Objective Communication: Writing, Speaking and ArguingAyn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism is increasingly influencing the shape of the world from business and politics to achieving personal goals. Here, Leonard Peikoff—Rand’s heir—explains how you can communicate philosophical ideas with conviction, logic, and, most of all, reason. Based on a series of lectures presented by Peikoff, Objective Communication shows how to apply Objectivist principles to the problem of achieving clarity both in thought and in communication. Peikoff teaches readers how to write, speak, and argue on the subject of philosophical ideas—ideas pertaining to profoundly important issues ranging from the question of the existence of God to the nature and proper limits of government power. Including enlightening discussions of a wide range of Objectivist topics—such as the primacy of consciousness, the pitfalls of rationalistic thinking, and the true meaning of the word “altruism,” as well as in-depth analysis of some of Ayn Rand’s own writings—Peikoff’s Objective Communication is essential reading for anyone interested in Ayn Rand’s philosophy. |
Contents
Introductory Remarks | 1 |
Philosophic Bases of Communication | 7 |
Four Essential Principles | 18 |
Keeping Material Selfcontained | 49 |
Rationalism | 71 |
Objectivity | 88 |
Analysis of Student Papers | 116 |
Principles of Speaking | 173 |
Analysis of Student Presentations | 204 |
Principles of Arguing | 243 |
Analysis of Student Arguments | 280 |
Concluding Remarks | 323 |
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Common terms and phrases
abstract actually altruism answer arbitrary argue argument Atlas Shrugged audience audience's Ayn Rand Ayn Rand Institute basic capitalism certainty child clear collectivism communication concepts concrete context course crow epistemology Dead Sea Scrolls definition depends discussion draft effect egoism emotions essential everything example existence extemporaneous facts of reality feel formulation give going grasp human idea instance issue kind knowledge Law of Identity Leonard Peikoff listeners live logic look man's means metaphysics mind moral code motivation objective Objectivism Objectivist ethics obviously okay opponent paper paragraph person philosophy political practical premise presentation primacy of consciousness principle problem question racism rational rational selfishness reader reason Romanticism sacrifice selfishness sense sentence simply skeptic speaker speaking specific standard statement statism Suppose talk tell theory thing Thomas Jefferson thought tion topic true understand values viewpoint whole words writing wrong