Objectivism, Philosophy, and the Foundations of Ethics

This is the first in a four-course track exploring Objectivism as a system of philosophy. This course focuses on Objectivism’s distinctive conception of philosophy and its role in human life, including what a proper philosophical methodology looks like and how Objectivism thinks about the very subject and goals of morality. Special attention is paid to reason, purpose, and self-esteem as the cardinal values of a moral life and what it means to practice rationality as a virtue.

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Course Includes

  • 7 Lessons
  • 34 Topics
  • 7 Writing Assignments
  • Course Faculty

    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.