RohinGupta
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Continuing the tradition of honoring Burgess Laughlin, on his 73rd Birthday week, we study one of his blogs. The blog being studied here is part of series classified as “THE MAIN EVENT”. And its objective is to explain “IN TODAY'S PHILOSOPHICAL CONFLICT OF REASON VS. MYSTICISM: WHO ARE THE MAIN ADVOCATES ON EACH SIDE? WHAT ARE THEIR KEY IDEAS? WHAT SOCIAL ACTIONS ARE THEY TAKING TO WIN?”
The particular blog is titled “BkRev [Book Review]: Shaw's American Church”. As in any study-group, we can summarize the blog, outline it, or do in depth study of some or all parts of blog. Complete blog can be viewed here - http://reasonversusmysticism.blogspot.in/2013/08/bkrev-shaws-american-church.html
The study-group starts on Monday 3rd July, and ends on Sunday 9th July. Please confirm your participation, along with purpose for participating, in the following thread.
Actual study-group will take place in the following thread. -
Today I completed the study-group by giving concluding remarks.
Here it is -
So to conclude, I am looking forward to further understand 3 things from the learnings of this study-group
1. Idea to product (I2P) principles.
2. Product to Market (P2M) principles.
3. Principles for facilitating useful innovation within organization. -
Update from 4th and last study week of iPhone study group.
We conclude next week.Samples
iPHONE IN RETROSPECT
41. Impact of iPhone on computing power: Mac, iPhone, and iPad today have computing power that Cray XMP supercomputer had 20 years ago. But it costs just 600 dollars and can fit into your pocket.
[This analysis is attributed to Marc Andreesen, co-founder of Netscape and highly successful venture capitalist.]
33. Reasoning behind Apple not opening up third party integration right away: The author went with Fortune magazine’s Peter Lewis for the interview that was scheduled just after the demo. Steve was relieved that demo went well. However, he got a bit angry when Peter and author kept asking him about opening up iPhone software. Their reasoning was that YouTube and google maps, the non-Apple applications were working really well on iPhone. The look and feel of these being testimony to the fact that iPhone can be “opened up” to third party developers.
Steve’s response was that Apple collaborates with those companies to help them build on iPhone. So Apple had control on what went into those applications. For third party apps however, he was not sure how to vet them or police them. Viruses had to be prevented, their impact on network had to be checked etc. In short, he did not want a monster in iPhone. Plus he thought developers can build specialized websites for iPhone if they were interested in development. iPhone being like a terminal in this case.
Details here -
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Update from this week
Sample:
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6. Further details of iPhone related discussions with AT&T: Steve showed AT&T folks that iPhone would increase the consumption of wireless data bandwidth. Reason for spike was given as very good browsing interface being planned for iPhone. It would have made mobile do almost anything that could be done with Desktop browser. Touch screen making unmodified, full featured Internet websites usable anywhere.
Other possibilities included download and sharing of photos, email, editing and managing of documents like sales contacts, etc. Of course, they could purchase and download music from iTunes stores, send or receive text messages, make video calls, see videos and movies online etc. For last, reference of YouTube was used.
Plus, according to experience of Steve with technology, there can be possibilities that were not even being imagined right now [in retrospect Uber]. The possibility of huge spike in data led Steve to ask for cut from AT&T’s data revenue of iPhone. He wanted to be compensated for bringing extra business. Giving example of 30% being taken from music sales, this compensation plan was proposed."Complete coverrage -
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On 7/14/2016 at 0:22 PM, Michael Stuart Kelly said:
iPhone thread accidental deletion
I screwed up.
I accidentally deleted a thread on the iPhone and Steve Jobs. The reason I did was that the original poster had made two threads of identical content, one in the Ethics section and one in the Objectivist Living Room section. I didn't notice it until he made an identical post to both threads (in addition to the identical opening posts).
So I merged the threads, then went to delete the redundant posts. Unfortunately, it's late, I'm tired and I ended up deleting the thread.
This means the thread in the Ethics section no longer exists because it was merged with the one in the Objectivist Living Room section, and that no longer exists because I accidentally deleted it instead of the redundant posts.
I can't recover it and I apologize.
As the original poster only made two posts (four if you count the two threads, but two of the posts were redundant) and I have the feeling they might be posted elsewhere on the Internet since it was about a study group, the original poster should feel free to start a new thread and repost them if not too inconvenient.
Fortunately, there were few posts by other posters (if I remember correctly, there was one by me, one my Jules Troy and one by RobinReborn). They were short and not very substantive.
Once again, sorry about that.
Michael
Thanks for notifying. Interested people can follow here - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?/topic/29185-becoming-steve-jobs-how-a-reckless-upstart-became-a-visionary-leader/
Latest update is as follows
Posted most important portion in iPhone study-group from Steve Jobs Book
Part is as follows
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Thought process of Steve regarding Apple’s next step after iPod: Steve too, like Jonathan, thought that Apple’s next step would be some fundamental reconfiguration of traditional personal computer. That was the reason for giving green signal to project purple in first place. But after returning from surgery Steve told Jonathan that he wanted to shelve the project. This surprised Jonathan because he was very excited about the project. Reason Steve gave for shelving was market driven. That is, he would not be able to convince people to buy a tablet. But he would be able to convince people to buy a phone. He considered latter to be a better product category.
