V olume 8, Number 5, May 2002

Schedule of C-SPAN Events on C-SPAN; Note that this schedule is subject to change. For the latest information, please review ARI’s Web site: www.aynrand.org/cspan or call 310- Live Events in Hollywood 306-9232 to listen to a recorded announcement. Unless indicated otherwise, all events are open In conjunction with C-SPAN’s profile of Ayn Rand, to air live to the public and admission is free. Location: on May 12, ARI has scheduled a film festival, lectures and Except for the lectures at UCLA on May 13 and panel discussions which will be open to the public. Admission 14, all events will take place at Harmony Gold will be free. Theater, 7655 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046. The C-SPAN program, which is part of the American Writ- ers Series, will feature Dr. . It will be broad- FRIDAY, MAY 10 cast from the Harmony Gold Theater in Hollywood. All but 7:15 p.m. Screening: Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life two of the events will take place at the theater, which seats with opening remarks by Dr. and an introduction to the film by Jeff Britting, archi- approximately 350. (The theater is near the apartment in which vist, Ayn Rand Archives. Q&A after screening: Miss Rand finished the draft of her novel We the Living.) Jeff Britting. The public events (see schedule at left) are made possible with help from AT&T Broadband and C-SPAN. “We are proud SATURDAY, MAY 11 to partner with C-SPAN and the to recog- Theme: Ayn Rand and Hollywood 10:30 a.m. Welcoming remarks: Dr. Yaron Brook nize a writer who influenced the course of our nation through 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Talk: “Ayn Rand and her novels, essays and her philosophy,” said an AT&T spokesman. Hollywood: Soviet Film School to The Foun- In the weeks leading up to the live program, C-SPAN and ARI will promote the public tainhead” by Jeff Britting. events in the media. Advertisements are set to appear in LA Weekly, an arts and entertain- 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Panel Discussion: “Ayn ment newspaper, and on the local cable TV network run by AT&T. Flyers, posters and post- Rand, Communism and the Hollywood Black- list”; panelists scheduled to take part: Jeff cards will be distributed on the campus of UCLA, where two of the events are scheduled to Britting, archivist; Dr. Michael Berliner, senior take place. archives advisor; Scott McConnell, oral histo- If you plan to attend one or more of the events, we encourage you to verify the details on rian; Dr. Yaron Brook (moderator). our Web site (www.aynrand.org), because the schedule is subject to change. (You may also 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Talk: “Ayn Rand’s Philo- call ARI 310-306-9232 to listen to a recorded announcement of updates to the schedule.) sophic Revolution” by Dr. , professor, Objectivist Academic Center. C-SPAN’s live program—and possibly some of the ARI lectures and panels—will be 7:00 p.m. Screening: We the Living, with intro- rebroadcast during the week following May 12; check your local listings or the C-SPAN ductory remarks by Jeff Britting. Web site (www.c-span.org).

SUNDAY, MAY 12 Theme: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Talk: “Ayn Rand’s Lit- Art Auction to In the Media: Talk on erary Technique and The Fountainhead” by Dr. Shoshana Knapp, associate professor, Virginia Benefit ARI Israel Triggers Major Technical Institute; with introductory remarks by Dr. Yaron Brook. Quent Cordair Fine Art Radio Interviews 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (closed set, not open to is pleased to announce the public) Live broadcast: “Ayn Rand and The the auction of the origi- At college campuses around the country, ARI Fountainhead”; scheduled to take part: Dr. Leonard nal cover art from the executive director Dr. Yaron Brook has been Peikoff (and possibly other guests, TBA). recent editions of The presenting a talk titled “The Moral Case for 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Panel Discussion: “The Fountainhead and Atlas Defending Israel.” In late March, on the day Fountainhead and Today’s World”; scheduled he was to deliver his lecture at University of to take part: Dr. Edwin Locke, Dr. Harry Bin- Shrugged. The net pro- swanger, Dr. Michael Berliner and Dr. Yaron ceeds from the sales will Colorado, Denver, Dr. Brook was invited to Brook (moderator). be donated by the cur- appear on the Mike Rosen Radio Show, the 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Group Discussion: (not rent owner to the Ayn top-rated talk show in Denver, for a one-hour open to the public) “High School Students Dis- Rand Institute. discussion of the conflict in the Mideast. Thus cuss The Fountainhead” with Dr. Andrew began a small chain reaction. Bernstein, adjunct associate professor, Pace These striking images University (moderator). by artist Nicholas Gae- His comments drew such a response tano were rendered in from the host and the audience that he was MONDAY, MAY 13 acrylic on high-quality invited to remain on the air for an additional Live Event at UCLA paper (the images are 22" 40 minutes. 