Donovan A.

July 31, 2013

Thanks for taking the quizzes. Great job Roger!

July 1, 2013

Celebrating Our Independence: Save 40% Sale Price Ends July 31st

July 1, 2013

These tests cover Chapter 7 through Chapter 19. Enjoy!

The Virtue of Selfishness Test 03

The Virtue of Selfishness Test 04

June 19, 2013

I cannot state who has or has not taken CRC tests, but I can tell you there are many people that take the tests without giving their name.

June 19, 2013

I wonder what kind of disclaimer will be included?

From my notes on the cassette version:

"Now, of course, the question is: How do you judge whether somebody is intellectually honest or not? You cannot judge that point by the shear fact that he disagrees with you. Obviously, your ideas are not self-evident. They have to be learned, they are philosophy which is a very complex subject. Many, many many honest errors are possible along the way, particularly in a confused mixed up world such as we live in at present. Nor can you decide that someone is dishonest simply because you are unable to convince him, because perhaps you are unclear, maybe you are not arguing very well or maybe he is really badly confused even though honest. So your presentation is clear, but he just can’t get it he is so mixed up. It’s very difficult in many cases to judge. In many cases, I would say it is impossible to know. At least it’s certainly impossible for me in many cases to know and I generally follow the policy of giving the benefit of the doubt if I am not sure."

- Objective Communication (1980) by Leonard Peikoff, Lecture 7, Tape 1, Side A at 12:00

Contrast with:

"Now we must note that falsehood does not necessarily imply vice; honest errors of knowledge are possible. But such errors are not nearly so common as some people wish to think, especially in the field of philosophy."

- Fact and Value (1989) by Leonard Peikoff

June 18, 2013

Click here to take the test!

This test has been designed to assess your comprehension of The Virtue of Selfishness (VOS) [Centennial Edition]. Questions have been formed from Chapter 2 through Chapter 6. Subsequent tests will cover additional chapters of the book. It is not intended to be an open book test. There are 25 questions – each is worth 4 points. This test can be taken by students before and after reading VOS (as a pre and/or post-test). Only reading Ayn Rand’s fictional work will not be sufficient preparation to excel on this test. This assessment can help students of Objectivism and study-group organizers determine the ideal study materials and is not intended to evaluate one’s agreement with Objectivism.

Test Score Range:
0-60: Minimal understanding (Low) – Basic study needed
64-68: Moderate understanding (Low-Mid) – Basic study needed
72-80: Good understanding (Intermediate) – Basic study review needed
84-88: Competent (High-Mid) – Proceed to more technical studies
92-100: Advanced (High) - Proceed to more technical studies

In order to receive your test score, you will be asked to provide your name and email address. Your test score will be emailed to you. Your name and email address will be added to our general contact mailing list. Your name and test scores will not be published. All marketing emails sent from The Culture of Reason Center include the option to unsubscribe.

Like this Test? Please Make a Donation to The Culture of Reason Center

Constructive feedback is welcome
Email: cultureofreasoncenter@gmail.com

Other CRC Tests Include:
The Virtue of Selfishness Test 01
Objectivism: General Knowledge (01)
Objectivism: General Knowledge (02)
Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology Test (Introduction, Chapters 1-8, Summary)
The Ominous Parallels Test 01

June 18, 2013

Current number of submissions: 7

Average Score: 70%

High Score: 90%

Low Score: 55%

June 17, 2013

Hi Brant,

Could you elaborate on what is the matter? Six people have taken this test and five of them have answered #15 correctly.

Are you having technical difficulties? If so, you might want to try refreshing your browser.

Thanks so much,

Randall

June 17, 2013

Click here to take the test!

This test has been designed to assess your comprehension of The Ominous Parallels (TOP). Questions have been formed from Chapter 1 and 2 only. Subsequent tests will cover additional chapters of the book. It is not intended to be an open book test. There are 20 questions – each is worth 5 points. This test can be taken by students before and after reading TOP (as a pre and/or post-test). Only reading Ayn Rand’s fictional work will not be sufficient preparation to excel on this test. This assessment can help students of Objectivism and study-group organizers determine the ideal study materials and is not intended to evaluate one’s agreement with Objectivism.