Steve was perfectly aware that engineering challenges in building a new phone will be harder compared to new tablet. Phone had to be small, it had to be a good phone, a good computer, and a good music player. Selling this new category of devices was worth the risk for Steve Jobs.
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Details here - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?/topic/29185-becoming-steve-jobs-how-a-reckless-upstart-became-a-visionary-leader/&do=findComment&comment=343966 -
INTRODUCTIONPrimary objective here is not to give opinion on events, but to analyze widely circulated opinions. This will involve summarizing the two main opinions, understanding categories of thought elements involved in those opinions, giving historical perspective of those thought elements, and infer wider implications.SUMMARY OF OPINIONSFirst opinion is Chetan Bhagat’s “Times of India” editorial[1], urging Kashmiri youth to give up anti-India stance on practical grounds. Better career prospects for Kashmiri youth is the practical aspect. Argument being that India is economically strong, and therefore best equipped to enable good life for the youth. It goes on to give political options like eliminating article 370 for making India integration complete and viable.Second opinion by Barkha Dutt[2] criticizes Chetan Bhagat’s editorial for not giving sufficient space to violent events in Kashmir valley. Events like killing of a major, killing of aspiring cricketer, response of killed major’s widow and so on. It goes on to give social option of “humanism”, that is to integrate Kashmiri youth with rest of India by sympathizing with them.MY OWN OPINION ON THE SUBJECTMy opinion here essentially extends Chetan Bhagat’s opinion, to make explicit certain terms which I think should have been articulated. Intention here is to give moral foundations to his practical suggestions.Chetan Bhagat rightly points out that Kashmiri people have 3 options. Politically integrate with India, or integrate with Pakistan, or get independence. I think sustainable economic growth requires political foundation, and that also should have been emphasized. Politics of Pakistan widely involvesBlasphemy laws[3] and Blasphemy culture[4], history of dictatorships, and state sponsor of terrorism. These socio-political attributes show that Pakistan has also rejected secularism like other Islamic societies, in letter and more so in spirit.No doubt there have been religious riots in post-independence India. But relatively secular environment ensures that slowly we are coming out from culture that breeds riots. Kashmir however remains the only place in India where religion based violence caused permanent demographic impact, exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. Article 370 and local support for it ensures lack of accountability for government authorities. Accountability through rational processes like audit and “Right to Information”, its absence making governance implicitly dictatorial. So not to same degree as Pakistan, but still secularism eludes Kashmir.There are some more non-secular elements in India also.ShahBano case[5], and over involvement of governmentexecutives in Hindu private schools[6] off late being the examples. However, even implicitly blasphemous laws like censorship, or clauses of National Security Act that led to the arrest of Kamalesh Tiwari for making derogatory remark against Prophet Mohammad[7]. Worse case these penalties lead to ban or jail term for few years. There is no mass movement in India asking for severe punishment of those who disagree - vilify Hindu or any non-Islamic, non-Christian religion. Government involvement is complex and more in many cases, but sufficient checks and balances from auditor to courts have ensured that society remains relatively free [8, 9].So my opinion is that Kashmir should integrate to India not on democratic but secular grounds. Just because majority of neighbors want your wealth does not mean that they have right to forcibly take it. Political implementation of this ethical argument gives criteria for strongly integrating Kashmir to India. From secularism, separation of religion and state, going to idea of Liberty. Accepting polytheism and rejecting over involvement of Government. Removal of License Raj by P.V Narasimha Rao government and its extraordinary effects giving basic motivation for pursuing Liberty in all social spheres.Liberty and Secularism therefore offering foundations to practical and more specific arguments of Chetan Bhagat.THOUGHT ELEMENTS IN OPINIONSMy own opinion in previous section was a digression. Central objective is to extract two types of thought elements in diverse opinions, and then analyzing nature and history of those thought elements. Different from mainstream media, Chetan Bhagat’s opinion had some implicit conclusions. Making those conclusions explicit was a preliminary step for analyzing the thought elements.
