Why Businessmen Need Philosophy

By Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff, et al.

Edited by Debi Ghate and Richard E. Ralston

An anthology of writings by Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff and others.

Introduction by John A. Allison

With government and the media blaming big business for the world economic crisis, capitalism needs all the help it can get. It's the perfect time for this collection of essays presenting a philosophical defense of capitalism by Ayn Rand and other Objectivist intellectuals. Essential and practical, Why Businessmen Need Philosophy reveals the importance of maintaining philosophical principles in the corporate environment at all levels of business from daily operations to executive decisions, and provides the tactical and tactful rational thinking required to defend companies from ideological attacks.

This is a new publication of this title by New American Library, containing many essays not included in the ARI Press publication of this collection.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

(New entries are indicated in bold)

• Preface by Debi Ghate and Richard E. Ralston
  

• Acknowledgments
  

• Introduction by John A. Allison

Part 1: Do Businessmen Really Need Philosophy?

• "Why Businessmen Need Philosophy," by Leonard Peikoff

• "Philosophy: The Ultimate CEO," by Harry Binswanger

• "Wealth is the product of man's capacity to think," by Ayn Rand (from Atlas Shrugged)

• "The Businessmen's Crucial Role: Material Men of the Mind," by Debi Ghate
  

• "The Money-Making Personality," by Ayn Rand

Part 2: Why is Business "Public Enemy #1"?

• "America's Persecuted Minority," by Ayn Rand (From Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal)
  

• "The Philosophical Origins of Antitrust," by John Ridpath
  

• "The Morality of Moneylending: A Short History," by Yaron Brook
  

• "Why Conservatives Can't Stop the Growth of the State," by Yaron Brook and Alex Epstein
  

• "The Philosophy of Privation: Environmentalism Unveiled," by Peter Schwartz (from Return of the Primitive)
  

• "Energy Privation: The Environmentalist Campaign Against Energy," by Keith Lockitch

Part 3: Doesn't Business Require Compromise?

• "The Anatomy of Compromise," by Ayn Rand (From The Objectivist Newsletter)
  

• "Why Should One Act on Principle?" by Leonard Peikoff

Part 4: A Defense for Businessmen

• "Atlas Shrugged: America's Second Declaration of Independence," by Onkar Ghate
  

• "An Answer for Businessmen," by Ayn Rand
  

• "The Dollar and The Gun," by Harry Binswanger
  

• "You're guilty of a great sin, Mr. Rearden," by Ayn Rand (from Atlas Shrugged)
  

• "The Sanction of the Victims," by Ayn Rand (from The Voice of Reason)
  

• "I work for nothing but my own profit," by Ayn Rand (from Atlas Shrugged)

Afterword: "Modern Management," by Ayn Rand (from The Ayn Rand Column)

Part 5: Additional Resources

• About Ayn Rand
  

• About Atlas Shrugged
  

• Ayn Rand's Philosophy: Objectivism
  

• The Morality of Capitalism
  

• Ayn Rand's Fiction
  

• Ayn Rand's Nonfiction

Part 6: About the Contributors

• About the Contributors

• About the Ayn Rand Institute