Test Score Range:
0-60: Minimal understanding (Low) – Basic study needed
65-70: Moderate understanding (Low-Mid) – Basic study needed
75-80: Good understanding (Intermediate) – Basic study review needed
85-90: Competent (High-Mid) – Proceed to more technical studies
95-100: Advanced (High) - Proceed to more technical studies

In order to receive your test score, you will be asked to provide your name and email address. Your test score will be emailed to you. Your name and email address will be added to our general contact mailing list. Your name and test scores will not be published. All marketing emails sent from The Culture of Reason Center include the option to unsubscribe.

Like this Test? Please Make a Donation to The Culture of Reason Center

Constructive feedback is welcome

Email: cultureofreasoncenter@gmail.com

Other CRC Tests Include:
Objectivism: General Knowledge (01)
Objectivism: General Knowledge (02)
Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology Test (Introduction, Chapters 1-8, Summary)
The Virtue of Selfishness Test 01

June 9, 2013

I got 76%.
Not bad. I did expect I might breach 80% even although I stopped studying the catechism over 40 years ago. The problem for me is I have little interest in Objectivist answers to Objectivist questions. The answers, you see, come first, then the questions. For me, that's backwards and distorting. The questions assume truth of many questionable truths. Elsewhere this illustrates the fallacy of reducing education to multiple choice questions gauging students' progress so what is taught is how to take those tests getting the best results so the teacher becomes a "teacher."
--Brant
of course I needed to score over 90% to justify making this post because what do I know?

I have been considering adding the following statement to the test description: The questions are intended to test a person's recall of the author's views and not the actual validity of those views.

For example:

11) The process of abstraction and of concept-formation is automatic. [p.21]

The answer to this question is false, because that is not the position that is put forth by Ayn Rand in The Virtue of Selfishness.

These self-tests are intended to be study aids and I developed the questions and answers directly from the book (with references) for that reason. Since I'm not in the position to grade hundreds of essay tests, I had to form multiple choice, fill in the blank and true/false questions, so that the process of taking the test and scoring could be automated. That being said, I think it is important that a person be able to recall/identify what Rand's actual stated views were, especially if they are going to claim understanding.

Forums like like OL are a great place to debate the formulation and validity of the ideas, and I hope the tests I make encourage friendly debate and discussion.

June 8, 2013

Hello Michael,

Thanks for taking my newest test, and I appreciate your support.

I'd like to take the opportunity to clarify what I think Rand meant when she wrote: "The simpler organisms, such as plants, can survive by means of their automatic physical functions. The higher organisms, such as animals and man, cannot: their needs are more complex and the range of their actions is wider." (p.19)

On (p.22) Rand asserts: "Consciousness—for those living organisms which possess it—is the basic means of survival."

In that respect, humans, dogs, cats, etc. all must depend on their faculty of awareness in order to survive.

June 7, 2013

Click here to take the test!

This test has been designed to assess your comprehension of The Virtue of Selfishness (VOS) [Centennial Edition]. Questions have been formed from the Introduction and Chapter 1 only. Subsequent tests will cover additional chapters of the book. It is not intended to be an open book test. There are 25 questions – each is worth 4 points. This test can be taken by students before and after reading VOS (as a pre and/or post-test). Only reading Ayn Rand’s fictional work will not be sufficient preparation to excel on this test. This assessment can help students of Objectivism and study-group organizers determine the ideal study materials and is not intended to evaluate one’s agreement with Objectivism.

Test Score Range:
0-60: Minimal understanding (Low) – Basic study needed
64-68: Moderate understanding (Low-Mid) – Basic study needed
72-80: Good understanding (Intermediate) – Basic study review needed
84-88: Competent (High-Mid) – Proceed to more technical studies
92-100: Advanced (High) - Proceed to more technical studies

In order to receive your test score, you will be asked to provide your name and email address. Your test score will be emailed to you. Your name and email address will be added to our general contact mailing list. Your name and test scores will not be published. All marketing emails sent from The Culture of Reason Center include the option to unsubscribe.

