In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer, Dan Schwartz and Agustina Vergara Cid address questions on Objectivism submitted by the podcast’s audience about the meaning of the term “objectivity,” the difference between evasion and selective focus, and the strongest objections to Objectivism.
Among the topics covered:
If objectivity designates a certain relationship between consciousness and existence, how can reality itself be objective?
The two meanings of “objectivity”: one epistemological, one metaphysical;
Is it evasion to narrow your focus to the good or positive things within a certain context?
When and how it’s appropriate to focus on the benefits rather than the downsides of a particular situation;
What are the strongest objections to Objectivism?
The difference between plausible objections and those that are common or valid;
Mentioned in this podcast are Leonard Peikoff’s book Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, the Ayn Rand Lexicon entry on “Objectivity,” Bayer’s blog post “The History of Objectivity in Light of Rand’s Epistemology and Ethics,” Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged, Lecture 2 of Peikoff’s course Understanding Objectivism, and Harry Binswanger’s course Free Will.
The podcast was recorded on July 27, 2022. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch archived podcasts here.
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