7:30 p.m. Lecture: “The World In Crisis: An Having listened to Dr. Brook’s 100 min- Objectivist Perspective and Solution” Dr. Yaron x 14"). Selected by Dr. Brook. Location: TBA. Leonard Peikoff, Miss utes of trenchant commentary, the produc- Rand’s intellectual heir, ers of the Ken Hamblin Show—syndicated TUESDAY, MAY 14 they have graced the covers of the novels to more than 100 stations nationwide— Live Event at UCLA called him immediately after the interview. 7:00 p.m. Lecture: “Rational Egoism in The since 1993. As the sales of the books con- Fountainhead” by Dr. . Lo- cation: Perloff Hall, room 1102. Continued on next page Continued on next page In the Media: Talk on Israel Triggers Major Radio Interviews, continued Discovering from page 1 Ayn Rand’s They invited him to take part in another in- terview on the same topic. Philosophy A number of people who attended Brook’s lecture that night came because they had heard him on the radio. Brook noted: “Radio interviews are a terrific way of reach- ing hundreds of thousands of people. So I The Virtue of Selfishness was gratified that not only was I able to have so much airtime, but that people who heard [Each month Impact will offer suggested readings for me showed up for the talk.” fans of Ayn Rand’s novels who wish to learn more about To date Dr. Brook has delivered his talk her philosophy, .] at Stanford University, the University of Ari- zona, Rice University, Texas A&M Univer- Howard Roark, the hero of The Fountainhead, is a sity and UCLA. man of supreme integrity and independence. Both in his work “Reaching college students and the gen- and in his personal life, he takes his own judgment as sov- eral public,” he continued, “is crucial, be- ereign—refusing, despite fierce pressure, to surrender his cause they are still open to reason. They are ideals. Yet ultimately his course proves to be not just - open to hearing the truth about Israel and istic, but also practical. Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objec- about America’s foreign policy.” tivism—of which Roark is an exemplar—holds that there is For many people, he noted, the conflict in no necessary conflict between being moral and being prac- Israel “is a murky and bewildering topic. The tical. media helps multiply the confusion by portray- The purpose of morality, she wrote, “is to teach you, ing Israel’s use of retaliatory force as morally not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live.” Integrity and Independence are equivalent to the Arab suicide bombings. two of the virtues necessary for man’s life. To learn more about how to apply them That’s absurd. If one values individual rights consistently in your own life, here are some suggested readings. and freedom, in the name of justice—of de- fending the good—one ought to side with Is- ■ by Ayn Rand, esp. part III, ch. 7. rael. In a region of theocracies, despots and ■ The Virtue of Selfishness by Ayn Rand, esp. “The Objectivist Ethics,” “The Ethics of Emergencies” and “Doesn’t Life Require Compromise?” dictators, Israel alone upholds rights.” ■ The Voice of Reason by Ayn Rand. Speaking out in moral defense of Israel, ■ Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand by Leonard Peikoff, esp. ch. 8 he continued, “is part of our intellectual cam- ■ The Ayn Rand Bibliographic Search Engine (www.aynrand.org/books/biblio/) paign to support America’s war on terror. allows you to locate where in Ayn Rand’s writings she addressed a specific topic. America and Israel are attacked precisely ■ ARI’s Web site offers suggested reading lists as well as introductory essays because they stand for Western values such on Objectivism: www.aynrand.org/objectivism/. as reason, science, freedom and capitalism. And Israel is America’s front line against ter- rorism in the Mideast—it is our only real ally there. So defending Israel is in America’s self-interest.” Alto, CA, from August 10 to 18, 2002. It Announcements will feature new lectures by Dr. Leonard In the last seven months ARI writers have Peikoff on Induction in Physics and Phi- garnered approximately 3,200 minutes of ra- ARI at Summer Conferences losophy. dio and TV air time. Recent campus talks on ARI is planning a number of special events For complete conference details please such topics as the Mideast conflict and at both the East and West Coast Objectiv- visit: www.AynRandBookstore.com or call America’s war against terrorism have drawn ist summer conferences. 