Opinions like those on Kashmir present some facts, and then interpret those facts. “Nature of interpretation” and “nature of facts selected” offer window into the minds of opinion makers, and therefore society’s culture in political realm. Accordingly I will analyze those thought elements.FIRST THOUGHT ELEMENT, THE NATURE OF INTERPRETATION - EPISTEMOLOGYNature of interpretation in Chetan Bhagat’s argument: Problem statement here is that Kashmiri youth need a good future, and there are hurdles to it. Solution offered is greater integration to India through removal of article 370. Root cause analysis leading to solution being that article 370 empowers local politicians, without making them accountable.Nature of interpretation in Barkha Dutt’s argument: Problem statement here is that Kashmiri people are suffering, and Chetan Bhagat should have emphasized that suffering more. Solution offered is integration with Kashmiri youth through “humanism” and resulting compassion. Unlike Chetan’s argument, there is no indication of how humanism will be achieved, and how does one sympathize with rumor mongering, stone pelting culture. How humanism will normalize the situation, perhaps by giving some specific historical examples where it worked. Even for a specific case cited, the killing of young cricketer from bullet, there is no indication whether the bullet belonged to terrorist or Army. And what were the specific events surrounding the killing.Summary of epistemological difference: So to summarize, Barkha’s solution is abstract and floating, without concretizing how it will be actualized. Chetan Bhagat’s solution can actually be implemented by first creating a mass Kashmiri movement citing ills of Article 370, and finally repealing it.HISTORY OF FIRST THOUGHT ELEMENTIntroduction: Final solution of Chetan Bhagat is connected to facts, and has historical basis. In politics it’s the laws, good or bad, derived from mass movements that bring the change. Further, the laws like repeal of article 370 will lead to more government accountability and institutional integrity in Kashmir. American history from 1776 to 1860 shows how idea of Liberty got organically integrated into society from American Constitution. Ultimately leading to elimination of slavery. Barkha Dutt’s idea of humanism lacks factual reference and context (mentioning that same term was used by Vajpayee before is not a reference, but an abstract echo without content). It is so abstract that unless this term is connected to historical events and implementable methods, it can mean anything to anybody.So what is the history of these two approaches? Logically and factually connected, history based opinion of Chetan Bhagat. And what is philosophically termed as “floating abstraction”, given by Barkha Dutt?Method of logic was discovered by Aristotle around 340BC. And father of theory of “floating abstractions” in non-theological discourse is Plato, ironically who is Aristotle’s master.Platonic and Marxist elements in Barkha Dutt’s arguments: It was integration of ideas of Jesus to Plato’s by Augustine in 4th century AD, which made Christianity sustainable. It gave strong supernatural foundations to the idea of sacrifice by Jesus.Plato considered every earthly object to be a pale reflection from supernatural reality. In his opinion, things like horse, ring, man, everything and every event had a supernatural counterpart. While the earthly reflection was imperfect, the supernatural source was perfect. Most importantly according to Plato, everything and every event on earth had to be directly connected to those intuitively grasped supernatural ideas. This approach intellectually justified floating abstractions by philosophically sanctioning context dropping. Concept of Christian God, everything in general and nothing in particular, was reached after taking few more steps in Plato’s theory of pure forms.With idea of supernatural having such strong (though still illogical) explanation, it became easy to justify idea of sacrifice by Jesus. Since heavenly dimension is superior to earthly, it is right to obey those who command sacrifice in the name of God.From 12th century to 18th century however, rediscovery of Aristotle’s ideas (which I will elaborate later), started undermining Christian thought process of sacrifice, based on intuitive grasp of supernatural dimension. Christian intellectuals and their sympathizers started looking for ways to bring back their deserting “flock”. And chain of ideas from Immanuel Kant to Hegel ultimately lead to Karl Marx. He reintroduced method of thinking which was essentially floating abstractions like Plato’s forms, Augustine’s God, sacrifice by Jesus; but designed to appeal inside Industrial society.There was and never has been comprehensive evidence as to how “Dictatorship of Proletariats, the workers” will lead to prosperity. But then, Platonic methods never demand historical context or factual connection. Only connection demanded is to intuitively grasp very abstract ideals, “humanism” and “compassion” in case of Barkha. As the following Video of young Barkha using Marxist ideology on Kasmiri Pandit massacre and mass exodus, shows she is indeed a closet Marxist.And so the thought element, “floating abstraction” in this case, has traveled from Plato to Augustine to Marx to her.Aristotelian and scientific elements in Chetan Bhagat’s arguments:Lets come back to Aristotle. Rejecting his master’s theory of forms, Aristotle further conceptualized older Greek ideas,Anaxagoras’ existence in particular, to create philosophy that developed from idea of single reality, without the supernatural dimension. Categories of different things and events we perceive, using logic for understanding concepts of what we observe, and then applying method of Posterior analytics which is very similar to using experiments for developing understanding. These methods for thinking and acting are key achievements of Aristotle. So influential were his works in later part of Middle Ages in Europe, that Christian Saint Aquinas explained God in earthly rather than supernatural terms – “The Unmoved Prime Mover”.Rediscovery of Aristotle through Aquinas led to Renaissance and Enlightenment in Europe. Scientific revolution started by Galileo and Newton, Industrial revolution started by James Watt, Electrical revolution by Edison and Tesla, Electronics and software revolution through Turing’s machine. Also Aristotle’s rediscovery in Europe led to American Revolution, and Adam Smith’s revolutionary ideas creating subject of Economics. “Never again in history have so many owed so much to one man”, this is what Ayn Rand wrote about Aristotle.So brief adaptations and transmission of Aristotle’s ideas are as follows – Rediscovery through Aquinas in 12th century, Renaissance involving Galileo, enlightenment starting with Newton, distortion of his ideas by Immanuel Kant in 18th century, distortion of Logical Method by Hegel in 19th century, rediscovery and improvement of Aristotle’s ideas by Ayn Rand in 20th century, Libertarian movement partially adopting Ayn Rand’s ideas through John Hospers[10], India’s Liberalization of 1990 due to growing influence of Libertarian