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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 · Consciousness · Volition
Concepts: Unit · Concept formation · Measurement omission
Knowledge: Context · Hierarchy
Reason: 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
Rationality as the basic virtue
Virtues: Independence · Integrity · Honesty · Justice · Productiveness · Pride
Happiness: Self-esteem · 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

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.

Other topics

About Ayn Rand We The Living Anthem The Fountainhead Atlas Shrugged

Other Notable Topics Common Misconceptions about Objectivism Fallacies Logical Terms Introduction to Objectivist Dictionary Golden Rule

Other Conceptual Theories: Realism, Nominalism Intrinsicism, Subjectivism Rationalism, Empiricism Mysticism and Skepticism

Appendix: Dichotomies: Theory-Practice Dichotomy Mind-Body Dichotomy Analytic-Synthetic Dichotomy Moral-Practical Dichotomy Is-Ought Dichotomy Reason-Emotion Dichotomy Totalitarianism, Anarchism

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).

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.