteem” The Objectivist club at the University of the Ayn Rand Bookstore. Registration for the by Dr. Edwin A. Locke Central Florida, which has set up a permanent conference is now open. ‡ “We the Living: ’36 and ’59” newspaper dispenser on campus, is investigating by Dr. Robert Mayhew the possibility of having local businesses support ‡ “The Road to Roark” the paper through advertising. by Dr. Shoshana Milgram ‡ “Fallacies as Characterization” by ‡ “How the ‘Peace Movement’ Created Modern ” by Robert W. Tracinski ‡ “The Early Development of Ayn Rand’s Ethics” by Dr. Darryl Wright ‡ “Teaching Values in the Classroom” by Lisa VanDamme

Optional Courses Below is a list of the general lectures and ‡ “Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables: Valor in optional courses that will be offered. On page 5 Defense of Values” of this issue of Impact, we feature the first part ‡ “Aristotle as an Ethicist” of an interview with Dr. Eric Daniels, who is to ‡ “How to Listen to Music” present a general lecture and one course at the ‡ “Karl Popper’s Assault on Science” summer conference. ‡ “ Heroes of the British Industrial Revolution” ‡ “Aristotle’s Rhetoric” Courses and Lectures Offered at ‡ “The History of America (part 2): the Conference Making a New Republic” ‡ “Melody in Music” General Lectures ‡ “Great High-Tech Companies” ‡ “The Axioms of Induction” (two lectures) ‡ “Five Favorite Works of Nonfiction” Photo courtesy of Marshall Sontag by Dr. Leonard Peikoff ‡ “Liberty: The History of an Idea” ‡ “Induction Through Experimentation: ‡ “Preserving and Strengthening Your For information on how to obtain copies for Galileo” by Dr. Leonard Peikoff Romantic Partnership” distribution on your campus, please visit the ‡ “Nietzsche and the Nihilism of Our Times” ‡ “Eureka!: Works and Method newspaper’s Web site: (two lectures) by Dr. John Ridpath of Archimedes” www.uoftobjectivistclub.com. ‡ “The Art of Sculpture” (two lectures) by ‡ “Refuting the Moral Accusations The September 2002 issue of Impact Mary Ann Sures Against Capitalism” featured an interview with two students, Ray ‡ “Capitalism: The System of the Mind” by ‡ “Sculpture Workshop” Girn and Scott Powell, who have been involved Dr. Andrew Bernstein ‡ “Dance Workshop” in the creation of The New Intellectual. Both of them are also students at ARI’s Objectivist The Objectivist Summer Conference is offered by Second Renaissance, Inc., which was acquired and will be operated by the Ayn Rand Academic Center. Institute. Second Renaissance, Inc. and the Ayn Rand Institute do not necessarily endorse the content of the lectures and courses offered. Payments made to Second Renaissance, Inc. do not qualify as tax deductible contributions to the Ayn Rand Institute. * * *