Like this Test? Please Make a Donation to The Culture of Reason Center

Constructive feedback is welcome
Email: cultureofreasoncenter@gmail.com

Other CRC Tests Include:
Objectivism: General Knowledge (01)
Objectivism: General Knowledge (02)
Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology Test (Introduction, Chapters 1-8, Summary)

June 4, 2013

Anthem Art Poster Designed by Artist Kerry O'Quinn
20" x 10"
Our Price: $25.00

Statement From the Artist:

My ANTHEM movie billboard illustration

After six years at the University of Texas, I left Austin in 1963 and moved to Manhattan, eager for the excitement of Broadway and big-city life. I thought my education was complete, but my friend David Houston (with whom I pioneered 8 mm film making in high school) had just discovered a lecture series on the philosophy of Ayn Rand, and he twisted my arm into attending #4 in Basic Principles of Objectivism – “The Concept of God.”

I had been raised a good Methodist, so imagine my shock when Nathaniel Branden destroyed God before my horrified eyes -- in an evening of infallible logical, with a twinkle in his eye. I couldn't argue with what he said that night, so I bought a paperback of ATLAS SHRUGGED, and for the next three months, on the subway to and from work, I read the twelve-hundred-page novel while attending weekly gatherings at the Roosevelt Hotel, completing the 20-lecture series that had captured me.

From the moment I read Ayn Rand’s smallest book, ANTHEM, I saw it as a serious science-fiction movie. I was an artist, so I did several sketches of scenes I envisioned for ANTHEM, the movie – in Technicolor and CinemaScope, of course.

I met Ayn Rand and Frank O’Connor, Nathaniel and Barbara Branden, Allan and Joan Blumenthal, Alan Greenspan and others in that amazing inner-circle, humorously called “The Collective.”

When I started producing TV and radio commercials for Grey Advertising, my promotional mind inspired me to paint a billboard illustration to promote ANTHEM, the movie – and that is the art you have just purchased.

In 2001 I moved to Hollywood and attended a Beverly Hills party where I met Jim Snider, another writer/producer who shared my passion for ANTHEM. We became friends and set about to devise a feature film that would dramatize this simple morality tale -- “Romeo and Juliet, in a future society that prevents their love by practicing what we’ve ever preached - uncompromised altruism.”

While dramatizing all the memorable moments from ANTHEM, our screen treatment adds new characters and events that give the story a powerful plot, which Ayn Rand said the book did not have. We want to create a thrilling motion picture adventure for Rand fans worldwide, and for a new generation. Barbara Branden once told me, “You are the man born to make the movie of ANTHEM.”

Kerry O’Quinn, Texas, New York, Hollywood, Earth

March 8, 2013

I'm working on cleaning up the notes I received from anonrobt some time ago. They are really very interesting. I'm hoping to find another set of notes from another note taker to use as a cross-reference. If anyone comes across a set of notes from Greenspan's NBI course, I would really appreciate being contacted. Of course, original audio would be fantastic.

Thanks so much,

Randall

February 21, 2013

Nathaniel Branden MP3 Downloads

Alienation
Basic Principles of Objectivism, The (Lectures 1-20) Complete Series
Introduction to Objectivism, An
Nathaniel Branden Seminars Complete Series (1969 – 1973)
New Lectures on the Psychology of Self-Esteem
Psychotherapy and The Objectivist Ethics
Social Metaphysics
Teenagers’ Questions on Sex

Barbara Branden MP3 Downloads

Principles of Efficient Thinking, The (Lectures 1-10) Complete Series

Raymond Newman Downloads

Awakening the Real You [PDF]
Raymond Newman’s 1980 Interview with Ayn Rand [MP3]
Sovereign by Raymond Newman [PDF]

