http://www.peikoff.com en-us © 2007, 2008 Leonard Peikoff Leonard Peikoff answers questions about Ayn Rand's philosophy, Objectivism. Leonard Peikoff A 15-minute discussion of Ayn Rand's philosophy, posted every other Monday on www.Peikoff.com. Leonard Peikoff is a PhD in philosophy and a longtime teacher and writer; he was designated by Ayn Rand as her legal and intellectual heir. In the show, Peikoff reads a batch of philosophical questions emailed to him and methodically answers them. The material includes a large range of topics. Some recent ones were: Why do you reject Republicans? Is it proper for teenagers to have sex when they are not in love? Why did Ayn Rand smoke? If physical reality is independent of our mind, how come our mind can move our body? What is your position on tattoos? Why should ethics consist of anything besides the injunction not to initiate force? If we trade with China, are we helping it to become capitalist or entrenching its Communist leadership? Isn't the "Green Movement" more dangerous to freedom than Christianity? What did Ayn Rand think of our dropping of the atomic bombs in 1945? What rights if any do children have? If one takes atheism seriously, can he still be happily married to a Christian who takes her religion just as seriously? Was Ayn Rand's love of Rachmaninoff's music diminished by her knowledge of his neurosis? Would Mother Theresa have been happier if she had stopped being a missionary and become instead an Ayn Rand-type CEO? If I am only 17 is it proper to lie about my ideas to my wrong-headed and vindictive parents? As the above indicates, Peikoff for the most part selects fresh questions, ones that have not been extensively discussed before in the Objectivist literature. A 15-minute discussion of Ayn Rand's philosophy, posted every other Monday on www.Peikoff.com. Leonard Peikoff is a PhD in philosophy and a longtime teacher and writer; he was designated by Ayn Rand as her legal and intellectual heir. In the show, Peikoff reads a batch of philosophical questions emailed to him and methodically answers them. The material includes a large range of topics. Some recent ones were: Why do you reject Republicans? Is it proper for teenagers to have sex when they are not in love? Why did Ayn Rand smoke? If physical reality is independent of our mind, how come our mind can move our body? What is your position on tattoos? Why should ethics consist of anything besides the injunction not to initiate force? If we trade with China, are we helping it to become capitalist or entrenching its Communist leadership? Isn't the "Green Movement" more dangerous to freedom than Christianity? What did Ayn Rand think of our dropping of the atomic bombs in 1945? What rights if any do children have? If one takes atheism seriously, can he still be happily married to a Christian who takes her religion just as seriously? Was Ayn Rand's love of Rachmaninoff's music diminished by her knowledge of his neurosis? Would Mother Theresa have been happier if she had stopped being a missionary and become instead an Ayn Rand-type CEO? If I am only 17 is it proper to lie about my ideas to my wrong-headed and vindictive parents? As the above indicates, Peikoff for the most part selects fresh questions, ones that have not been extensively discussed before in the Objectivist literature. Arthur Lechtholz-Zey Arthur@ClubLogic.org no Leonard Peikoff LP Discussion Group: fighting for a doomed philosophy; friends an Objectivist ought to have http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-11-17.036.mp3 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:00:00 PST no 21:47 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff LP favorite movies; choosing a country to live in; lying to protect privacy; not terminating a disabled fetus; parenting and altruism; origin of sexual orientation; WWJGD? http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-11-03.035.mp3 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:00:00 PST no 17:24 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Ayn Rand acting irrationally; parental responsibility to educate; parental right to alter their child's body; when the government can interfere between parent and child; sacrifice in religion; non-dualism versus determinism; a nation having allies http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-10-27.034.mp3 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:15 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Election 2008; abortion; quoting an immoral person; economic transactions with immoral businessmen; an alternative to socialized medicine; assigning initial property rights to land http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-10-20.033.mp3 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:00:00 PST no 17:07 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Researching history; prosecuting Kant; criminality of advocating ideas that advocate violating rights; Kant's intentions; staying in focus; morality for the terminally ill http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-10-13.032.mp3 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:27 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Career choice; Roark regretting designing Cortland; Wynand's hopelessness; Keating's art; Toohey's status among men; the nature of time; high school debate teams http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-09-29.031.mp3 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:58 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff OCON 2008: "Shrugged" in "Atlas Shrugged" a verb or an adjective; continuing focus being motivated; the best targets for spreading Objectivism; transitions in DIM; mind-altering drugs; spousal support; quoting approvingly those who are otherwise evil http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-09-15.030.mp3 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:00:00 PST no 13:14 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff OCON 2008: Kalman's music; recognizing altruism and pragmatism; The Twilight Zone; ethics and evolution; the pre-moral choice to live; lies to protect privacy; most memorable moment with AR; immunity for the telecom companies http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-09-08.029.mp3 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:21 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Sex with prostitutes; absence of evidence vs. evidence of absence; believing in God vs. being like AR's heroes; Roark willing to die for Wynand; religion and health; categories of relationships; AR's fiction vs. non-fiction http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-09-01.028.mp3 Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:17 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff OCON 2008: Reproduction as an ultimate goal; "The DIM Hypothesis"; new frontiers in philosophy; different forms of disintegration; "Ominous Parallels" in hindsight; motivating