movement, and Chetan Bhagat becoming first purely market driven intellectual post Liberalization.Like Aristotle, in his editorial Chetan Bhagat looks for facts, categorizes them, explains the relevant attributes, connects those facts using key concepts, and is therefore able to give practical solution. Unlike Barkha his abstractions are not floating, but they are not completely comprehensive either. Just as Libertarian movement is handicapped by distortions originating from Kant and Hegel, Chetan Bhagat is not able to rise one more notch to connect using concepts of Liberty and Secularism. But overall his opinion is breath of fresh air, in a way taking forward Shekhar Gupta’s argument[11] to its logical conclusion.SECOND THOUGHT ELEMENT, NATURE OF THE SELECTED FACTS – SENSIBILITYPrior to interpreting facts for forming opinion, one has to select some facts from array of events. Here I analyze the kind of facts two opinion makers regard as primary.Sensibility of Chetan Bhagat: The primary focus here is to build one’s life, career being the main aspect. The most suitable representatives are selected in the context, Engineers. Negative events like antagonism of Kashmiri public comes up, because it leads to situation like that in NIT Srinagar. And such events act as hindrance to the student aspirations. So in the nutshell, achievements of values involving positive life goals is a primary. Elimination of negative forces is the means to enable and accelerate the positive achievements.Sensibility of Barkha Dutt: The primary focus here is negative, death and misery. The violence, the recent protests against army, the killings, these are the facts that concretize negative elements. In overall context, person striving to be a cricketer is token fact at best, because he is selected for his misery and not talent. Floating abstraction “humanism” is the only positive piece offered. So in nutshell, death and misery is the focal point, particular positive aspect is non-essential to the argument, and abstract ideal is disconnected from reality.History of ideas behind Barkha’s sensibilities – ideas that enabled her to select certain facts for the opinion: Here too we go back to Plato. Plato’s justification of most ideas is rooted in his conception of two realities. The earthly reality is imperfect, and supernatural world of forms is perfect. Idea of circle is perfect, the circles in world like ring and round stone are imperfect circles derived from perfect circle.Augustine came up with his view of man’s nature from this Platonic premise, the view that was later accepted by Christian intellectuals. He identified man’s essential attribute, his knowledge as his original sin. Adam, Eve, and humans being earthly are depraved, because they refuse to obey their creator consistently. The depravity of man is not limited to some of his actions, it’s in his nature, making it his original sin. So intellectuals with Platonic premise who focus on earth, most of the times they focus on the human imperfections like death and misery. For Marx focus was on class struggle and resulting violence, and so is for Barkha. Her floating abstraction echoes Plato’s “pure forms”, Augustine’s God, Marxist utopia – cut off from reality.History of ideas behind Chetan’s sensibilities – ideas that enabled him to select certain facts for the opinion:Aristotle is the man of this world who rejected his master’s supernatural. Desire to understand this world lead to discovery of categories, logic, and analytics. His ethics of golden mean, though deficient, always looked up to best and wisest Greek people for guidance on the right and good. For him man was a magnanimous being capable of heroic deeds, and literature should motivate him by projecting “as he ought to be” (rather than what he is). Similar view of man was the premise of John Locke when he wrote treatise on government around 17th century. And this view got transmitted to America’s founding fathers and constitution.Most of the corporate structures we see today are implicitly derived from this American view, though even in corporations this view is somewhat undermined by Marxist and Kantian ideologues. So when Chetan Bhagat with his corporate background urges youth to focus on their careers, their life goals deriving political choices. He is echoing Aristotle’s love for life on earth. A man capable of building his life by applying reason, and if needed by creating the right political environment that enables him to exercise reason.CONCLUSIONSo here we have our material. The problem of Kashmir, opinions from two influential opinion makers, their epistemology and their sensibility. The choices we make, like the followers of Plato and Aristotle, will determine the destiny our lives and civilizations take.We can focus on the greatness our lives are capable of. Or we can stretch bad and miserable beyond necessary. We can either choose method of thinking that connects to floating abstractions using intuition. Or we can develop abstractions from facts using categories, logic, and analytics. Applying the right principles to act purposefully.I have made my choice…. Have you?REFERENCES[4] Pakistani teenager cuts his hand for accidental blasphemy - https://www.rt.com/news/329180-pakistan-boy-cuts-hand/[6] How Sonia’s UPA Communalised India’s Education System -http://swarajyamag.com/ideas/how-sonias-upa-communalised-indias-education-system[8] Striking down of Internet censorship by courtshttp://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-strikes-down-section-66-a-of-the-it-act-finds-it-unconstitutional/article7027375.ece[9] CAG Report on Coalgatehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_coal_allocation_scam#March_2012._Draft_CAG_Report_on_Coalgate -
Today I closed the study-group, sharing my experiences with study-groups in past 4 years.
Complete post here - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=337550#entry337550
Here are the final lines -
"……Next summer we did study-group on "Reality" chapter from "Objectivism : Philosophy of Ayn Rand". Most rewarding study-group has been the one on "DIM Hypothesis". Almost any cultural event I now relate to DIM, and even my own thoughts and emotions.
To summarize, in past 4 years I have actualized potentialities that I thought would take a lifetime. Study-groups eventually gave me confidence to do great things in life…. Hope others can get that too…!
"
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In past two centuries Western thought has witnessed greatest intellectual decline in the history of mankind.
Really? Heh. That sounds really kookypants to me. But anyway, practice Objectivism and prove your statement. Objectively show how you've objectively measured and evaluated the intellectual status of the past two centuries compared to that of the entire history of mankind.
Again, WTF? Where are you getting these doom fantasies? Are you twelve?The ideas that led to science of Newton, technology of Edison, and politics that ended centuries of feudalism have been discredited.
The decline has impacted education, government, corporate and medical institutions, news media, movies, and mental well-being of mankind in general.