Ayn Rand in Academia

Course at U of Michigan students were required to have a copy of the Learning and Education, a journal published by A recent fund-raising letter from the University Objectivism Research CD-ROM. The latter the Academy of Management. The Academy of Michigan stated: “We of course aim for contains the text of virtually all of Miss Rand’s describes itself as the leading professional excellence in our educational programs. We published fiction and nonfiction works as well association for scholars dedicated to creating have recently revitalized requirements for as Dr. Leonard Peikoff’s book Objectivism: The and disseminating knowledge about philosophy undergraduates. . . . Seminar topics Philosophy of Ayn Rand. management and organizations. With more than this year include: skepticism, the philosophy of It appears that the course at the University 12,000 members, it is among the oldest and David Lewis, issues raised in the philosophy of of Michigan was the result of prompting by the largest scholarly management associations in the Ayn Rand, the self and person, and campus Objectivist club, the longest-running world. philosophical theories of the imagination.” club of its kind in the country. In his essay Dr. Locke presents a method of During the fall 2002 semester, a course on teaching management that is premised on a Ayn Rand’s ideas was offered in the philosophy Teaching Management rational philosophical foundation, Ayn Rand’s department at that university. The department is Through Principles philosophy of Objectivism. (Dr. Locke was the highly ranked nationally. A new article by Dr. Edwin A. Locke titled “The subject of a two-part profile, which concluded Though there are grounds to suspect that the Epistemological Side of Teaching Management: in the last issue of Impact.) instructor of that course was unsympathetic to Teaching Through Principles” was recently Objectivism, we have received word that the published in The Academy of Management * * * 4 The New Intellectuals: Q & A with Dr. Eric Daniels Dr. Eric Daniels is a I wanted to know was who the major people in it Drake stuck together, there weren’t many visiting assistant had been, how it had developed, how it got to be members. As a result, I was willing to drive great professor of history in the way it was today, things like that. It was then distances to spend time with other people Duke University’s that I understood that history was it for me. interested in Objectivism, and so I participated in Program on Values What fascinates me about history, and clubs at both Iowa State University and the and Ethics in the American history in particular, is the sense of University of Minnesota. While I was in graduate Marketplace (VEM). detective work about it. As I said earlier, the school, I helped out the club at the University of He earned his Ph.D. process of researching and figuring out how Wisconsin at Madison. in history from the things—in this case human events—developed is Impact: What was the benefit to you of University of what drives me. My particular specialty, such clubs? Wisconsin at Madison nineteenth-century American history, fascinates ED: For me, campus clubs always had three in the fall of 2001, and during the 2001-02 me because of the many changes and unexpected distinct values. First, by meeting and spending school year was a postdoctoral fellow and developments. In particular I had always been time with other people interested in Objectivism, research associate for Duke’s VEM program. interested in why the major political parties had I was able to develop some great friendships. The In addition to teaching at Duke, he has essentially flip-flopped in their commitment to a second major value for me was that the clubs taught at the University of Wisconsin and free economy. I had also been driven to provided a venue for learning about lectured internationally on the history of understand how America, within just one Objectivism—doing things like reading and American ethics, American business and hundred years, transformed from the “nation of discussing Miss Rand’s essays or Dr. Peikoff’s entrepreneurship and the American the Enlightenment” to one dominated by book Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. Enlightenment. Dr. Daniels contributed five collectivist German philosophy. Finally, I really enjoyed bringing in speakers articles to the recently published Oxford Impact: How has your interest in Ayn from ARI’s speakers bureau. Not only was it a Companion to United States History and has Rand’s philosophy affected your view of history good way for the club members to learn about given papers based on his research at and the value of studying history? the philosophy, but we also saw how it helped professional conferences. He is currently working ED: My interest in Ayn Rand and spread awareness of Objectivism on campus. on a book dealing with American politics and Objectivism has definitely had a huge effect on Impact: What did you study as an ethics in the antebellum period. my view of history and its value. The most undergraduate? An alumnus of the Institute’s Objectivist obvious way that this happened is in my ED: I double-majored in history and rhetoric. Academic Center, Dr. Daniels was the recipient understanding of the role of ideas as the cause of In 1995 I was awarded my B.A. magna cum of an ARI dissertation grant in 2000. Impact history. Without Objectivism, I would not have laude from Drake University [in Des Moines, recently spoke to him about his career and his grasped that point as well as I do today. I think Iowa]. interest in Objectivism. my understanding of Miss Rand’s philosophy has Impact: Did reading Ayn Rand shape your The second and final part of this interview also made me a better historian by teaching me to interests as a student? will appear next month. think in essentials and to understand the nature of ED: Because of my interest in Ayn Rand, I a conceptual hierarchy and to detect what is knew the value of understanding the classic * * * fundamental and what is not. It has been a great thinkers of the Western tradition. The title essay tool in helping me to analyze ideas held by the in her book did a lot to Impact: Our readers may remember you as one historical actors that I study. shape what I wanted to study. I consciously of the panelists on C-SPAN’s special program on Of course my view of history leads right into selected courses that I thought would give me a Ayn Rand and The Fountainhead, which was first my perspective on the importance and value of solid knowledge of the most important thinkers broadcast in May 2002. How did you enjoy studying the past. Because ideas are the cause of of history. I chose to take any class where the taking part in the program on Miss Rand? history, it is vitally important for anyone who reading would expose me to some major Eric Daniels: Taking part in the C-SPAN wants to live in the world today to be able to philosopher or thinker. Ironically, I did not take show was a thrill. I felt quite honored to have understand what made it the way it is, through any philosophy classes—a sad statement about been asked to participate, and I thoroughly grasping history. the department at Drake, really. This was a enjoyed the opportunity to talk about two of my Impact: When did you first become department where one of the professors literally deepest values—Ayn Rand and American history. interested in Ayn Rand? had a picture of himself hugging Fidel Castro Impact: The other panelist on that program ED: I first became interested in Ayn Rand displayed on his office door. I learned most of was Dr. Leonard Peikoff, who answered when I was 15. My best friend, Randy Grow, had my philosophy in political theory courses and my questions about Objectivism and Ayn Rand. What elected to read for a school rhetoric courses—which had a heavy dose of was your role? assignment, and I thought