Optional Courses
All optional courses are available in both Session 1 and Session 2, so attendees
can maximize the number of courses they plan to attend. Optional courses are letter-coded (A–D, see our
Conference Schedule) by daily time slot and
duration. For instance, "A" courses meet three times during each session, 8:30–10 AM, for a total of four hours
and thirty minutes of class time. Remember that you can only select one course from each letter group, A–D, per
session, so if you want to attend two "A" courses, for example, you must attend one in Session 1 and one in Session
2.
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Course Descriptions
A1S1, A1S2
The Science of Selfishness
Craig Biddle
Being selfish—striving to achieve the greatest happiness possible—is the essence
of being moral. In one sense, doing so is simple: It is just a matter of thinking and acting accordingly. In another sense,
however, being selfish is extremely demanding: it requires the harmonious use of all of one's resources toward a highly complex
goal for the span of one's life. Thanks to Ayn Rand, we have at our disposal the Objectivist ethics: an integrated system of
principles designed for the purpose of achieving this all-encompassing, lifelong goal. This course examines, concretizes and
clarifies the principles of this science, showing their connection to perceptual reality, emphasizing their life-serving
purpose, demonstrating their interrelationships, discussing their proper applications and offering techniques for better
incorporating them into one's daily life. Attendees of all levels of knowledge will expand their understanding of how to achieve
a lifetime of happiness.
A2S1, A2S2
Giants of Law
Thomas A. Bowden
Objective law is one of mankind's noblest achievements, yet its history is little known. This course
surveys key individuals who caused (or symbolized) the legal innovations which, accumulating over many centuries, enabled Western
civilization to flourish under limited government.
"Reason is the life of the law," wrote Sir Edward Coke in 1628, naming this course's theme. Mr.
Bowden examines the accomplishments of fabled lawgivers (such as Hammurabi and Solon)—of jurists, commentators and champions of
law's supremacy (such as Gaius, Coke and Blackstone)—of unifiers and codifiers (such as Justinian, Edward I and the modern
authors of uniform laws)—of constitutionalists (such as Madison and Marshall)—and many others.
The precious legacy bequeathed to us by these giants of the law will one day enable lawmakers, guided
by Ayn Rand's concept of individual rights, to establish a fully objective legal system for the first time in history.
A3S1, A3S2
Economics (part 1): The Nature of Economics, Wealth
and the Division of Labor
Brian P. Simpson
In Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff says capitalism is perishing
because of a lack of a rational philosophy, not because of a lack of knowledge of economics. Given this, why should Objectivists
study economics? One reason is that knowledge of economics can be integrated with Objectivist moral philosophy to strengthen
one's ability to defend capitalism.
This course is a multi-part course on economics. Some of the questions that will be answered in
part 1 include: Is economics the science of scarcity and choice or the science of wealth creation? What is the difference between
wealth and money? How does the division of labor increase productivity?
This course is equivalent to the basic undergraduate economics courses offered at universities,
except this course is taught from an Objectivist perspective. It refutes many fallacies taught at the universities and also
demonstrates why it is important to have an understanding of economics.
A4S1, A4S2
American Slavery, American Freedom
C. Bradley Thompson
The history of the antislavery movement is one of the truly heroic episodes in American history.
Over the course of three decades, thousands of men and women actively dedicated themselves to abolishing the South's "peculiar
institution." But who were the abolitionists, what ideas motivated them and what strategies did they employ to end slavery in
America?
In this course, Dr. Thompson examines the intellectual and political history of the movement to
abolish slavery in the United States. The goals of the course are twofold: first, to present and examine the best writings and
speeches of the most influential antislavery (and some pro-slavery) thinkers, activists and statesmen in the years between 1830
and 1860; and second, to demonstrate the wide spectrum of abolitionist ideas and political choices open to antislavery advocates
during the antebellum period.
B1S2 only—B1S1 is sold out
Inspiring Heroes: Great Pioneers
Debi Ghate,
Elan Journo and
Keith Lockitch
Scattered throughout history are the compelling stories of pioneers whose groundbreaking discoveries
resulted in tremendous achievement and progress. Such heroes can be found among such diverse groups as scientists, inventors and
explorers. Yet they have in common their reliance on reason, their unfaltering persistence in the face of adversity, their dedication
to excellence and their unerring belief in the integrity and the efficacy of the individual. Whether they are solving great scientific
problems, bringing tremendous technical advances or opening up an entire continent, it is these characteristics that separate the
trailblazing pioneer from the rest of the crowd. Join us as we recount the exciting stories, adventures and accomplishments of four
such pioneers: Thomas Edison (presented by Elan Journo), Charles Darwin (presented by Keith Lockitch) and Lewis and Clark (presented
by Debi Ghate).
B2S1, B2S2
The Corporation
Yaron Brook
The public corporation is under attack in America today. The regulatory burden is ever increasing:
boards and CEOs are constantly harassed over wide-ranging issues from CEO pay to global warming to options "backdating," and the
media continues to portray corporate America as a cesspool of corruption. The expenses and risks of being a public corporation are
now so great that an unprecedented number of companies are choosing to "go private."
In this course, Dr. Brook will discuss the history and economics behind the rise of the modern
corporation, explaining how this form of business organization made possible new heights of wealth creation. He will explain why the
corporation, despite its productive virtues, has been attacked as illegitimate and immoral since its inception. Finally, Dr. Brook
will discuss the popular paradigm of "corporate social responsibility" and contrast it with the proper corporate goal of shareholder
wealth maximization. Throughout the course, Dr. Brook will address many of today's corporate controversies, such as CEO pay levels
and corporate governance.
B3S1, B3S2
Two, Three, Four and All That
Pat Corvini
The concept of number as used in science today is one of man's greatest achievements: a grand-scale
integration capping centuries of effort and enabling a vastly expanded efficacy in all areas of life. But the growth in complexity
of the number system has rendered the meaning of number ever more mysterious; number is seen both as a touchstone of certainty and
as an arbitrary human construct whose applicability to the real world is a deep mystery. This is because the nature of number has
not been properly identified; and as Ayn Rand pointed out, that imprecision is dangerous.
This course clarifies the meaning of "number" by examining it in the light of Miss Rand's theory of
concepts. Recognizing the objectivity of number provides a new framework for resolving both historical and modern debates, and yields
a heightened appreciation for the science of mathematics as a whole—further reinforcing the value of Objectivist
epistemology.
B4S2 only—B4S1 is sold out
Plato's Laws
Robert Mayhew
"Is it a god or some human who is given the credit for laying down your laws?" So begins Plato's
last and longest dialogue, the Laws. In the Republic, Plato created his ideal political community, wherein
philosopher-kings ruled absolutely. Years later, in the Laws, he described in detail what he claimed is the second best
city—one ruled not by philosophers but by laws. In this course, we'll expand our knowledge of Plato's philosophy through a
close look at this neglected work. As one might expect, given the opening line of the dialogue, the main concerns of the Laws
are political philosophy and religion—and the connection between the two. Special attention is paid to Book 10 of the Laws,
which contains Plato's arguments for the existence of gods and his account of what a good city ought to do with atheists.
C1S1, C1S2
The Scientific Revolution
David Harriman
The seventeenth century marked a turning point in the history of human thought. At the beginning
of the century, the scientific knowledge that we take for granted today was virtually nonexistent. By the end of the century,
physics had subsumed the science of astronomy and reached full maturity; the efficacy of the inductive method, based on experiment
and mathematics, had been demonstrated and universal laws of motion and gravitation had been proven. This achievement was largely
the work of a few men. In this course, Mr. Harriman focuses primarily on Galileo, Kepler and Newton. The goal is to present the
unbroken chain of reasoning that led from observations to Newton's fundamental laws. This course is based on three chapters of Mr.
Harriman's book in progress, "Induction in Physics and Philosophy," and it contains substantial new material not covered in previous
lectures and articles.
C2S1, C2S2
Atlas Shrugged as a Work of Philosophy
Greg Salmieri
Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand's most complete presentation of Objectivism. In this course we
consider Atlas as a work of philosophy. We see how philosophical principles are induced by the protagonists from the events
of the novel and how the speeches consolidate this induced knowledge, preparing the characters and readers to induce more abstract
principles. (In developing this idea, the course draws substantially on Leonard Peikoff's lectures on philosophical induction, but
prior familiarity with this material will not be presupposed.)
Principles discussed include: the sanction of the victim, the virtue of honesty, the values of
reason, purpose and self-esteem, the nature of free will, the difference between motivation by love and by fear, and Man's Life as
the standard of value. By showing how these principles are presented through the novel's plot, the course fosters a deeper
appreciation of Atlas Shrugged as a work of philosophy and of literature.
Sold out
Gems of Drama
Lisa VanDamme
As Objectivists familiar with Ayn Rand's esthetic theory, we understand the importance of art
conceptually; unfortunately, because of the bankruptcy of American education, many of us do not appreciate it viscerally.
Consequently, we are deprived of the deep satisfaction to be gained from great literature.
In this course, Ms. VanDamme discusses and analyzes three plays: The Browning Version,
by Terence Rattigan; The Miracle Worker, by William Gibson, and Inherit the Wind, by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E.
Lee. Each of these plays offers a concretized presentation of values held deeply by Objectivists (even if they contain
philosophic errors).
Ms. VanDamme uses the method of analysis presented in The Romantic Manifesto and in Leonard
Peikoff's "Eight Great Plays," discussing the plot, plot-theme, characterization, theme and underlying philosophy of each work. All
the while, she emphasizes the intense personal value to be gained from reading.
Sold out
The History of England (part 3)
Andrew Lewis
By 1300 Europe had nearly dragged itself free of the Dark Ages. Aquinas had liberated the mind
from the dogma of the Church, but man was still trapped by the existential restraints of feudalism. England had institutionalized
a representative parliament, representing some progress, but centuries of feudal custom would have to be wiped out if Europe was
to be completely liberated. The primary agent of this destruction was the Hundred Years' War.
This course focuses on England's political history from 1337 to 1453. It examines the cause, events
and consequences of the lengthy and destructive Hundred Years' War, and provides a foundation for a future investigation of the
Renaissance.
D1S1, D1S2
The Media's Fraudulent Accounting of Business Scandals
Alex Epstein
In the late 1980s Drexel-Burnham Lambert was one of the most exciting, profitable companies
in America. In the late 1990s Enron had earned a similar status. Yet both companies collapsed, just a few years after
reaching stratospheric heights, amid scandal and infamy. According to traditional accounts, both companies fell due to
hubris, greed and fraud. But Alex Epstein demonstrates that these accounts contain serious flaws and, in some cases, are
outright unjust. They exaggerate and sometimes fabricate the sins of the companies, while virtually ignoring their productive
achievements—and ignoring the role that the media and the government played in hastening the companies' downfalls. In
telling the untold stories of Drexel and Enron, along with other stories of business collapses, Mr. Epstein explains how
false philosophic ideas caused so many reporters and intellectuals to get these stories so wrong.
D2S1, D2S2
The Philosophy of Immanuel Kant (part 1 of 3):
Kant's Theoretical Philosophy
Jason Rheins
No thinker has had a greater influence on philosophy in the last two centuries than Immanuel Kant,
and no work has had a greater impact on philosophy than his Critique of Pure Reason. Therefore, to understand philosophy today, how
it arrived at its present position and how it may yet be changed, one must understand Kant's theoretical philosophy.
This course presents the historical context in which Kant developed his metaphysics and
epistemology, and explains his most important ideas. Through the analysis of both the content and the methodology of his mature
philosophical system, students will become acquainted with the essential elements and spirit of Kant's "Critical" philosophy of
Transcendental Idealism and will gain a richer appreciation of his profound influence.
Titles of topics include: Hume's Skeptical Influence; The "Copernican Revolution"; Transcendental
Idealism; Transcendental Arguments: The Method of the Primacy of Consciousness; The Analytic/Synthetic Dichotomy; A Priori Knowledge;
Space and Time; The Categories; and Kant's Philosophy of Science.
D3S1, D3S2
Property Rights in American History
Eric Daniels
Protecting individual rights represents the Founders' crowning achievement. They considered
private property to be "the guardian of every other right." A century later, property rights had been attacked and their
foundation crumbled. The Supreme Court sundered property rights from civil rights, enforcing only the latter. How was this
transformation possible? Why did jurists abandon "economic rights" in favor of "human rights"?
"Without property rights," Ayn Rand noted, "no other rights are possible." Today, all
rights in America are vulnerable because property rights are misunderstood. Beginning with the Founders' incomplete defense
of rights, which enabled later philosophic attacks to gain a foothold, this course examines how legal neglect of property
rights not only allowed but required the explosion of today's pseudo-rights. Why did the "revival" of property rights in the
Rehnquist Court not succeed? Why will conservatives never be able to defend property rights? Why is the Objectivist theory of
property rights the only means to proper protection for all rights?
D4S1, D4S2
The Meaning of Victory: 1945
John Lewis
Americans today face legions of suicidal killers, motivated by a religious-political philosophy.
To defeat them and the governments behind them, we must understand what victory means, both historically and philosophically.
Historically, the greatest victory in American history, the 1945 defeat of Japan, used horrific violence to attain a
non-negotiable goal: the unconditional surrender of the enemy. The result was the most benevolent turnaround of a nation in
history. How was this victory achieved? What is its essential meaning? What lessons does it hold for us today? Philosophically,
a proper victory affirms the efficacy of good over evil, and of unshackled minds over mystical thugs. This has implications for
every branch of philosophy. To fail to attain victory constitutes a deep betrayal of life and of the good. This course can help
Americans honor the "Greatest Generation" of their past, renew their understanding of victory and revitalize their commitment to
achieve it.
Register now!
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