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! |
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 | |
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Common terms and phrases
accept achieve action advocates altruism animal Argument from Intimidation Atlas Shrugged automatic Ayn Rand basic benefit blind brute capitalism choice choose citizens claim collectivism collectivist compromise concept consciousness context contradiction demand desire destruction doctrine earned economic effort enslave entity 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 means mental merely metaphysical mind mixed economy moral judgment moral principles motivated mystic Nathaniel Branden nature Nazi Germany Negro never objective Objectivism Objectivist ethics Objectivist Newsletter one's person philosophical physical force pleasure political possible premise productive Professor X proper protection psychological purpose question racial racial quotas racism rational reason regard requires responsibility right of stagnation seek self-esteem self-interest self-sacrifice selfish social Soviet standard of value statism survival unearned validation virtue whims