By Gregory Salmieri
Ayn Rand stated the theme of Atlas Shrugged as: "the role of the mind in man's existence—and, as corollary, the demonstration of a new moral philosophy: the morality of rational self-interest." This course discusses the manner in which the novel demonstrates a new moral philosophy. It follows the protagonists as they induce the philosophy from the events of the novel and shows how the philosophical speeches consolidate these inductions and enable further integrations.
Principles discussed include: the sanction of the victim, the spirit-body dichotomy, the difference between motivation by love and by fear, and the nature of morality and why man needs it. By showing how these principles are presented through the novel's plot, the course fosters a deeper appreciation of Atlas Shrugged as a work of philosophy and of literature.
This course was recorded at the 2007 Objectivist Summer Conference in Telluride, CO.
(MP3 download; 4 hrs, 48 min, with Q & A, 208.66 MB)
