A quick one on objectivism
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Owing to time constraints and hard keyboard this is just a short speculative post.
I am also biased against indiviualism, which shows.
Writings of Ayn Rand exert a tremenous influence on popular discourse. One of USP that is advertised by the adherents of objectivism is that it resolves the dilemma behind ethics and morality without invoking the God, yet is that the case ?
The main premise or assumption behind objectivism is phenomenan of existence as self-evident.
Yet existence is closely related with awareness. Therefore as far as objectivism, faculty of self awarness is given and any inquiry on it as unnecessary. This is in contradiction of reason deduction and hence it completely bypasses the first requirement for philosophy. At this point I am convinced that objectivism lacks the merit.
However as Ayn Rand wrote
"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"
Considering reason to be a folly, is it possible that objectivism to be source of civilization.
There are two primary assertions of objectivism.
1. The noblest goal of a man is creation.
2. The advancement of civilization is marked by its commitment to indiviualism.
Problem with thiese assertions is that for Ayn Rand creation had any meaning in context of capitalism, that is material production. And yet it is far from obvious (infact it is in direct contradiction of history), that the pursuit of wealth is the sole underlying motive behind civilization. Similarly it is far from clear that self interest can alone account for transactions in a stable society.
Therefore objectivism as a system firmly belonging to atheism doesn't provide the sufficient answers.
4 comments:
Hi doubtinggaurav,
To quote Ayn Rand "Man is a rational being. Reason, as man's only means of knowledge, is his basic means of survival. But the exercise of reason depends on each individual's choice.This is the choice that controls all the choices you make and determines your life and character." So like you say , the faculty of self awareness is a given BUT it depends on every individual if he chooses to make use of this. Religion has its own equivalent situation where you are told God exists - its not open to debate. The only choice that is offered to you is whether you want to do good deeds or bad always remembering the Almighty is sitting in judgement.
The best feature about Objectivism for me is "Objectivism rejects any form of determinism, the belief that man is a victim of forces beyond his control (such as God, fate, upbringing, genes, or economic conditions)" to quote Ayn Rand.
The only bone I have to pick with Objectivism is its emphasis on individualism , the notion that "Man is an end in himself, not a means to the ends of others". Whatever happened to the higher ideals of the Greater Good etc ( note that this is not doing good to others so you can go to Heaven , like the scriptures tell us , but doing good for the sake of good itself , so you can find your own inner happinness which should be the aim ) .
As far as I am concerned , this over emphasis on individualism is its failing rather than its rejection of mysticism or determinism.
Sachin
Sachin,
While determinism and free wills are interesting topic in themselves the post was not about them.
My main interest was to inquire whether objectivism as a school of thought belonging to atheism has a coherent world view, I think it doesn't
Regards
My apologies...The only qualification for my post was a reading of Atlas Shrugged and Ayn Rand's site.
Reminds me of "A little knowledge is dangerous"
Cheers
Sachin.
Sachin,
No apologies required.
Actually it is erroneous and uninformed to believe that presence of God necessarily imply determinism and exclude free will.
In christianity, for example free will is one of the basic premises.
Regards
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