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Virtue, Politics, and Esthetics

The final course in this four-course track focuses on moral virtues, happiness, the rejection of force, and Objectivism’s view of art. We will discuss the virtues of independence, integrity, honesty, justice, productiveness, and pride, and relate them back to the “master” virtue: rationality.

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Price

$490.00

Level

100

Length

20 Hours

Format

Flex

About this course

The final course in this four-course track focuses on moral virtues, happiness, the rejection of force, and Objectivism’s view of art. We will discuss the virtues of independence, integrity, honesty, justice, productiveness, and pride, and relate them back to the “master” virtue: rationality. The course also addresses Objectivism’s conception of happiness, contrasts the Objectivist ethics with conventional views, and explores Rand’s advocacy for capitalism as the only moral social system. We conclude with a look at the Objectivist esthetics, discussing the philosophical significance of art and its role in human life.

Course Prerequisites

Recommended: Objectivism through Ayn Rand's Fiction

Course content

Introduction
Unit 1: The Derivative Virtues: Independence and Integrity
Unit 2: The Derivative Virtues: Honesty and Justice
Unit 3: The Derivative Virtues: Productiveness and Pride
Unit 4: Happiness
Unit 5: The Initiation of Force, Rights, and Government
Unit 6: Esthetics and Art
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Instructors

Onkar Ghate
Dr. Ghate is senior fellow, chief philosophy officer, and a board member of the Ayn Rand Institute. He specializes in Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, and is ARI’s senior instructor and editor. He publishes and lectures on Rand’s philosophy and fiction, including application of Objectivism to cultural issues. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Calgary.
Ben Bayer
Dr. Bayer is a fellow and director of content at the Ayn Rand Institute. He teaches at Ayn Rand University and gives talks and interviews for ARI. He writes and edits for ARI’s online publication, New Ideal. Dr. Bayer holds a PhD in philosophy and his writing focuses primarily on the application of philosophy to contemporary cultural and political controversies.
Aaron Smith
Dr. Smith is an instructor and fellow at ARI where he teaches and designs educational content for the Institute’s intellectual training and e-learning programs. He also writes, speaks, and gives interviews for the Institute. Dr. Smith received his PhD in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University where his research focused on Aristotle’s theory of knowledge.

About Ayn Rand University​

Ayn Rand described Objectivism as “a philosophy for living on earth.” This idea is at the heart of the Ayn Rand University, an online school of philosophy whose mission is to educate our students about Objectivism and to provide them with the intellectual, career, and life guidance they need to flourish.
Ayn Rand University provides an online educational experience, giving you the flexibility to attend from anywhere in the world. Each quarter, you’ll take one or more courses that feature lectures, graded assignments, classroom discussion, and feedback from our expert faculty. You may also meet regularly with one of our mentors, who will work with you to help you reach your learning and career goals so you can achieve success in thought and action. Though our program is demanding, most students find that they can succeed by devoting about 10 hours a week to their studies. And while we strongly encourage live attendance, all of our classes are recorded so that you can conveniently fit our classes into your schedule.
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