Objectivist Conferences™

Dear Reader:

I am pleased to introduce the Objectivist Summer Conference 2008 Web site. We have assembled an exciting lineup of lectures and events for this year’s conference, set in the remarkable coastal environment of Southern California.

Changing the culture will be a recurring theme of this summer's conference. Onkar Ghate and I have made this the topic of our three-part lecture series, "Cultural Movements: Creating Change"; Tara Smith will give a talk titled "The Menace of Pragmatism"; Dina Schein Federman discusses Ayn Rand's approach to activism in "Ayn Rand as Intellectual Activist"; and Lin Zinser will give the talk "Health-Care Activism: Saving the Life Savers," based on her own experiences as an activist. There will also be a cultural change workshop, "How to Be an Agent of Cultural Change," held in ARI's Irvine offices, delivered by Debi Ghate and Tom Bowden, as part of an ARI Open House on July 2.

Our other lectures and courses will show the power of Ayn Rand's ideas in areas such as economics ("Philosophic Issues in Economics," by Harry Binswanger); intellectual history ("Ayn Rand Contra Friedrich Nietzsche," by John Ridpath); philosophy ("Altruism vs. Principles," by Peter Schwartz); history ("Freedom of Speech in American History," by Eric Daniels); and literature ("Russian Short Stories," by Lisa VanDamme).

There will be a variety of events and social opportunities for conference attendees as well, with dance lessons, opening and closing receptions, and a special Independence Day celebration on July 4.

The location of this year's conference is Newport Beach, California, offering the beautiful scenery, coastal climate, shopping and dining of Orange County. You won't want to miss it!

We are looking forward to an inspiring and memorable conference—we hope to see you there!

Dr. Yaron Brook
President

P.S. Enroll by March 31 to take advantage of discount pricing.

P.P.S. For students there are a number of registration options at significantly reduced rates; see our registration options and pricing for more details.

Within this site you'll find all the information you need to plan your trip to Objectivist Summer Conference 2008, and to select the best registration options for you and your family.

For an overview of the course content offered at this year's conference, look to our General Sessions listing, and to the Optional Courses and Events pages. Speaker bios are on our Faculty page. We've assembled some information on the Newport Beach local area, including the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa, our meeting facility. There is a page for details about our July 2 ARI Open House, and another that describes our popular Dance Workshop. And once you've made your selections of conference courses and events, our registration form and instructions can be found on our registration page.

To maximize your enjoyment of Objectivist Summer Conference 2008, we recommend making air and lodging arrangements early—and if you have any further questions, please call 1-800-365-6552, ext. 239, for more information.

What attendees said about last year's conference:

• "Powerful presentations … I’m eager for next year’s conference and the opportunity to meet other Objectivists."
  
• "Super high-caliber teachers and lectures! Excellent all around."
  
• "OCON is awesome because you get to meet people your age with similar interests and career plans, and you get to study subjects that actually matter and benefit your life from people who lecture with clarity, all while basking in a benevolent, uplifting, pro-man atmosphere."

Register now!

General Sessions

Our ten General Session options are available with one convenient registration.

Optional Courses

16 optional courses are offered, with topics ranging from cultural activism to literature to economics.

Register online or call us at 1-800-365-6552, ext. 239.

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