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Philosophy: Who Needs It
by
Ayn Rand
Who needs philosophy? Ayn Rand's answer: Everyone.
This collection of essays was the last work planned by Ayn Rand before her death in 1982. In it, she summarizes her view of philosophy and deals with a broad spectrum of topics. According to Ayn Rand, the choice we make is not whether to have a philosophy but which one to have: rational, conscious, and therefore practical
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Easily the worst book I have read thus for by Rand. I grew respect for Rand after reading "The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution." I found the "The New Left" to be enlightening as to why modern academia is an irrational and corrosive bad joke. Sadly, "The New Left" is the only book I can recommend by Rand that I completely agree with. Rand seemed to have a pathological hatred of Emmanuel Kant that gets old very quick. I was also offended to see Rand insulted ...more
Kevin
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Ayn Rand is completely misunderstood in the popular culture- she was not a heartless selfish individualist without a care for her fellow man. Ayn Rand was a principled philosopher in the tradition of Aristotle- who realized that human beings are ends in themselves and can only flourish by being free to act according to the dictates of reason and conscience. Ayn Rand isn't opposed to love, to friendship, to organized groups of people with a common purpose. She was opposed to coercion in all fo...more
Айн Ранд създава интелектуално бойно поле във “Философията: кому е нужна”
http://www.knigolandia.info/2011/02/blog...
Айн Ранд не може да не бъде полемична, не може да не бъде противоречива, не може да не бъде провокативна. Но във “Философията: кому е нужна” тя е нещо повече – тя е агресивна, настъпателна и гръмогласна. Убедена в собствената си философия, сигурна в моралното превъзходство на идеите си, опряна удобно на величествените романи “Изворът” и “Атлас изправи рамене”… И о...more
http://www.knigolandia.info/2011/02/blog...
Айн Ранд не може да не бъде полемична, не може да не бъде противоречива, не може да не бъде провокативна. Но във “Философията: кому е нужна” тя е нещо повече – тя е агресивна, настъпателна и гръмогласна. Убедена в собствената си философия, сигурна в моралното превъзходство на идеите си, опряна удобно на величествените романи “Изворът” и “Атлас изправи рамене”… И о...more
I was Curious about Ayn Rand's philosophy, so I checked out this book. Having finished it, Rand seems to me a mix of Nietzsche and Rush Limbaugh.
Every chapter she rants against altruism i.e the Christian ethic, thinking its the root of all evil, stunting civilization and the brain. She passionately hates Immanuel Kant. like a hyper-Charismatic who thinks there is a demon behind every bush, so she see Kant behind every bush, practically every chapter she can't help but make another st...more
Every chapter she rants against altruism i.e the Christian ethic, thinking its the root of all evil, stunting civilization and the brain. She passionately hates Immanuel Kant. like a hyper-Charismatic who thinks there is a demon behind every bush, so she see Kant behind every bush, practically every chapter she can't help but make another st...more
I haven't read the whole book as Goodread's entry for this work suggests. What I have read is a 12 page pamphlet from the Ayn Rand Institute of the same title. I found it one rainy day while I was working a shift at a bookstore. It was one of those days that makes stepping out of the door a strain on your will, but upon finding this talk, I was glad I did. In the talk, which Ayn Rand gave to West Point's graduating class of '74, she clarifies the need for people to have a personal philosophy, l...more
This book changed my life! The first work I read by novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand, (author of "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead") is the stunningly clear rationality I’d always been searching for in her philosophy of Objectivism.
Objectivism, according to Miss Rand is: "the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."...more
Objectivism, according to Miss Rand is: "the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."...more
На мен лично ми бе изключително трудно – докато оформях начина си на мислене, трябваше практически сам да измислям базисната постановка на идеите, в които вярвам, тъй като не я откривах в нито една философска книга, в нито една лекция по философия...
Прочети цялото ревю: http://kaka-cuuka.com/knigi/filosofiata-...
Прочети цялото ревю: http://kaka-cuuka.com/knigi/filosofiata-...
I was once an ardent supporter of Ayn Rand during my college years. However, my worldview has matured over time. I simply cannot live Ayn Rand's philosophy. Her philosophical positions do not seem natural to me. I would argue that Rand is a powerful writer and philosopher. Her arguments are rational. She writes clearly and persuasively. But her values do not match mine. I disagree entirely with her metaphysical views, which has a domino effect on the other branches of my philosophical world...more
Readers who have read Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand will naturally find the gist of most of her essays here familiar, for they precede and obviously inform Peikoff's distillation. This collection of Rand's essays present her characteristic precision in zeroing in for epistemological defeat the fundamental essence of the anti-life "morality" in play in the field. It also finally addresses a pet peeve of mine -- the marginalization of philosophy as a "han...more
Uma série de palestras sobre a filosofia dessa famosa autora americana. O Objetivismo como ela chama seu pensamento filosófico e que foi e está sendo usado como base filosófica do modelo capitalista. O livro tem altos e baixos e algumas vezes é um pouco repetitivo como não poderia deixar de ser quando se reúnem artigos publicados em diversas épocas e em diversos meios. As críticas tanto à direita conservadora quanto à esquerda radical são o ponto alto mostrando como elas se encontram como lados ...more
The bottom line is, we all live by a philosophy- whether or not we're aware of it. This book shows you why it's so important to know what kind of philosophy you're living and making choices by, and makes one aware of how their pattern of coming to conclusions affects everything about their being. A must read for anyone interested in understanding their inner workings better.
