By Tara Smith
This lecture explains the way in which contemporary political culture undermines the pillars of an objective legal system. It demonstrates how, in addition to misguided premises and ideals, certain prevalent thinking habits are steadily eroding individual freedom.
After clarifying the fundamental requirements of an objective legal system, Dr. Smith canvases examples of an increasingly dishonest political culture that obscures, distorts and evades these basic standards. She then analyzes the premises that are responsible for these evasions and their perilous consequences for the rule of law. Finally, the lecture considers the best means of battling those methods and assumptions that distort our legal culture and gnaw away at individual rights.
By clarifying our grasp of the essentials of objective law and the stakes of chronically misguided political debates, we can gain a better understanding of how to engage in these debates most effectively.
This lecture was recorded at the 2013 Objectivist Summer Conference in Chicago, IL.
(MP3 download; 1 hr., 28 min., 81 MB)