Why are you interested in Objectivism yet you don't actually practice it, but instead just make up panicky, overblown nonsense? I think that maybe you're letting the romanticism of Rand's fiction distort your thinking. Where you should be thinking rationally, you're thinking romantically and emotionally. You're having fantasies of doom and destruction, and of superhero Rand and her mighty followers swooping in to save the day.
The ideas of Ayn Rand promise not just resurrection of ideas that make good things possible, but also build them further.
When supper had ended, Rand took the cup and said, "Take this all of you and drink from it; this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant..."
J
My answer to all this - Read DIM Hypothesis and judge.
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Q2. What are the various functions of reason?
Ans: Reason performs induction, deduction, reduction, and proof.
What about abduction, or do you believe it is part of induction? I believe they are different enough as explained here to be distinguished.
From description of abduction, it looks like a candidate for sub-section within induction. More specifically, it would be like an ante-room to induction, a preliminary analysis before induction starts.
My views on induction are reported in detail here - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=27497
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There was one major, and two minor errors in my previous posts. Corrections here - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&page=2&p=337345#entry337345
And finally, the conclusion was posted here today - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=337370#entry337370
Part text is as follows
This study-group, like all the prior study-groups, has sharpened my thinking, planning, execution, collaborating, and marketing skills. The reason for improvements I think was the study process and also the content we were studying. In this fast paced world of hi-tech information feed, undivided attention is the most difficult feat to achieve. By mandating focus to particular section, I think we can improve psychological processes that require deep thought, and therefore help participants improve their thinking and execution skills. If I compare this study to the normal readings I did just after buying the book, there are many more positives in structured study. By studying Introduction in detail, I could connect content of chapter to a larger theme of "how ideas are developed and disseminated". I can better appreciate different forms of mediums like recorded lectures, fiction and non-fiction books, and news letters. Also methods like abstraction, induction, deduction, reduction are better appreciated, because now these are explicitly connected to "central purpose of Ayn Rand's life". In short, this study has helped me to develop standards that I think will enable me to direct my intellectual activism more purposefully and cause greater impact.
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Good Morning, today is Saturday, August 1st. Monday's questions were answered today.
Details here - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=337313#entry337313
Sample answer
Q2. What are the various functions of reason?Ans: Reason performs induction, deduction, reduction, and proof.
Induction is forming universals from particulars, starting with percepts. Deduction is classifying new particulars under known universals. Reduction is tracing the induced universal back to its origin in perception. And proof is proving a conclusion step by step using available data. In general, reason includes the whole process of knowing reality.
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Today is Monday 27th July. Today we begin last section for study. Next week we will conclude.
Link - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&page=2&p=337167#entry337167
Here are the questions for this week.
Questions
A DEFINITION OF REASON
Q1. What was central theme of the book on Epistemology? Whats the significance of this book?
Q2. Why is the central theme mentioned in (A1.) the most central issue of philosophy as a whole?
Q3. What was the answer offered to the problem of universals?
Q4. Give content and background of the 2nd edition of Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology?
SHIFTING GEARS
Q5. What was the scope of “The Ayn Rand Letter”?
Q6. Apart from “The Ayn Rand Letter”, what were her other intellectual engagements in the 70s?
Q7. How were ideas of Ayn Rand disseminated immediately after her death?
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Today I posted answers to Monday's questions.
http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=337123#entry337123
Sample answer is as follows
Q1. Describe various communication channels of Ayn Rand in 60s? Also describe how they evolved overtime?
Ans: In 1960 she experimented with speaking at length on New York city radio stations. In 1961 she presented paper, “Art as Sense of Life” at a yearly Harvard University meeting of American Society of Aesthetics. She corresponded with contemporaries like Philosopher John Hospers and historians like John Herman and Brand Blanshard.
Further, her associate Nathaniel Branden offered courses on various subjects like principles of Objectivism, economics, psychology, and history of philosophy. These lectures were offered on media like audiotape. These programs were managed by Nathaniel Branden Institute. The institute also had book services by non-objectivists on subject of humanities like economics. The relationship with Nathaniel Branden however closed around 1967. Reason for closure given is his deceptive behavior in relations with her and his students. On withdrawal of Rand's endorsement it closed.
After closing of the relationship, she started “The Objectivist” magazine. This magazine succeeded the magazine “The Objectivist Newsletter” in 1962.
[References:
a.) For Rand's radio appearances, correspondence with Hospers, and meetings with philosophical writers, Ayn Rand by Britting, pages 94 and 99.
b.) For “Nanthaniel Branden Institute” page 95 of Ayn Rand by Britting.
c.) For starting “The Objectivist Newsletter” and later “The Objectivist”, Ayn Rand by Britting, page 95.
d.) For documented details of relationship with Nathaniel Branden, Passion of Ayn Rand's Critics by Valliant]
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We completed the fiction part of Ayn Rand's career last week. Today we start studying the non-fiction part. As always, I posted the questions covering the section. Participants can answer those, or pursue other methods for studying the section.
Here is the section for this week :
Link - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=337022#entry337022
Week 4
NON FICTION WRITINGS AND INTELLECTUAL ACTIVISM (PART 1)
(Works other than Epistemology)Monday, 20th July - Sunday, 26th July
- Changing vehicles
- A Philosopher's provisional summary
- Opening and Closing channels
- Branch Books
(Pg 233-241)Questions
CHANGING VEHICLES
Q1. What factors contributed to her decision to enter non-fiction?
