The Virtue of SelfishnessA collection of essays that sets forth the moral principles of Objectivism, Ayn Rand's controversial, groundbreaking philosophy. Since their initial publication, Rand's fictional works—Anthem, The Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged—have had a major impact on the intellectual scene. The underlying theme of her famous novels is her philosophy, a new morality—the ethics of rational self-interest—that offers a robust challenge to altruist-collectivist thought. Known as Objectivism, her divisive philosophy holds human life—the life proper to a rational being—as the standard of moral values and regards altruism as incompatible with man's nature. In this series of essays, Rand asks why man needs morality in the first place, and arrives at an answer that redefines a new code of ethics based on the virtue of selfishness. More Than 1 Million Copies Sold! |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - mvbdlr - LibraryThingI read this book in order to understand Rand's philosophy before reading Atlas Shrugged. I figured that for such a big book, I needed to know what was going on before the fact, so I can follow along ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - LisaMaria_C - LibraryThingAyn Rand was once asked if she could present the essence of her philosophy while standing on one foot. She answered: Metaphysics: Objective Reality; Epistemology: Reason; Ethics: Self-interest ... Read full review
Contents
Mental Health versus Mysticism and SelfSacrifice | |
The Ethics of Emergencies | |
The Conflicts of Mens Interests | |
Isnt Everyone Selfish? | |
The Psychology of Pleasure | |
Doesnt Life Require Compromise? | |
The Monument Builders | |
Mans Rights | |
Collectivized Rights | |
The Nature of Government | |
Government Financing in a Free Society | |
The Divine Right of Stagnation | |
Racism | |
Counterfeit Individualism | |
How Does One Lead a Rational Life in an Irrational Society? | |
The Cult of Moral Grayness | |
Collectivized Ethics | |
The Argument from Intimidation | |
Other editions - View all
The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism Ayn Rand,Nathaniel Branden No preview available - 1964 |
Common terms and phrases
accept achieve action advocates altruism animal Argument from Intimidation Atlas Shrugged automatic Ayn Rand basic benefit brute capitalism choice choose citizens claim collectivism collectivist compromise concept consciousness context contradiction demand destruction doctrine earned economic efficacy effort enslave ethical subjectivism evade evil existence facts of reality feel free society freedom function goals happiness human individual rights integrity intellectual interests irrational issue knowledge Leonard Peikoff living man’s rights man’s survival means men’s merely metaphysical mind mixed economy moral judgment moral principles motivated mystic Nathaniel Branden nature Nazi Germany never objective Objectivism Objectivist ethics Objectivist Newsletter person philosophical physical force pleasure political possible premise productive Professor X proper protection psychological question racial racial quotas racism rational rational selfishness reason regard requires responsibility right of stagnation sacrifice one’s seek self-esteem self-interest self-sacrifice selfish social Soviet standard of value today’s unearned valid virtue whims
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Virtue of Selfishness |
| Author | Ayn Rand |
| Publisher | Penguin, 1964 |
| ISBN | 1101137223, 9781101137222 |
| Length | 176 pages |
| Subjects | › Philosophy / Epistemology Philosophy / Essays Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |