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What is Objectivism?

"My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute."
— Ayn Rand, appendix to Atlas Shrugged

The Objectivism Wiki is a reference on the philosophy Ayn Rand named Objectivism: its metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics and esthetics, along with the novels in which she presented it. Articles are organised along the structure of the philosophy itself, so each branch below leads to the concepts that depend on it.

Branches of Objectivism

Metaphysics

The study of existence and its nature

Axioms: Existence · Consciousness · Identity
Corollaries: Causality · Primacy of Existence
Reality: Existents · the Metaphysically Given versus the Man Made

Epistemology

The study of knowledge

Senses · Perception · Volition
Concepts: Unit · Concept formation · Measurement omission · Definitions
Knowledge: Context · Hierarchy · Induction
Reason: Logic · Proof · Certainty · Truth · the Arbitrary
Objectivity · Emotions

Ethics

The study of values and virtue

Man's nature: Life · Values · Reason as the means of survival
Egoism: selfishness as requiring principles
Cardinal values: Reason · Purpose · Self-esteem
Virtues: Rationality · Independence · Integrity · Honesty · Justice · Productiveness · Pride
Trader Principle: against Altruism and Sacrifice
Happiness · Sex

Politics

The study of social systems and the nature of government

Rights: Government · Initiation of force
Capitalism: contrasted with Collectivism and Statism
Anarchism · Environmentalism · Individualism

Aesthetics

The study of art

Art as the selective re-creation of reality according to an artist's metaphysical value judgments.
Objectivist Recommendations

Errors and false alternatives

Objectivism defines many of its positions by contrast, so the arguments against the alternatives are part of the philosophy rather than an appendix to it.

Theories of concepts: Nominalism · Realism · Rationalism · Empiricism
Theories of value: Intrinsicism · Subjectivism · Pragmatism
Substitutes for reason: Faith · Mysticism · Skepticism
Fallacies of concept-formation: Floating Abstraction · Stolen concept · Package-Deal · Frozen Abstraction · Invalid Concept · Reification of Zero

Ayn Rand's works

Fiction: Atlas Shrugged · The Fountainhead · We The Living · Anthem
Non-fiction: Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology · The Virtue of Selfishness · Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal

Reference material on Atlas Shrugged: Characters in Atlas Shrugged · Locations in Atlas Shrugged · Structure of Atlas Shrugged · chapter synopses.

About this wiki

The purpose of this site is a hierarchical, user-contributed reference on the philosophy of Objectivism. Topics follow the outline of Leonard Peikoff's Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand (OPAR), the first systematic presentation of the philosophy.

Discussion of these topics happens on the companion Objectivism Online Forum, which has been running since 2003. Where an article touches a question the forum has argued at length, it links to that thread.

Contributing. Account registration is disabled to keep spam out. To request an account, contact DavidV through the forum. Once you have one, see the Guide to Style and edit any article, or start a new one by following a red link.

Related projects on this wiki: Book Recommendations · Objectivist Recommendations · Forum rules · About Objectivism Online · New constitution.