800-729-6149. an aggregate of more than 2,300 students, ■ ARI executive director Dr. Yaron Brook professors and members of the public. will be speaking at the opening banquet of Live Campus Events both conferences. His topic will be the See page one for details of the live events, New Web Site Defending Israel State of ARI. including two lectures at UCLA, scheduled We have collected all of the Institute’s edi- ■ We will host a room of exhibits illus- to coincide with the C-SPAN profile of Ayn trating ARI’s response to the War on Ter- Rand. torials, press releases, and essays in de- rorism. The room will also highlight the re- ■ New York University, New York City fense of Israel on a new ad hoc Web site cent successes of our academic, media and “The Moral Case for Supporting Israel” by (www.aynrand.org/israel). The site is con- professional outreach programs. The Ayn Yaron Brook. Monday, May 6, 7:30 p.m.; tinually updated and offers visitors an easy Rand Archives will display rare documents Room TBA. Information: way to forward articles by e-mail. We recently and other items from its collections. www.aynrand.org/campus. published an ad hoc newsletter, titled “In The summer East Coast conference ■ University of Toronto Moral Defense of Israel,” that outlines our will be held at the Tysons Corner Marriott “Introduction to Objectivism” by Andrew efforts; it can be downloaded from the site. in Vienna, VA (near Washington, D.C.) Bernstein. Friday, May 10, 7:30 p.m.; Sidney from June 29 to July 7, 2002. It will fea- Smith Hall, University of Toronto.100 St. ARI Editorials by E-mail ture new lectures by Dr. Harry Bin- George St., Room 2117. Information: Receive ARI editorials and press releases swanger on Emotions. The West Coast [email protected]; U of T Students: $6. All by e-mail as soon as they are issued. To conference will be held at the Hyatt in Palo others: $12. sign up for this service, please visit: www.aynrand.org/medialink.

Art Auction to Benefit ARI, the cover art on recent editions of: , continued from page 1 Philosophy: Who Needs It, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, The New Intellectual, The New Look for Impact tinue to soar (nearly two million copies in Early Ayn Rand, Beginning with this issue we are adopting the last seven years), so these images have and The Virtue of Selfishness. a new look for Impact. The colophon, become tied to the public’s growing aware- If you are interested in purchasing one or based on the cover art of The Fountain- ness of Ayn Rand’s writings. both of these unique paintings—and in the head, is part of ARI’s new corporate Mr. Gaetano is a prolific illustrator known process helping to support ARI—please visit brand (our Web site will soon follow suit). for his distinctive art deco style. He has de- the auction site at www.cordair.com or call The larger page format affords us addi- signed for magazines, advertising, book cov- Quent Cordair Fine Art at (650) 344-1134 tional space for more news about the In- ers, logos and posters. In addition to design- for details. All bidding and participation in the stitute and for the new editorial features ing the Ayn Rand postage stamp, issued by auction is strictly confidential. The auction will that we plan to introduce. the U.S. Postal Service in 1999, he created end 2 p.m. (Pacific), Thursday, June 6, 2002. —Editor The New Intellectuals: Q&A with Robert Tracinski (Part 2 of 2)

Robert Tracinski is a syndicated columnist likely to carry a columnist if there is a con- for Creators Syndicate and is the editor stituency, even a small one, actively clamor- and publisher of The Intellectual Activist, ing for him. Rick Newcombe tells me that one a magazine analyzing political, cultural, of the most important things is to give posi- and philosophic issues from an Objectiv- tive feedback after you see my column in a ist perspective. His commentary has been paper. From my experience—from the letters published in the Chicago Tribune, the San and e-mail I get from readers—positive feed- Francisco Chronicle, Cincinnati Enquirer, Los back is more meaningful because it is more Angeles Daily News, San Jose Mercury rare. Perversely, people seem to be more News, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. For the motivated to write because they hate some- last two years he has taught an under- thing than because they love it. So positive graduate-level course on nonfiction writ- letters can have a big impact. ing at the Objectivist Academic Center. IMPACT: So, let me recap what you’re doing these days: writing a syndicated col- Mr. Tracinski talked to Impact about the umn, writing and editing TIA and teaching for influence that Ayn Rand’s ideas have had ARI. on his life and career. RT: Yes, I am checking into a sanitarium next month [laughs]! This is the conclusion of the interview. IMPACT: How do you manage that? What is the typical Tracinski writing month IMPACT: Before we talk further about or week? your work at TIA, I want to know more about RT: I’m looking at [my wife] Sherri right how you got started writing op-eds for ARI. now. This is what she’s been telling me for a Robert Tracinski: I started writing op- long time: “You have to start saying ‘no’” to eds after I had started working for TIA. But Chronicle, which published it. new projects. Last year has been the busiest ARI’s involvement in my career goes back The next month, the San Francisco year I’ve ever lived. farther. First of all, when we started the cam- Chronicle came back and asked for another When I started out, I was eager for work pus club at the University of Chicago, the best op-ed on President Clinton’s plan to make a and I’d pretty much say yes to anything. At thing we got was this enormous shipment of “national apology” for slavery. I wrote an the time, I was happy just to be paid for writ- literature. We also got Dr. [Leonard] article on that, which also was published. ing. And I took a very long-term perspective. Peikoff’s 1976 taped course on Objectivism That was the beginning of a period during I would do a lot of things for free or for rela- (this was before his book Objectivism: The which I wrote a lot of op-eds for ARI. tively little money, on the premise that I have Philosophy of Ayn Rand came out), which IMPACT: By my reckoning, over a pe- to do this to get my name out, to show people was our initial training in understanding Ob- riod of three years, you wrote more articles I am a good, reliable writer, to build a reputa- jectivism. than any of our other writers. tion—with the idea that that some day this As an aside, I remember one of our most RT: That may be the case, I don’t know was going to pay off. successful events on campus was a debate the numbers. I got to the point where I was I have reached the point where “some- in 1990 on capitalism versus socialism, with writing two a month and started to feel a lot day” is now, because I’ve got more opportu- Dr. [Harry] Binswanger and Dr. [John] more confident. I would send a draft to Pe- nities than I have time in the day to possibly Ridpath up against a pair of socialists. Some- ter and it would come back almost unchanged. pursue. one remarked in the Q&A how ironic it was Previously, on about half the drafts I sent him, Typically, on Mondays and Tuesdays I’ll that the socialists were selling their literature he said, “There’s a major structural problem prepare for that week’s lecture. On Wednes- outside, while we capitalists were giving it to be fixed,” or something like that. So when day, I’ll start to get an idea of what my col- away for free. That was a wonderful thing the drafts started to come back with no ma- umn is going to be about. Then Thursday, usu- that ARI enabled us to do, because we had jor edits, I knew I was getting a lot better. ally Thursday afternoon, I’ll actually start this wealth of material to give to people to IMPACT: Tell me how you moved from working on my column and finish it up on Fri- say “here’s our position.” writing op-eds for ARI to becoming a syndi- day, which is my deadline—then I collapse in A few years after college, when I came cated columnist. a heap. I work on TIA whenever I can during back onto the scene as a writer, about the RT: I think it was late 1999 or early 2000. the week, and on weekends, I try to cram in time I started to write The American Repub- Richard Ralston [ARI’s former managing di- more time for TIA. lic [magazine], I was accepted into the Ob- rector] had a connection to Rick Newcombe, IMPACT: How do you manage that pace jectivist Graduate Center [a precursor of the who is the owner of Creators Syndicate. ARI of writing? Objectivist Academic Center]. I took Peter had sent him some of my op-eds, and he was RT: The way I’ve been able to get through Schwartz’s writing class there, as well as phi- intrigued by the fact that I had written so it is that I’ve done a lot of writing in the last losophy classes from Harry Binswanger. I many op-eds that had been published in fairly five to seven years—more so, I think, than want to give credit to Peter, because he was big newspapers. I think the biggest—and the Objectivist intellectuals who are at universi- very influential. He really made me rethink one that meant the most to me—was the ties. They spend time teaching and lecturing the way I was writing. I learned to be more Chicago Tribune. Having lived in Chicago and on the whole don’t spend as much of the explicit about my method. for 10 years, it was sort of a “local boy day writing. So I’ve written a large volume Around 1997—I had been editing TIA for makes good” feeling. In addition to that, the of material, and when you do that, you begin maybe six months—I got a call from ARI say- folks at Creators were impressed with the to automatize a lot of the steps. Obviously, it ing that the San Francisco Chronicle had wide range of topics on which I had written. can never be automatic in its essentials, be- asked for an op-ed on Timothy McVeigh [the The sales staff at Creators looked at my cause you have to do original thinking, but a Oklahoma City bomber] and the militia move- writings and thought they could sell them to lot of the steps, the way you structure a sen- ment. The paper wanted an article on the newspapers, so from that came their offer tence, the grammar, etc.