he was crazy. I had Plato, Aristotle, Cicero and the Sophists. ED: I was there primarily to provide never seen such a big book before—let alone one Otherwise, I spent a lot of my personal time historical context, especially regarding the I thought I would want to read. He immediately reading philosophy. political events of the period. The producers of loved it and insisted that I read it. Since we had Of course, as I explained earlier, my interest the American Writers Series wanted each episode so much in common, I trusted his in history developed right alongside my passion to contain both a discussion of the author’s recommendation, and he has my eternal gratitude for philosophy. biography and works and the major events of for insisting that I read it. Impact: At what point did you start taking American history that were a backdrop to the Impact: What was your reaction? courses at ARI? author’s life. I tried to convey a sense of what ED: I immediately knew that the ideas and ED: It was in the fall of 1995, when I was was happening in America at the time Ayn Rand sense of life in Atlas were what, as a teenager, I accepted into Dr. Gary Hull’s UPAR course first came to the country as well as what changes had been struggling to express and make a part of [“UPAR” is short for ARI’s course she would have seen in the United States in the my life. I began reading everything I could get “Undergraduate Seminar on Objectivism: The 1930s and ’40s. my hands on at that point. I spent the next few Philosophy of Ayn Rand”]. After UPAR, I Impact: What is it about history—or years reading Miss Rand’s nonfiction essays in continued taking courses through the Objectivist American history in particular—that whatever order interested me at the time. I did Graduate Center [OGC] for the next five years. fascinates you? not read The Fountainhead until two years later, Impact: Tell me about how the UPAR ED: I have always been fascinated with how when I was 17, right as I was graduating from course worked, and how you managed to things develop, and that is part of how I became high school and about to enter college. As I read combine it with your regular course work. so passionate about history. When I was in about Howard Roark, I suddenly realized that ED: At the time the UPAR course met one college thinking about what I wanted to pursue as Objectivism was a philosophy that had night a week for three hours during the school a career, I knew fairly quickly that I wanted to be implications for all of my life—which is odd year. Some students attended live in Los Angeles, an intellectual. I loved reading books and since most people come to that conclusion after but most of us called in on the phone—so it was figuring out new things; I relished learning new reading Atlas Shrugged not The Fountainhead. I like a big conference call. ideas and talking about them; I had a desire to felt that I was at a point in my life where I I took the course during my first year of write and discover new knowledge. That part was needed to figure out in what direction I was graduate school. My regular course work kept me easy. At the time, though, I still wasn’t sure what headed. I sensed that it was time to choose quite busy, but since the UPAR course was at field I wanted to do it in. That’s when it hit me explicitly how I would live my life—to cut out night, I was able to fit it in. Dealing with that history had been my undiscovered passion the bad ideas I may have accepted as a naïve graduate school was a challenge in itself, but I from an early age. teenager and to live according to reason. I started think that being in UPAR actually helped—Dr. What led me to this discovery was thinking to study Objectivism seriously that fall when I Hull was always willing to offer advice that about the other values I had pursued since my started college. helped me navigate my way through it all. teen years—classical music, sports and fitness, Impact: While in college were you involved Impact: I’ve spoken to a few other photography, even philosophy. When I looked at in a campus Objectivist club? students who were in that course over the all of them, I realized that one of the first things I ED: Yes, I have been involved with many years. All remember it well and many of them would habitually do when I became interested in campus clubs. I started and ran the now defunct can name a particular point—a principle or a new value was to learn the history of it. When I club at Drake University when I was an main idea in Objectivism—that that course would become interested in a field, the first thing undergraduate there. Although a few of us at continued on next page 5 The New Intellectuals: Q & A with The OPAR series was amazing. Ayn Rand’s Books in German Dr. Binswanger presented the whole of Dr. Eric Daniels, continued from page 5 Objectivism in depth and challenged all of the Ayn Rand’s novella Anthem has just been translated students not only to learn the material, but also to helped them to understand more clearly. Is that into German and published under the title Hymne. understand how to present it to students, how to true of your experience? The book is available in paperback. The publisher, teach it, how to write about it—essentially it was GEWIS of Hamburg, plans to bring out a new ED: Definitely. In addition to all the everything you would want to know about being translation of Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal knowledge I gained about specific issues in an intellectual in training. I developed a lot of (Kapitalismus—das unbekannte Ideal) later this year. Objectivism, the point that stands out to me was good thinking skills in those years as well. And I grasping Objectivism as a philosophic system— have to add that, like Dr. Hull, Dr. Binswanger seeing the integrated whole through the essentials also did a lot of valuable “career counseling” for of every branch of philosophy. As much as I had those of us who were still in graduate school. studied Objectivism myself, I had not yet put all I know that my teaching and writing have the knowledge into a “big picture.” That would benefited from the experience. In addition to the have to be the most valuable point—but there explicit discussions of how to teach, being in the were so many others. Although it was not a OGC and just observing how Dr. Binswanger particular point of the course, by example from made a point or led us through some material Dr. Hull I also learned a significant amount about was a great way to learn how to be a good proper thinking methods. Cover of the German teacher. My writing improved a lot with the help translation of Anthem; Impact: I gather that later on you took of Rob Tracinski and Peter Schwartz, whose ISBN 3-932564-62-6, some advanced courses on Objectivism with published by GEWIS. writing courses I was able to sit in on from time Dr. Binswanger? Can you tell me a little about A list of foreign-language to time. Unfortunately, the constraints of editions of Ayn Rand’s that? How has it helped you in your teaching finishing my dissertation and preparing new books is available at and writing? ARI’s Web site: classes and lectures prevented me from ED: Yes. After UPAR, I took as many OGC www.aynrand.org/faq/. completing those courses, but the advice I was courses as I could fit into my schedule. I took The German editions of Atlas Shrugged (Wer Ist able to gain has helped me quite a bit. Dr. Binswanger’s three-year series on OPAR John Galt?) and The Fountainhead (Der Ursprung), [Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand], and [The second and final part of this interview will also published by GEWIS, are available in sat in on his course on Consciousness. appear in our next issue.] paperback. All of these books are available from Amazon.de (the German branch of Amazon.com), and by special request from certain foreign-language bookstores in the United States and Europe.