Blackstone Audiobook MP3 Downloads

Ayn Rand/Objectivism
Anthem
Art of Fiction, The
Art of Nonfiction, The
Atlas Shrugged (Read by Christopher Hurt)
Atlas Shrugged (Read by Scott Brick)
Ayn Rand Answers
Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal
Early Ayn Rand, The
For the New Intellectual
Fountainhead, The
Free Market Revolution (Yaron Brook and Don Watkins)
Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand (Leonard Peikoff)
Philosophy: Who Needs It
Return of the Primitive
Romantic Manifesto, The
Three Plays
Virtue of Selfishness, The
Voice of Reason, The
We The Living
Why Businessmen Need Philosophy and Other Essays (Rand, Peikoff & Others)

General Interest Fiction Audiobooks MP3 Downloads
1984 by George Orwell
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming (Coming Soon)
Count of Monte Cristo, The by Alexandre Dumas
Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming
Dr. No by Ian Fleming
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
For Your Eyes Only by Ian Fleming
Goldfinger by Ian Fleming
Hunchback of Notre Dame, The by Victor Hugo
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
His Last Bow by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
From Russia with Love by Ian Fleming
Les Misérables (Unabridged) by Victor Hugo
Les Misérables (Abridged) by Victor Hugo
Live and Let Die by Ian Fleming
Man in the Iron Mask, The (Coming Soon)
Man With The Golden Gun, The by Ian Fleming
Moonraker by Ian Fleming
New Adventures of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, The Vol. 1
New Adventures of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, The Vol. 2
Ninety-Three by Victor Hugo
Octopussy and The Living Daylights by Ian Fleming
On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming
Quantum of Solace by Ian Fleming
Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz
Scarlet Letter, The by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Secret Adversary, The by Agatha Christie
Secret Garden, The by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Sherlock Holmes Theatre, The by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Others
Spy Who Loved Me, The by Ian Fleming
Three Musketeers, The by Alexandre Dumas
Thunderball by Ian Fleming
You Only Live Twice by Ian Fleming

January 4, 2013

Thanks for the reply Reidy, but that article doesn't appear to have the quote I am looking for.

January 4, 2013

I'm looking for where Ayn Rand wrote about "the right not to see." I remember reading something she wrote on how one should be notified in advanced, if one is entering an area where nudity is permitted, etc. Any help finding the source would be appreciated.

Thanks so much,

Randall

December 5, 2012

This test has been designed to assess your comprehension of Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology (ITOE) [Expanded Second Edition, April 1990]. Questions have been formed from the Introduction, Chapters 1-8, and the Summary. It is not intended to be an open book test. There are 100 questions – each is worth 1 point. This test can be taken by students before and after reading ITOE (as a pre and/or post-test). Only reading Ayn Rand’s fictional work will not be sufficient preparation to excel on this test. This assessment can help students of Objectivism and study-group organizers determine the ideal study materials and is not intended to evaluate one’s agreement with Objectivism.

Test Score Range:
0-60: Minimal understanding (Low) – Basic study needed
61-69: Moderate understanding (Low-Mid) – Basic study needed
70-80: Good understanding (Intermediate) – Basic study review needed
81-90: Competent (High-Mid) – Proceed to more technical studies
91-100: Advanced (High) - Proceed to more technical studies

In order to receive your test score, you will be asked to provide your name and email address. Your test score will be emailed to you. Your name and email address will be added to our general contact mailing list. Your name and test scores will not be published. All marketing emails sent from The Culture of Reason Center include the option to unsubscribe.

Click here to be taken to the test

Like this Test? Please Make a Donation to The Culture of Reason Center

Constructive feedback is welcome
Email: cultureofreasoncenter@gmail.com

November 21, 2012

November 11, 2012

Hi Roger,

The complete set of Seminars consists of over 31 hours of material and are actually moving very well on The Culture of Reason Center website. When I attempted to purchase all of the Nathaniel Branden Seminars on LP a few years ago, it was almost impossible. Finally, I was able to purchase a nearly complete set of LPs for $2,000. Individual LPs still sell anywhere from $10 - $100 on eBay, other auction sites, or from individuals. Other than the MP3 series I have just released, it's almost impossible to find a complete set of these seminars anywhere today. I think people who really want to hear these seminars will be willing to pay the price I have set for them, and I must recover my investment costs (which go far beyond the purchase of the original seminars). I understand that ARI is taking a new approach with their eStore, but for years their pricing was at least ten times what it now is, and I was one of those people that purchased many of their products at those prices. In my experience, people that are not that interested in Branden's work are not going to buy the Seminars even if the entire series was sold for only $0.99. Additionally, I'm glad that ARI has lowered its pricing, which now frees up Objectivists (and others) to have more available funds to purchase competing materials at TAS and CRC, etc. All that being said, lower pricing does not always increase sales or profits.