—a lot of that can Objectivist view of the motives behind the for me to write a weekly column, which I be learned so thoroughly that it is semi-auto- attack. Scott McConnell at ARI told me that snapped up immediately, and very gladly! It matic. he tried to get somebody else to do it but ev- was something that I knew at the time was Having written on so much, especially erybody was busy. Nobody could do it be- going to start small and build—and for me it in the realm of politics, I have also built up cause the newspaper wanted it tomorrow. was a real “once in a lifetime” opportunity a range of stored examples that I can bring This phone call was at 1 o’clock in the after- to get Objectivist ideas out potentially to a to bear, so I can spend a lot less time try- noon—and they wanted it first thing the next vastly broader audience. ing to think of examples for illustrating my morning. IMPACT: What can Objectivists do to points. It was too good an opportunity to pass help promote your column? I noticed that when I started to write my up, so I said “Yes, I can do it.” Having writ- RT: Send polite and well-reasoned letters column, it would take me two solid days and ten some articles in TAR about the militia or e-mails or even phone calls to your local I would restructure it three times. But now I movement, I already had some research un- paper, telling them that you like my column can write it in one day. It is just a matter of der my belt. I stayed up late that night, then and want them to carry it. Editors do listen to having the experience. did a little polishing the next morning and sent their readers—especially comments that are it in. ARI liked it and sent it on to the polite and intelligent—and they are far more Continued on next page The New Intellectuals: Q&A with Robert Tracinski, continued from page 3 retical issues when you’re doing a weekly only thing that keeps me sane is that I have column and teaching a class, etcetera. I hope this sort of peaceful life at our home, always But I still feel like I have three full-time in the future to make the time to engage in available throughout the day. jobs. those broader pursuits. Also, it’s an older, historic house that was IMPACT: Tell me what’s going on at IMPACT: What prospects do you see for badly renovated in the 1970’s, and we’re go- TIA. It was bimonthly when you came on as spreading Objectivism in our culture? ing through the process of totally restoring it. editor, then you took it to a monthly sched- RT: There’s a great deal of focus these I don’t know if that’s a hobby, but it’s a good ule. In January 2002 you became publisher, days—and appropriately so—on how to get way to let off steam, particularly when you’re too. What’s on the horizon? Objectivism into academia. That’s important doing demolition work, and you’re knocking RT: I took it from bimonthly to monthly and that has a huge effect, but I also think out plaster walls with a sledge-hammer. It’s because I thought we could create enough Objectivism can be spread and can have an really a labor of love. We enjoy the process good material to fill it, which we have. My enormous effect on the culture through the of having a vision of how you want every- goal is eventually to turn TIA into a widely media. thing on the property to be, and then working read, more mainstream magazine. A monthly I believe the media is much more open to make it happen. publication gives people a regular flow of and more ready for this than it used to be. I IMPACT: What about movies, books? material. That was partly why I did that. mean, we have been getting requests for in- RT: We do enjoy going to movies. I don’t Partly also because I had the material, and I terviews from some fairly prominent people find as much time as I would like for reading. was excited to publish a lot of these interest- lately, and the fact that one of the major syn- I read for a living, but a lot of my time is ing articles. You know, we’ve done some new dication services is willing to hire an Objec- spent reading news articles and things like things on the philosophy of mathematics, new tivist columnist—that’s encouraging. that. One of the things I would love to do analyses of historical events and things like My general experience is that the world more of—which we’re trying to find time to that. I really wanted to do that, and it is part is honey-combed with people sympathetic to do—is ballroom dancing. I have strong con- of an attempt to try to expand TIA and to hope- Objectivism. I went to an accountant a couple victions about ballroom dancing—I think it fully bring it to a wider audience. of years ago and I was telling him what I do restores an elegance and romance that’s gone With the January 2002 issue, we have and who I worked for. He said: “I was really from the culture today. changed the format and the look of TIA. It into Ayn Rand in college, and every time I’m My life is so busy, it’s a matter of finding was a half-sized booklet-style magazine; it’s down in Virginia Beach, I listen to that radio time for it all. But I would rather have a life now regular magazine size, with cover pho- show—what’s that guy’s name?” It turns out that’s this busy than to be sitting around say- tos and illustrations and generally a more vi- that it was the Leonard Peikoff Show. This ing, “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” sually interesting look. Sherri did the new is typical. — . — design, which I think is very elegant. We re- I believe there are a lot of people out there The