Teaching Johnny to Think: A Philosophy of Education Based on the Principles of Ayn Rand's Objectivism

by Leonard Peikoff, Marlene Trollope (Editor)

Dr. Peikoff makes a compelling case for a rational system of education by contrasting three schools of philosophy and the different educational alternatives they propose to replace our present system. He translates the usual abstract discussions in this field into material easily comprehensible to the reader. In the process, he defines a proper methodology and curriculum that will produce thinking high school graduates confident of their ability to achieve their goals. Leonard Peikoff is the preeminent Rand scholar writing today. He worked closely with Ayn Rand in New York City for thirty years and was designated by her as heir to her estate. He has taught philosophy at several places, including Hunter College and New York University. Dr. Peikoff is the author of The DIM Why the Lights of the West Are Going Out, The Ominous Parallels, and The Philosophy of Ayn Rand. He grew up in Western Canada and now lives in Southern California.

Genres: Philosophy, Education, Psychology, Nonfiction, Parenting, Politics, Family

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Leonard S. Peikoff (born October 15, 1933) is a Canadian-American philosopher. He is an author, a leading advocate of Objectivism and the founder of the Ayn Rand Institute. A former professor of philosophy, he was designated by the novelist Ayn Rand as heir to her estate. For several years, he hosted a radio talk show.

http://www.peikoff.com/bio.html

Reviews

[Private Account · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed his explanation of learning and where our current education system goes wrong--fascinating how many choices (like educational theory) come from philosophy that we don't realize. (Down with Kant!!!!) But his advocation of behaviorist techniques to fix the problem is... confusing to say the least. Flat out wrong as well. But also confusing since he is an Objectivist and should be absolutely and entirely against behaviorism. I guess without a significant amount of study, no one can come up with an alternative. Thank goodness for me!

[Dwayne Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent explanation of the failure of the American (and presumably other) elementary and secondary education. Teachers and parents of school-age children will find this book enlightening.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know Leonard Peikoff is an old man. And I was expecting Leonard Peikoff to be quite impressive because of his work in relation to Ayn Rand. Yet Leonard Peikoff is spectacularly dim. He comes from a few generations behind and has a hard time understanding things like 1970s. But, as any old privileged man, he knows his ways were the best, and that is all that counts to him. To make things worse, he is simply a continental philosopher presenting his brain gases as facts instead of the speculations of a limited intellect, which they are. To make the book even worse, the poor senile believes that the plural of anecdote is data.

So Leonard Peikoff starts in 1984. Given the progress in understanding education back in 1960s and 1970s his 1984 discourse is simply preaching to the fans. The man knows "the only" way things can be done. And as proof he presents his past time through schools that are rated good by who knows what method and than everything builds up to his majestic way of demolishing the straw man. He even goes as far in his blissful ignorance to present how good a teacher might be. The teacher is good not because of some numbers, say percentage of students reaching higher education, but because the teacher is interesting to a half senile viewer passing by. And that excellent teacher achieves nothing. That should have been sign enough that the teacher is simply another bureaucrat doing a job. So what the teacher will do? "blow a shrieking police whistle to shock them into silence". A good method of hazing, but that is what Leonard Peikoff could get as education. Shock for the barbaric method? A confirmation the teacher can't muster enough brain power to be interesting? No! The minors deserve it for not paying attention.

So could Leonard Peikoff teach Johnny to think? I doubt himself can do a lot of thinking.

[Ariel Paiement · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was excellent. Nothing short of what I've come to expect from either Peikoff or his mentor, Rand. I really enjoyed the systematic way that Peikoff breaks down the philosophies of education, why the ones we're using in the school system are basically nothing short of the worst sort of mental abuse, and what we should do instead if we want our school system to work. I intend to homeschool my own children when the time comes, which is one reason I was interested in this book, but what Peikoff outlines is useful regardless of whether you intend to instruct your own children entirely at home or send them to school for some of the more key academic types of learning. One of the main reasons I will never send my child to a public school by choice is precisely the one that Peikoff points out here: the method of teaching is anti-thought, anti-reason, and anti-objective. I want my future children to learn to think, not to believe that they can never know anything for certain.

