Ayn Rand Institute | Why Do Philosophers Keep Getting Ayn Rand Wrong? @AynRandInstitute | Uploaded 5 months ago | Updated 1 hour ago
In this episode of New Ideal Live, Mike Mazza and Aaron Smith discuss Mazza’s recently published article about why academic philosophers tend to get Rand’s ideas wrong so frequently and the parochialism involved in many of their critiques.
Among the topics covered:
● What Mazza aimed to explain in this article;
● Why responding to academic critics is important;
● What it means for philosophers to engage in parochialism;
● How the methods of academic philosophers are poorly suited to understanding Rand;
● The inductive structure of Rand’s arguments;
● The multiple factors behind philosophers’ dismissal of Rand’s ideas;
● Why the parochialism issue is particularly important to identify;
● Why historians of philosophy tend not to make the mistake of parochialism;
● How even Objectivists can be parochial and what they should do to avoid it.
Mentioned in this podcast are the New Ideal articles “Why Can’t Professional Philosophers Get Rand Right?” by Mazza (newideal.aynrand.org/why-cant-professional-philosophers-get-rand-right) and “Why Massimo Pigliucci Gets Ayn Rand Wrong” by Smith (newideal.aynrand.org/why-massimo-pigliucci-gets-ayn-rand-wrong), plus the book A Companion to Ayn Rand (amazon.com/Companion-Rand-Blackwell-Companions-Philosophy/dp/1405186844) edited by Allan Gotthelf and Gregory Salmieri (specifically Chapter 1, “An Introduction to the Study of Ayn Rand”). The podcast was recorded on April 18, 2024.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:48 The aim of Mazza’s article
0:05:34 Importance of responding to academics
0:12:15 Engaging in parochialism
0:18:18 Limits of academic philosophers’ methods
0:25:29 Inductive structure of Rand’s arguments
0:28:07 Factors behind dismissal of Rand’s ideas
0:37:08 Identifying the parochialism issue
0:41:34 Historians of philosophy and parochialism
50:06 Avoiding one’s own parochialism
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=AynRandInstitute
Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand University app:
– App Store itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: ari.aynrand.org/donate
******
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Follow ARI on Twitter: twitter.com/AynRandInst
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Subscribe to the ARI Live! podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ayn-rand-institute-live/id1440399458
******
Explore these ideas further! ARI's online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: newideal.aynrand.org
Join an upcoming virtual or in-person event: ari.aynrand.org/events
Visit ARI’s website for more about our content and programs: ari.aynrand.org
In this episode of New Ideal Live, Mike Mazza and Aaron Smith discuss Mazza’s recently published article about why academic philosophers tend to get Rand’s ideas wrong so frequently and the parochialism involved in many of their critiques.
Among the topics covered:
● What Mazza aimed to explain in this article;
● Why responding to academic critics is important;
● What it means for philosophers to engage in parochialism;
● How the methods of academic philosophers are poorly suited to understanding Rand;
● The inductive structure of Rand’s arguments;
● The multiple factors behind philosophers’ dismissal of Rand’s ideas;
● Why the parochialism issue is particularly important to identify;
● Why historians of philosophy tend not to make the mistake of parochialism;
● How even Objectivists can be parochial and what they should do to avoid it.
Mentioned in this podcast are the New Ideal articles “Why Can’t Professional Philosophers Get Rand Right?” by Mazza (newideal.aynrand.org/why-cant-professional-philosophers-get-rand-right) and “Why Massimo Pigliucci Gets Ayn Rand Wrong” by Smith (newideal.aynrand.org/why-massimo-pigliucci-gets-ayn-rand-wrong), plus the book A Companion to Ayn Rand (amazon.com/Companion-Rand-Blackwell-Companions-Philosophy/dp/1405186844) edited by Allan Gotthelf and Gregory Salmieri (specifically Chapter 1, “An Introduction to the Study of Ayn Rand”). The podcast was recorded on April 18, 2024.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:48 The aim of Mazza’s article
0:05:34 Importance of responding to academics
0:12:15 Engaging in parochialism
0:18:18 Limits of academic philosophers’ methods
0:25:29 Inductive structure of Rand’s arguments
0:28:07 Factors behind dismissal of Rand’s ideas
0:37:08 Identifying the parochialism issue
0:41:34 Historians of philosophy and parochialism
50:06 Avoiding one’s own parochialism
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=AynRandInstitute
Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand University app:
– App Store itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: ari.aynrand.org/donate
******
Keep in Touch! Sign up to receive email updates from ARI: aynrand.org/signup
Follow ARI on Twitter: twitter.com/AynRandInst
Follow ARI on Facebook: facebook.com/AynRandInstitute
Follow ARI on Instagram: instagram.com/aynrandorg
Subscribe to the ARI Live! podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ayn-rand-institute-live/id1440399458
******
Explore these ideas further! ARI's online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: newideal.aynrand.org
Join an upcoming virtual or in-person event: ari.aynrand.org/events
Visit ARI’s website for more about our content and programs: ari.aynrand.org