Q2. Apart from writing books, what means Ayn Rand used to spread her ideas in the initial years of nonfiction phase?
Q3. While writing about fiction writing, how did Ayn Rand present the fundamentality of connection between conscious and sub-conscious mind, along with the relationship between abstract and concrete?
Q4. Summarize / Describe content and significance of her lecture titled “Faith and Force : Destroyers of the Modern World”? Also specify connections she made between various branches of philosophy in this lecture?
Q5. What lesson can “New Intellectuals” learn from latter phase of Ayn Rand's life?
A PHILOSOPHER'S PROVISIONAL SUMMARY
Q6. What is the content and significance of her book For the New Intellectual : The Philosophy of Ayn Rand”?
Q7. Who are four primary philosophers in the history of philosophy? Why didn't they integrate their philosophical product into one volume? What we can infer about philosophy from this part of “history of ideas”?
Q8. How are philosophical ideas disseminated?
OPENING AND CLOSING CHANNELS
Q9. Describe various communication channels of Ayn Rand in 60s? Also describe how they evolved overtime?
BRANCH BOOKS
Q10. Briefly describe the books of Ayn Rand in different branches of philosophy(apart from the book on branch of epistemology, which is discussed in next section)?
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Update on the study-group. Josh was able to catch up despite being delayed due to OCON. Greg has been very disciplined. Three active participants overall, apart from me.
Yesterday I answered the questions that were posted on Monday. Here is the link to the answers - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=336972#entry336972
And here is sample answer for wider audience
Q4. What is a “theme” and “plot-theme”? Explain “theme” and “plot-theme” of Atlas Shrugged, working title of which was “The mind on strike”? How and why did scope evolve overtime?
Ans:
Meaning of Theme and Plot-Theme : A theme is the summation of a novel’s abstract meaning.
The link between the theme and the events of a novel is an element which Ayn Rand called the plot-theme. It is the first step of the translation of an abstract theme into a story, without which the construction of a plot would be impossible. A “plot-theme” is the central conflict or “situation” of a story—a conflict in terms of action, corresponding to the theme and complex enough to create a purposeful progression of events.
Theme : Theme of Atlas Shrugged was the relationship of the mind to reality, objectivity that is. More specifically, it was about logical relationship between facts of reality and ideas in the mind. Reason being the faculty that establishes that relationship. So the theme of Atlas Shrugged can be summarized as role and importance of reason.
Plot-Theme : What would happen if the most creative – that is rational people, in a society went on strike against demands that they devote their lives to the service of others.
Evolution of scope of the plot : Initial purpose of “The Mind on strike” was to show economic consequences of the philosophy implicit in her previous novel. Given the limited scope, she expected to complete the novel in 2 years. However, on proceeding she realized that she needed to integrate and demonstrate metaphysics and epistemology, along with ethics and politics.
Metaphysics of this world, epistemology of reason, ethics of rational self-interest, and politics of lassiez-faire capitalism.
Given this wider scope, the development of novel took fourteen years.
[References:
a.) For the meaning of theme, Ayn Rand lexicon referring from “Basic Principles of Literature,”The Romantic Manifesto, 81
b.) For the meaning of plot-theme, Ayn Rand lexicon referring to “Basic Principles of Literature,”The Romantic Manifesto, 85
c.) For origin of “The Mind on strike”, and evolution of the novel. Ayn Rand by Britting, p73]
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Few months back I read in facebook that Burgess researched the subjects for 15 years. So its a very well thought out material, which might not be immediately apparent from the book volume. So this study-group I think can help in understanding the depth of content.
Good Morning, today is Monday, July 13th, 2015. I have posted questions for 3rd week here - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=336897#entry336897
Few months back I read in facebook that Burgess researched the subjects for 15 years. So its a very well thought out material, which might not be immediately apparent from the book volume. So this study-group I think can help in understanding the depth of content.
The questions are as follows
POWER AND GLORY – THE KEY IDEAS AND CRUSADING LIVES OF EIGHT DEBATERS OF REASON VS FAITH
RAND : A PHILOSOPHICAL NOVELIST DEFENDS REASON – OBJECTIVELY SPEAKING
WEEK 3
Questions
AN IDEAL MAN, A MAN OF REASON Contd...
Q1. How was “The Fountainhead” received and promoted?
Q2. Why did she move primary attention from “Ethics” to “Metaphysics and Epistemology” in her thinking and writings?
THE FINAL NOVEL
Questions
Q3. What was the political environment like, when writing of “Atlas Shrugged” got started?
Q4. Describe her general view on philosophy, and her particular views on philosophy of Kant?
Q5. What is a “theme” and “plot-theme”? Explain “theme” and “plot-theme” of Atlas Shrugged, working title of which was “The mind on strike”? How and why did scope evolve overtime?
Q6. What was the plot of Atlas shrugged? Explain challenge in creating it, and role of Epistemology in fixing that challenge?
[Hint: Part of The answer will require knowledge that is not given in the text being studied. Knowledge of Atlas Shrugged storyline in this case.]
Q7. Explain concretization by explaining the role it plays in novel?
Q8. John Galt speech was complex to create. How can you infer this from current text?
Q9. On what basis did she select the publication? Show that her apprehensions were correct?
Q10. Summarize Objectivism from what is given in the text?
