In this episode of New Ideal Live, Elan Journo interviews Tara Smith about her new book Egoism Without Permission: The Moral Psychology of Ayn Rand’s Ethics.
Among the topics covered:
What Rand means (and doesn’t mean) by egoism and the virtues;
Why having desires and owning your emotions are crucial to having a good life, even though emotionalism is bad;
Why the independent person does not seek permission for pursuing his happiness;
Why self-esteem must be earned and sustained;
Why self-interest means being interested in one’s values;
How egoists can still fall prey to accidental sacrifices;
The importance of introspection for egoism and flourishing;
Smith’s message in Egoism Without Permission.
Mentioned in the discussion are Tara Smith’s books Egoism Without Permission: The Moral Psychology of Ayn Rand’s Ethics and Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist and Leonard Peikoff’s Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand.
The podcast premiered on June 12, 2024.