Best regards,

Randall

P.S. The old adage "you get what you pay for" might apply.

November 9, 2012

Thanks Robert, please let people know. The process of making these seminars available was expensive and time consuming, and I'm still working on making the individual seminars available.

November 9, 2012

Our Price: $240.00

Nathaniel Branden Seminars Complete Series (1969 - 1973)

by Nathaniel Branden

Recorded Live: 48 Seminars

Downloadable MP3 Format: 31 hours (est)

The audio quality of this product has been enhanced, but unfortunately some residual problems are not resolvable.

Nathaniel Branden Seminars: Complete Series

A monthly recorded discussion by Nathaniel Branden of students' questions in the fields of psychology, philosophy, contemporary issues and events. Click here to review the complete content inventory of this series.

Permission to offer this product has been given from Dr. Nathaniel Branden who holds the copyright. For further information regarding Dr. Branden, please visit his website: www.nathanielbranden.com/

Disclaimer: Nathaniel Branden's Seminars are being provided for historical study. Views expressed in these seminars do not necessarily reflect Dr. Branden's later theories or opinions.

Album art redesign by Jared Dunham

September 29, 2012

I have posted Objectivism: General Knowledge (02)

September 10, 2012

New Lectures on the Psychology of Self-Esteem (Original Title)

by Dr. Nathaniel Branden

20 Lectures (Recorded Live in the early nineteen-seventies).

Downloadable MP3 Format: 25.3 hours (est)

This course is not the same as NBI's "Principles of Objectivist Psychology" and was recorded circa 1976. The audio quality has been enhanced, but unfortunately some residual problems are not resolvable.

Our Price: $150.00

Here are some of the highlights of this course:

• The need, the motivating power and the requirements of self-esteem. Its relation to sex, productive work and human relationships.

• The need to understand yourself and other people.

• The psychology of romantic love.

• The nature and source of emotion.

• Neurotic disorders: their meaning and cause.

• Principles of motivation.

• Emotional blocking.

• Disowning the self.

• Self-alienation and social alienation.

• Reason and emotion: A new interpretation.

• Self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-responsibility, self-assertion.

• Anxiety and depression.

• A critique of contemporary psychology: Psychoanalysis, Behaviorism, "Humanistic" Psychology.

• Biocentric Therapy: Its goals and techniques.

• Biocentric Therapy and the Objectivist Ethics.

Permission to offer this product has been given from Dr. Nathaniel Branden who holds the copyright. For further information regarding Dr. Branden, please visit his website:www.nathanielbranden.com/

September 9, 2012

Objectivism: General Knowledge (01) Update: 09-09-12

I would like to thank all of the participants who took the very first version of this test and provided valuable feedback – feedback which contributed to the improvement this test. Eight questions have been slightly revised and eight questions have been replaced. The questions have been numbered and references have been added to each question so that testers can easily review the source materials.

Reference Key:

OPAR: Dr. Leonard Peikoff, Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand

VAR: Nathaniel/Barbara Branden, The Vision of Ayn Rand (The Basic Principles of Objectivism)

ET, NB, L9: Efficient Thinking (guest lecture by Nathaniel Branden), Lecture 9

VOS: The Virtue of Selfishness

CUI: Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal

ARC: The Ayn Rand Column

LPP (02-27-12): Dr. Leonard Peikoff’s Podcast (02-27-12)

OPAR: 64 Questions

VAR: 21 Questions

ET, NB, L9: 1 Question

VOS: 4 Questions