Ayn Rand called capitalism the unknown ideal. But what makes it an ideal–and why has that ideal remained unknown? In this course, we’ll examine the philosophy, history, and economics of capitalism. Above all, we’ll examine the debate over capitalism’s morality–from opponents like Marx to alleged champions like Hayek. And we’ll see how Objectivism’s unique understanding and philosophical defense of capitalism cements it as the only moral social system.
Prerequisites or Corequisites: 100-level courses have “Objectivism through Ayn Rand’s Fiction” or the “Intensive Seminar on Objectivism” as a corequisite.
Course Start Date: April 11, 2025
Level: 100 Start Date: April 11, 2025 Live Class: Fridays, 11 am-1 pm PT Quarter: Q3-Q4
Instructor Don Watkins Yaron Brook
More information will be added here closer to the course start date.
Live Classes
You can join the live class on Zoom using this link: Zoom Meeting Link. (The Zoom link will be added closer to the course start date).
(Meeting ID: TBD | Passcode: TBD)
Participants are strongly encouraged to attend classes live for the best experience. However, we are aware this is not always possible and recordings of live classes are posted on the course website and on the ARU App/ARI Campus website, usually within an hour or two after the conclusion of each live class. Contact university@aynrand.org if you have any issue accessing a recording.
If you attend class live, please turn on your camera unless you are in a setting with a distracting background or your device is not on a stable surface. It makes for a much better experience for all participants when faces are visible.
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- For questions about course content, structure or schedule, please ask during the live class or in the course channel on the ARU Discord server (see the Discord tab of the course website).
- Questions about your assignments and grades should be directed to the teaching assistant.
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- If you have a technical issue preventing submission of an assignment, email your assignment to the TA and cc university@aynrand.org to troubleshoot the matter.
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