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Today I posted answers for questions of 2nd week.
Here is the link which you can follow to know the details - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=336865#entry336865
Here is the sample answer -
Q5. How was the method of writing “The Fountainhead” different from writing “We The Living”? What preparations did she do for “The Fountainhead”?Ans: Unlike We The Living, characters of The Fountainhead were not historical individuals. The setting also was not a particular historical period, the years after the Communist Revolution in Russia being the setting for We The Living.
In The Fountainhead, Rand's characters are literary abstractions. She examined individuals in her own time and abstracted certain qualities, the essential(explanatory, causal) characters that made them recognizable ethical types. While still having descriptive touches, the “concretes”, that make them particular individuals. This method of integration of abstractions and concretes became a hallmark of her fiction writing.
Preparations for “The Fountainhead”
Rand did mainly three tasks prior to start of writing “The Fountainhead”(working title of which was “The second hand lives”) in June 1938.
a.) Researched architecture as a field.
b.) Worked in architect's office.
c.) Took notes and built outline.[References: For Rand concretizing abstractions in her fiction, and also the preparations she made : Shoshana Milgram's essay “The Fountainhead from Notebook to Novel” in Robert Mayhew's Essays on Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead.]
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Here is the list of questions posted this week
Details here - http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=336760#entry336760
WEEK 2
INITIAL YEARS IN AMERICA, TILL THE PUBLICATION OF "THE FOUNTAINHEAD"
Monday, 6th July - Sunday, 12th July
Questions
- America – Free to write
Q1. Describe Rand's career plans, and what she did to achieve those?
Q2. Describe methods and motivations of Ayn Rand, while she was writing initial novels prior to “The Fountainhead” and “Anthem”? What role did the writings play in her achievement of “Central Purpose of Life”?
Q3. Describe her initial success, before the point where she started writing “The Fountainhead”?
- An ideal man, a man of reason
Q4. Describe theme, plot theme, and main character of “The Fountainhead”? How does the theme represent Rand's overall progression as a writer?
Q5. How did study of Ethics and Politics contribute to Ayn Rand's central purpose in life, presenting ideal man that is?
Q6. How was the method of writing “The Fountainhead” different from writing “We The Living”? What preparations did she do for “The Fountainhead”?
Q7. What was the theme and style of Anthem?
Q8. What was her purpose of writing journals?
Q9. Why did she join political campaign in 1940 presidential election, and why did she later abandon it? Which intellectual skill did she start developing here?
General Question
Q10. How Ayn Rand engaged and expanded her social network?
(Hint: Some part of answer from “The Final Novel” section)
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Today we also remember Burgess on his 71st birthday. The start week was chosen for this reason. This is his first birthday after his passing on August 29 last year.
His ideas and writings deserve to be immortalized, and study-group is the step in that direction.
Today I posted answers to this week's quesions. Here is the link -
http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=336738#entry336738
Sharing sample answer here :
Q2. List interests and methods of Ayn Rand as a child? What is their importance in understanding her as an intellectual?
ARTISTIC INTERESTS OF AYN RAND AS A CHILD
1. First silent films that Ayn Rand saw at the age of 8, enabling her to write scenarios(I think it refers to short screenplays, or particular scenes). She also read purposeful detective story in French. In this story detective solves mystery using logic. Maurice Champagne's plot of French story translated as “The Mysterious Valley” lead Ayn Rand to discover story telling as a means of portraying ideal man.
2. Alisa Rosenbaum discovering vivid, valaue charged world of Victor Hugo novels. The literature that was categorized as Romanticist movement.
[ Britting, and Ayn Rand's Aesthetics from “The Romantic Manifesto – A Philosophy of literature”]
INTERESTS OF AYN RAND INVOLVING ETHICS, EPISTEMOLOGY AND METAPHYSICS
1. Rosenbaum asking herself why she liked some things more than the others. And forming of likes as generalizations leading to thinking in principles. Listing evidence for likes also leading to discovery of reason. [britting]
2. In Crimea high school, Alisia Rosenbaum discovering that she enjoyed making difficult things understandable to others.[For the school in Crimea – Britting, p17]
Understanding these aspects of her early childhood provide insight into what she did later in life, and also how she did it. Her love for scenarios, stories, and heroes tell us why she became novelist. And her methods of introspecting on likes, and communication skills, help us understand how she had developed her writing, analytical and integrating skills quite early in life.
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Update from study-group on Ayn Rand. It has started today. I have summarized the general pattern study-group will follow, and posted questions for this week.