Another classic compilation of Ayn Rand essays. Must read for anyone interested in her philosophy. Notice the title is not a question. The book illustrates why EVERYONE needs philosophy - real philosophy, not the nonsensical, detatched-from-reality lunacy that masquerades as philosophy and resulted to the widespread perception that philosophy is just "bulls**t".
While this book is a great reference to understanding Ayn Rand's philosophy, Objectivism, its true value is in explaining what philosophy is and why it's important.
An extremely important lesson in today's world, especially when so many discussions are fruitless exchanges of opinion, without knowing - let alone questioning - basic philosophical assumptions.
An extremely important lesson in today's world, especially when so many discussions are fruitless exchanges of opinion, without knowing - let alone questioning - basic philosophical assumptions.
Haven't read all of it but it definately make you think if you don't consciously formulate your personal philosophy you will live a life with a mongrel philosophy bestowed upon you by others.
For me not as enjoyable as The Virtue of Selfishness. For some reason the ideas tended to sail off into left field in this one. I don't know if that has anything to do with when they were written. While clearly written this one just didn't get my attention.
Enjoyed this book but it was a battle to get through it. Some really good concepts of her philosophy, but you really have to want to get through it to get something out of it.
Oy, this suffers from one of the worst titles ever. It is however, a nice little work concerning the importance of developing a personal philosophical system to live by.
Lloyd Fuller
added it
still reading i am slow at reading but this book is about us and it reflects me right now and learning from it thanks to a patriot who told me about this book
A collection of semi-philosophical essays by the (in)famous Ayn Rand. A good way to be quickly introduced to her actual views on things.
I enjoyed this book, as I do most Ayn Rand books, but I found this one to be a little bit repetitive at times. (That's maybe to be expected from a collection of articles she wrote for various audiences over the years.)
That said, I did finally get some explanations to some questions I'd had about her philosophy for a while. For example she delves into theoretical economics and academic philosophy more than in her novels, which are riveting but leave some things unanswered.
I'd say th...more
That said, I did finally get some explanations to some questions I'd had about her philosophy for a while. For example she delves into theoretical economics and academic philosophy more than in her novels, which are riveting but leave some things unanswered.
I'd say th...more
So far a pretty interesting and good book, very nice for beginners in philosophy as myself.
Cylvia Santillan
added it
Well, currently reading this book. Makes you think. Great, if you're into reason and logic.
Everyone lives by a philosophy, whether it is chosen or one by default. This book explains why reason is important and its collection of essays is a good primer on Objectivism. To some degree, the first time I read this book I did not understand the author's meaning of some of her terms. If anyone reads this and doesn't understand any of the terms or concepts, I would recommend looking them up in the Ayn Rand Lexicon, either the book or the website. This book is must read for anyone interest...more
Out of her philosophy books, I thought this was best.
Conrad
added it
Excellent collection and overview.
easy read, very insightful, interesting.
Her essay on inflation and her lecture at West Point are great. If you have never read Ayn Rand before dont start with this book though. Start with The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged.
\Rand's hero is Aristotle, her enemy is Kant. Anything that is reasoned via that which cannot be viewed and demonstrated is to be rejected. Very interested to learn how she justifies her very black and white talk of Good and Evil. Can an individual acting in his own interest ever commit evil, according to Rand?
If altruism and selflessness are the ultimate evils, it is easy to see why Rand hates religion. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ would be the absolute antithesis of her ideals.
If altruism and selflessness are the ultimate evils, it is easy to see why Rand hates religion. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ would be the absolute antithesis of her ideals.
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Good for explaining her philosophy
The first few chapters of this book are incredible. They do an outstanding job of describing the obligation of every person to analyze their personal philosophy to become the person they want to be.
The "Egalitarianism and Inflation" chapter had the best description of inflation due to government I've ever read.
The rest of the book is very zealous prose of Rand bashing other thinkers or ways of life.
The "Egalitarianism and Inflation" chapter had the best description of inflation due to government I've ever read.
The rest of the book is very zealous prose of Rand bashing other thinkers or ways of life.
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Alisa Rosenbaum was born in pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg to a prosperous Jewish family. When the Bolsheviks requisitioned the pharmacy owned by her father, Fronz, the Rosenbaums fled to the Crimea. Alisa returned to the city (renamed Leningrad) to attend the university, but in 1926 relatives who had already settled in America offered her the chance of joining them there. With money from the sa...more
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“Rationalization is a process of not perceiving reality, but of attempting to make reality fit one’s emotions.”
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