children to learn http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-08-25.027.mp3 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:01 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Aristotle's Doctrine of the Mean; being alive as a consequence of evil; morality for the terminally ill; "none of the above" on the ballot; when philosophic conclusions can be reached http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-08-18.026.mp3 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:19 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff OCON 2008: women in Objectivism; retirement; influence of philosophy on politics; collective pollution; this podcast; LP's favorites in areas of art; gays in Objectivism http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-08-11.025.mp3 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:00:00 PST no 17:46 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Shedding concrete-boundedness; smokers' burden on society; sense experience as distinct from cultural bias; contextual absolutes; definition of treason http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-08-04.024.mp3 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:18 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Why Roark has red hair; mastering Objectivism; disappointment with the state of the world; modern physics http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-07-28.023.mp3 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:40 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff OCON 2008: income tax; LP pleasure reading; fighting for political principles on constitutional grounds; musical analysis; whether our society is approaching Anthem; suggestions for cultural change; "Don't look down"; proselytizing Objectivism http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-07-21.022.mp3 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:00:00 PST no 19:09 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Laws protecting the environment; "love" without desire; reading Ayn Rand as escapism; the morality of helping others http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-07-14.021.mp3 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:34 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Men expressing interest in women; right against self-incrimination; "drink the Kool-Aid"; minors marrying; self-defense; feeling better about the state of the world http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-07-07.020.mp3 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:47 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Investing in tobacco; effects of divorce on children; primacy of existence; definition of "Objectivist"; the immortality of the soul; translations of "The Iliad" and "Antigone" http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-06-30.019.mp3 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:31 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Military careers; Ayn Rand's concept of hero; mystical abilities; the conceptual faculty's power; recreational drugs; immigration and culture http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-06-16.018.mp3 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:00:00 PST no 19:24 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Treason; torture; coming out of concrete-boundedness; "public service" jobs; Ayn Rand's provocative tone; the value of parenting; responsibility to others http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-06-02.017.mp3 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:00:00 PST no 17:47 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff A mystic moral faculty; artwork versus artist; self-esteem as more than just rationality; the right attitude for creative work; artificial intelligence; determinism pre-Man http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-05-26.016.mp3 Mon, 26 May 2008 17:00:00 PST no 14:57 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Low-quality goods under capitalism; dating Christians; disagreements between parents about childrearing; voluntarily relinquishing rights; self-ownership versus individual rights http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-05-19.015.mp3 Mon, 19 May 2008 17:00:00 PST no 18:47 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Soldiers and sex; homosexuality; transcendence; children's rights; Fredric Brown and science fiction http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-05-05.014.mp3 Mon, 05 May 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:49 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff One-on-one with Kevin Delaney http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-04-21.013.mp3 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:20 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Choosing a career; work ethic in an irrational society; statistics; concierge medicine http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-04-07.012.mp3 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:41 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff John Galt; happiness versus hedonism; evil geniuses; Man's need for art; forming and changing a sense of life http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-03-24.011.mp3 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:59 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Man's nature in politics; existence; relationship of philosophy and art; Ayn Rand in academia; Republicans versus Democrats http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-03-10.010.mp3 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:44 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Dealing with parents; experimenting with sex; replacing old concepts with new http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-02-25.009.mp3 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:00:00 PST no 15:15 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Primacy of existence; intro music; objectivist music; definition of plot; creative work during emotional upheaval http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-01-28.008.mp3 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:56 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Happiness and productivity; music with vicious lyrics; hate vs. despise; parking tickets; dictionary recommendations http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-01-22.007.mp3 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:35 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism Leonard Peikoff Being No. 1; isolationism; acting without emotional impetus; philosophy online http://peikoff.clublogic.org/podcast/getaudio.php?filename=2008-01-07.006.mp3 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:00:00 PST no 16:06 philosophy, Objectivism, Ayn Rand, ethics, morality, politics, epistemology, esthetics, aesthetics, logic, egoism, capitalism