On Ayn Rand

Allan Gotthelf succeeds at condensing Ayn Rand's entire integrated philosophy of Objectivism into a short (97 pp.), easy to read introductory book. Most of the book is devoted to presenting the core of the philosophical system -- metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics -- but there is a glance at politics and esthetics, and two chapters are devoted to a biography of Ayn Rand. Gotthelf argues that philosophy is not an esoteric game, but a practical tool none of us can do without. He shows how one's ability to make decisions and one's ethical and political views stem from the metaphysical and epistemological premises one accepts. Ultimately philosophy moves the world. *On Ayn Rand* argues that Objectivism is practical: a guide to living one's life, which, when correctly understood and acted upon, will enable its practitioner to achieve happiness. *On Ayn Rand* introduces all the main ideas of Objectivism in a clear manner, easy for the beginner to grasp. For example, Gotthelf explains that three metaphysical axioms, which are perceptually self-evident, underlie all our thinking and are properly the starting point of philosophy: that something exists, that the act of grasping this implies that one is conscious, and that everything that exists has an identity. Using simple examples he shows how even if one tries to deny these axioms one affirms them. *On Ayn Rand* is not written in a detached manner, so common to textbooks. Its author had been a student of Ayn Rand and knows his subject. His presentation is both factual and passionate. Convinced of the practicality of ideas and of their power to change the world, Allan Gotthelf has written a clear and enjoyable introduction to a revolutionary philosophy.

Millions of readers have recognized that Ayn Rand's novels present a revolutionary view of morality and politics. Sadly, however, very few of these readers--whether Rand's admirers or opponents--possess an adequate grasp of the foundations of her philosophic system. By focusing on her metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics, "On Ayn Rand" presents a sympathetic, intellectually rigorous introduction to this philosophic system. A close reading (and re-reading) of Gotthelf's superb little volume would benefit greatly both beginning and advanced students of philosophy.For beginning students, Gotthelf provides a number of unique values. First, his two chapters on Rand's life and intellectual development represent the only accurate intellectual biography in print, in part due to his unprecedented access to the Ayn Rand Archives. Second, Gotthelf introduces beginners to many technical issues in Rand's philosophy, and from these, he draws out the interesting, controversial implications, whether it be her avowed atheism, her uncompromising defense of reason, or her glowing appraisal of selfishness. Last, Gotthelf explicitly challenges Rand's views with relevant comparisons to historically important philosophers, including Descartes, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.For advanced students of philosophy (including Rand's philosophy), there is too much of value to list here. Of particular note, though, Gotthelf analyzes aspects of Rand's theory of concepts that many students *think* they understand but seldom do, including the motivation *for* a theory of concepts, the how-done and how-to of concept-formation, and what "measurement-omission" really is. Further, Gotthelf's innovative formulations of familiar Objectivist concepts should defrost anyone's frozen abstractions. In just 100 pages, Gotthelf clears up many common misunderstandings of Rand's philosophy, including the ones that typically plague reviews of her books.I can't recommend this pearl of a book highly enough.

Allan Gotthelf's short book allows you to hold Ayn Rand's philosophy and sense of life in one breath which makes her philosophy very real to any reader. He starts with what attracts people to Ayn Rand-her benevolent universe premise and her heroic view of man-and establishes that hers is not a universally held view, and even the cause of hostility towards Ayn Rand. He then asks which is true? Is life inherently tragic or can we understand ourselves and the world, establish values, and ultimately succeed? That is what Ayn Rand's philosophy establishes: the supreme power of reason, the supreme power of the individual, the supreme power of capitalism, the supreme power of man to achieve values and happiness-if he fights for reason, individualism, and freedom. The view that life is inherently miserable and tragic has no philosophic basis. Expressing Ayn Rand's view, he says "the greatest amount of suffering in mankind's history has not been due to anything about the nature of the universe. It has been due to the philosophies men have accepted." That is a powerful message for anyone who wants to improve their life or change the world. That accounts for Ayn Rand's appeal. Ideas matter. Good ideas are vital to human happiness. His last chapter is like a work of art, in that, you see on one page that each core Objectivist principle is necessary for man to have confidence in himself and the world. Given the limitations inherent in any introduction, Gotthelf briefly indicates Ayn Rand's revolutionary understanding of the senses. A major epistemological point of Ayn Rand's is that the form of perception (color, flavor, tones, texture) does not negate the fact of perception (sight, taste & smell, hearing, touch.) Form is the *direct* experience of the interaction of our sense organs with the external world-which establishes the fact of touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. This truth may seem obvious to most people, but most philosophers have fought against this view (if they know of it at all) which in the end undermines all knowledge, values, moral certainty, and happiness. This book weaves together the core themes of Ayn Rand's philosophy and is an excellent introduction, worth including in every introductory philosophy course.

A plus. It doesn't get any better than this. In 100 pages, Dr. Gotthelf draws on everything known about Ayn Rand, from her novels, books, articles, journals, even spoken lectures and interviews, and gives the correct essentials. The emphasis is on her underlying philosophy, Objectivism, 'the philosophy for living on earth.' The politics of capitalism are only briefly sketched in. He clearly explains Ayn Rand's most complex innovation, her theory of concepts. Under ethics, he covers the 6 most important virtues. He opens and closes with Ayn Rand's benevolent universe premise and heroic view of mankind. He concludes with a passage from John Galt's speech in Atlas Shrugged.'Fight for the value of your person. Fight for the virtue of your pride.... Fight with the radiant certainty and absolute of knowing that yours is the Morality of Life and that yours is the battle for any achievement, any value, any grandeur, any goodness, any joy that has ever existed on this earth.'

A plus. It doesn't get any better than this. In 100 pages, Dr. Gotthelf draws on everything known about Ayn Rand, from her novels, books, articles, journals, even spoken lectures and interviews, and gives the correct essentials. The emphasis is on her underlying philosophy, Objectivism, 'the philosophy for living on earth.' The politics of capitalism are only briefly sketched in. He clearly explains Ayn Rand's most complex innovation, her theory of concepts. Under ethics, he covers the 6 most important virtues. He opens and closes with Ayn Rand's benevolent universe premise and heroic view of mankind. He concludes with a passage from John Galt's speech in Atlas Shrugged. 'Fight for the value of your person. Fight for the virtue of your pride.... Fight with the radiant certainty and absolute of knowing that yours is the Morality of Life and that yours is the battle for any achievement, any value, any grandeur, any goodness, any joy that has ever existed on this earth.'