The book is also extremely useful to teachers. I'm intending to teach college English once I finish with my Masters degree, and the advice Peikoff gives to teachers for breaking down the method of teaching an integrated whole (concept) in pieces (concretes + abstracts) that add up to that whole was really practical and useful. I would highly recommend that anyone who wishes to become an instructor or a parent read this. You won't regret it. It isn't a long book, but it's very clear, rational in its layout, and packed full of useful information.

[Atlas Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was excellent. Nothing short of what I've come to expect from either Peikoff or his mentor, Rand. I really enjoyed the systematic way that Peikoff breaks down the philosophies of education, why the ones we're using in the school system are basically nothing short of the worst sort of mental abuse, and what we should do instead if we want our school system to work. I intend to homeschool my own children when the time comes, which is one reason I was interested in this book, but what Peikoff outlines is useful regardless of whether you intend to instruct your own children entirely at home or send them to school for some of the more key academic types of learning. One of the main reasons I will never send my child to a public school by choice is precisely the one that Peikoff points out here: the method of teaching is anti-thought, anti-reason, and anti-objective. I want my future children to learn to think, not to believe that they can never know anything for certain.

The book is also extremely useful to teachers. I'm intending to teach college English once I finish with my Masters degree, and the advice Peikoff gives to teachers for breaking down the method of teaching an integrated whole (concept) in pieces (concretes + abstracts) that add up to that whole was really practical and useful. I would highly recommend that anyone who wishes to become an instructor or a parent read this. You won't regret it. It isn't a long book, but it's very clear, rational in its layout, and packed full of useful information.

[Kirsten]

Leonard Peikoff makes some incredibly good points and some incredibly dastardly points. Consider the contrast between the importance of clarity, orderliness, and control of subject matter in primary grades and the single-sentence dismissal of "retarded" students and inappropriate participants in mainstream US education. Doesn't the needs of the one fit entirely within Rand's objectivist (nee Mill) philosophy?

Peikoff stated that he "did his research", which, by his own account, entailed TWO WEEKS IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS. Two weeks. As a teacher, I have spent more than two decades in American Schools and that has spanned five states in three different geographic and cultural regions of the US.

At any rate, I need to dig more -- I cannot tell from the immediate materials if this was in fact written in the recent past or in the 1980s. Is it both?
As always, I am struck by how things stay the same no matter how much they change.

The chapters on HOW and WHAT to instruct are quite good. The thoughts that this is not happening already in areas of education are either oversimplification or obfuscation to make his objectivist points more salient.

[Adam Barger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good effort in linking objectivism and the teachings of Rand to educational philosophy and practice, but it falls short. Peikoff is not an educationalist, and his summary and assumptions of education show this lack of knowledge and experience. However, he does effectively offer thoughtful critiques of the current statist educational system as well as practical arguments on curricular changes. Most interesting is his concept-bases approach to teaching and learning discussed throughout.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still not sure what Objectivism is, but as for the purpose, method, & curriculum of education, I can get behind this!

[Richard Zierer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic - this book was adapted from lectures by Peikoff in the 1980s. He gives a very comprehensive picture of the American education system, particularly K-12.

Peikoff's description of the disintegrated thinking method taught in modern schools, and the pervasive influence of Dewey's theory of Progressive education, is comprehensive and insightful. It provides a very informative account of why American schools have fallen behind the rest of the world, and one of the primary reasons for the decline in independent thought among college students and adult graduates today.

I also recommend reading Ayn Rand's article "The Comprachicos" for anyone else interested in learning more about the American education system.

[Ming Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening discussion of concepts in their role as unifiers of particulars and the closing discussion of capitalism and education were excellent. There were some bizarre parts, probably due to latent atheism, such as Peikoff's claim that metaphysics must be built on science. This seems to me like a simple category mistake.

[Ellis Novak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic. I'll have to read it several more times to understand the details, but it's worth picking up if you are a current or future teacher, or if you have children in school. It's short, but it's worth your time.

[J.R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good content. Organized poorly (admitted from lectures).

[Gerardo Herrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly amazing and inspiring book! Leonard Peikoff is an incredible writer and philosopher. This book has changed my approach to teaching and learning. I loved it!

[Donkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great explanation of how the schools have gone wrong in their approach and how schools should be run

[Laurie Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure how I came across this on Audible but VERY GLAD I did. A short read but intense. I will definitely reread this one!