interview with Mr. Tracinski was con- ally wanted to have the look of the magazine who have some knowledge of Objectivism and ducted by , Impact editor. match the quality and interest of the content— some sympathy with it and are interested in and we also, eventually, want to be able to hearing an Objectivist viewpoint. So I think put it on newsstands. there’s a lot of opportunity to get Objectivist We’ve also carried this over to our web ideas out there in the media, and I think that site [www.IntellectualActivist.com], which will all work to reinforce what’s being done Publisher: The Ayn Rand Institute, 4640 Admiralty Way, complements the new look and has a sort of in academia. Suite 406, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 webzine approach. Every Friday, I update my If you’re a college student, and you come 310-306-9232 fax: 310-306-4925 column—before it’s available anywhere to class and Objectivism is being taught by e-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.aynrand.org else—along with a new editorial cartoon from one of your professors, and you go to the Editor: Elan Journo; Designers: David Layne & Simon a pair of illustrators we have working for us. newsstand and you see Objectivism up there Federman And we put up a sort of roundup of links to on the newsstand, and then you turn on the All rights reserved ©2002. other interesting articles on the Web. TV and you see an Objectivist intellectual IMPACT: What are the major long-range commenting on some controversy—it gives goals you have? you the idea that this viewpoint is every- RT: From past experience, I’m wary where, it must really be important, I should about announcing what I’m going to do, be- investigate it.

THE AYN RAND INSTITUTE 4640 ADMIRALTY WAY, SUITE 406 cause you never want to promise something, IMPACT: I take it you’re in the op- MARINA DEL REY, CA 90292 then not have it materialize for one reason or timist’s camp about the future of the culture. another. But I do have a couple of projects RT: Yes. Seven years ago, I was just which I am ready to talk about because I’ve starting out, thinking that maybe I could get a talked about them before, so the cat’s out of job, maybe I could make a little money as a the bag. writer. Now I’ve got a syndicated column and I am working on a book that looks at how I’m the publisher of a magazine. And it has businessmen are giving material and moral been almost 15 years since I became aware support to their own enemies. I gave a course of Objectivism, and I think in that time, I’ve relating to that at the summer conference in seen a change. Objectivism used to be more 2000. In the book, I go over the intellectual shut out, there were not as many opportuni- history of attitudes towards work, towards ties and not the openness that there is today. productivity, towards capitalism, and show Our problem today isn’t that we have too how that shapes what we see today in the few opportunities. There are almost limitless culture. That’s not a very exact statement of opportunities—the biggest problem is that we what the book is about, because it’s not fin- have too few people who are ready and able ished yet. But I am working on it. to take advantage of them. I’m almost jeal- Eventually, I also want to take the mate- ous of some of the younger intellectuals who rial I’m developing for my writing course at are coming up, who are in college or getting ARI and turn it into a book on writing. I think out of college: there is so much available to there are some useful ideas there, and I’m them that was not there when I was that age. gathering a lot of illuminating examples, which That’s part of the reason I’ve been en- show, for example, how not taking a certain joying this writing course at ARI. It is help- idea into account will cause problems in the ing to bring up, hopefully, another wave of structure of the article. In my course, I’ve people who will have the training and the tal- taken some issues from epistemology and re- ent to go and take advantage of some of those lated them to the writing process. Writing re- opportunities. ally is an issue of epistemology, it’s an issue So I am absolutely in the optimist camp. of what evidence is required to convince the IMPACT: How do you rest? What are reader, how does the reader’s mind work, your hobbies? how do you take that into account? I think RT: I’m trying to make more time just to there are some fascinating connections where rest and spend with my wife. you can take crucial ideas from Ayn Rand’s The greatest benefit we have is that our philosophy and use those to grasp some im- house is out in the country and has a couple portant principles about writing. of acres of land around it. We enjoy a very I have other book ideas, which are far- peaceful life out there. The other advantage ther away because they are more theoreti- is that I work out of the house. I’m there all cal, and it’s hard to find the time to do a lot the time and we have dogs and cats. My wife of historical research and thinking about theo- also works out of the house, so I think the