response to the growth of ARI projects. She ARI Appoints VP of Impact is published monthly by the Ayn Rand® Institute will be responsible for overseeing and (ARI) and is complimentary to current donors who Cultural Programs managing all of ARI’s cultural departments, contribute $35 or more per year. For information on how which include education, media, archives, you can support ARI and to learn about our projects, The Institute is pleased to announce that Anu professional outreach and publishing. Prior to please visit our Web site: www.aynrand.org. Seppala has been hired to be our new vice joining ARI she was senior vice president of Editor: Copy Editor: Donna Montrezza president of cultural programs. Ms. Seppala is corporate banking at the New York branch of Editorial Advisors: Dr. Yaron Brook, Mark Chapman the Institute’s first VP of cultural programs, a Nordea Bank, the largest bank in Scandinavia. Designer: Simon Federman Printing: David Antonacci new position created earlier this year in Headquarters: 2121 Alton Parkway, Suite 250 Irvine, CA 92606-4926 Phone: 949-222-6550 Fax: 949-222-6558 All rights reserved ©2003

Lesson Plans for Teachers

ARI offers teachers a variety of classroom with the free classroom sets of the novels that we resources on Ayn Rand’s novels, such as free offer to teachers. copies of the Penguin Teachers’ Guide on The lesson plans for teaching Anthem were Anthem and The Fountainhead. To supplement written by Ms. Lindsay Joseph; those on these resources, some time ago we The Fountainhead and on Atlas Shrugged, by commissioned the writing of chapter-by-chapter Dr. Andrew Bernstein. lesson plans on the novels. In providing these and other teaching Detailed and thorough, the lesson plans are materials, and in running our high school essay replete with essay questions on the characters, contests on the novels, the Institute seeks to plot and theme of the novels. The plans suggest encourage the reading of Miss Rand’s novels in innovative classroom and writing exercises to schools. Since the essay contests began in 1985, help students grasp the philosophic significance they have attracted more than 100,000 entries— of the novels. Available electronically on our many of which were the result of teachers Web site, the plans have recently been published assigning the books in class. as full-size pamphlets, which will be included

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