Please follow the following link to know more – http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351&p=336689#entry336689
This week covers following sections
Week 1
YEARS IN RUSSIA
Monday, 29th June – Sunday, 5th July
- Russia in Turmoil
– Philosophical Studies
(Pg 217-222) -
Came across this lecture delivered by Lisa VanDamme in 1998. The lecture describes her experiences, learnings about educating middle school children in particular, while homeschooling 5 kids aged 11 and 12. She started homeschooling after parents disappointed by mainstream system came to her.Here is the full lecture : http://www.vandammea...g_Education.pdfThe highlight of the lecture are the key principles demonstrated by transformation in kids within a span of 2 years.Here are some of the important lines from various sections :INTRODUCTION :I teach the children literature, writing, grammar, vocabulary, math, science, and history. All of my students play musical instruments and are involved in sports, but these are strictly extra-curricular activities.LITERATURE :It is very stimulating to a child to understand that a novel is not just a sequence of events or a set of interesting characters, but that these characters and events are carefully and deliberately chosen by the author to convey a particular theme. By teaching them the fundamentals of literary analysis, you open their eyes to a new and profoundly important dimension of literature. Instead of passive observers, they become thoughtful scholars with the ability to integrate the characters and action to determine the novel’s theme.WRITING :Being able to write means being able to take a chaotic mass of information, pick out essentials, organize them into a logical structure, and express them articulately. Being able to write is essentially being able to think.The process of writing is not taught in today’s schools.GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY :I also want to mention that I strongly recommend that every child be taught how to diagram sentences. A diagram brings the relationships among the words in a sentence to the perceptual level.MATHS :I must say though, that I think to some extent math is an end-in-itself. I do not think it is necessary to bend over backwards trying to show a child that every math skill he acquires will be directly useful to him.Math trains children in the skill of deductive reasoning. What is motivating to a child about doing math is not that he is convinced he cannot survive without it. It is the pleasure he derives from the mental exertion, and from knowing he can use his mind to solve a complex problem.SCIENCE :One day, Mr. Harriman was teaching the kids about the first evidence for the existence of atoms. He had spent several hours explaining many of the discoveries made by chemists, and he reached the Law of Combining Volumes, which states that the volumes of gases involved in a chemical reaction can always be expressed as a ratio of small integers. (For example, 2 L of H will combine with 1 L of O to make 2L of steam.) Francisco, as focused and intent as always, thought about this for a minute, and then raised his hand and asked, “Does that mean that equal volumes of gases contain equal numbers of molecules?”HISTORY :My students love history, and they are able to recount the essentials of history from Ancient Greece to the early 19th century.When I finished telling them the details of the trip, Aurora let out a big sigh, and lamented that she had been unable to appreciate these things when she had visited Europe two years before.CONCLUSION :“Don’t make the mistake of thinking that these pupils of mine are some sort of superhuman creatures. They’re something much greater and more astounding than that: they’re normal children.” My students have the knowledge and the love of learning possible to all children given a good education.
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Today I posted final post in preparatory section. Answers to questions I posted on Tuesday, June 22 from acknowledgment section.
Sample answer here
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Q1. What information does “Acknowledgments” give about the nature of book?
Ans: In the Acknowledgments section, Burgess begins by mentioning that the book is like a report of student. And that this report is derived from the works of various scholars, who identified and interpreted facts about various debates. Debates that have been further presented and analyzed in this book. Burgess used his study of the [reason-faith] debate, and also observations in current time, to structure the content of this book.
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Complete post here – http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28363#entry336626
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Final call - The study-group will start next Monday in the following thread.
http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28351
Five participants including me are confirmed.
Only those who have confirmed participation in the following thread can participate. So hurry before the offer closes....
http://forum.objectivismonline.com/index.php?showtopic=28363
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SCHEDULE
START WEEK - Monday, 29th June, 2015.
END WEEK - Monday, 2nd August, 2015.
Week 1YEARS IN RUSSIA
Monday, 29th June - Sunday, 5th July
- Russia in Turmoil
- Philosophical Studies
(Pg 217-222)
Week 2INITIAL YEARS IN AMERICA, TILL THE PUBLICATION OF "THE FOUNTAINHEAD"
Monday, 6th July - Sunday, 12th July
- America – Free to write
- An ideal man, a man of reason
(Pg 222-228)
Week 3FROM RECEPTION OF "THE FOUNTAINHEAD", TO THE RECEPTION OF "ATLAS SHRUGGED"
Monday, 13th July - Sunday, 19th July
- (Contd..) An ideal man, a man of reason
- The final novel
(Pg 228-233)
Week 4NON FICTION WRITINGS AND INTELLECTUAL ACTIVISM (PART 1)
(Works other than Epistemology)Monday, 20th July - Sunday, 26th July
- Changing vehicles
- A Philosopher's provisional summary
- Opening and Closing channels
- Branch Books
(Pg 233-241)
Week 5NON FICTION WRITINGS AND INTELLECTUAL ACTIVISM (PART 2)
(Mainly work related to Epistemology)Monday, 27th July - Sunday, 2nd August
- A Definition of Reason
- Shifting Gears
- Reason as Integration
(Pg 241-245)
Week 6REVIEW, SUMMARY, AND FUTURE STUDIES
Monday, 29th June, 2015.
I have framed 48 Questions which I will split across 5 weeks. Participants can answer all or some of those questions. Of course, participants are free to study by summarizing, outlining, or chewing sections of their choice from the text under study for that week.
Game of Thrones Reviews
in Movies and Entertainment
Posted
Here I will be posting reviews of various aspects of Game of Thrones web series. Done according to tools learnt from The Romantic Manifesto and Eight Great Plays by Dr. Peikoff.
Understanding nature and scope of this webseries can give insights into the world we live in, how it has changed, and where it is going. Most importantly though, I think the insights we gain here, will also help us to define our own sensibilities, motivations, thought process, and decision making. Because how our mind responds to artistic values, is often how our conscious, sub-conscious, and their connection is tuned.
Art being the fuel of mind, it’s important it goes through quality check and analysis, to help us move and rise in right direction. So let the dissection begin…
Then the webseries can act as a genuine fuel for the soul.