Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical [Paperback]

Chris Matthew Sciabarra (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1995

Author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand (1905-1982) is one of the most widely read philosophers of the twentieth century. Yet, despite the sale of nearly thirty million copies of her works, there have been few extended scholarly examinations of her thought. Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical provides the first comprehensive analysis of the intellectual roots and philosophy of this controversial thinker.Chris Sciabarra views Rand's 'Objectivism' as a rejection--and affirmation--of key elements in the Russian tradition. Born in Russia during the Silver Age, Rand was educated at Leningrad University and studied with N. O. Lossky. She absorbed a dialectical method of inquiry that profoundly influenced her literary and philosophic project. Her distinctive libertarian synthesis is presented as a major contribution to radical social theory. Ultimately, Sciabarra challenges Rand's followers and critics to reassess her thought and its place in intellectual history.In writing this book, the author conducted original historical research, using materials from the Leningrad archives, interviews with Lossky's descendants and other Russian contemporaries of Rand, and an astounding diversity of sources within the vast written and oral tradition of Objectivism.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Rand is an enduringly popular figure; her books have sold 30 million copies, respondents to a Library of Congress survey said her work was second only to the Bible in its impact on their lives, and The New Yorker has just rediscovered her sex life (July 24, 1995). But her impact was through her fiction, and attempts to extract her philosophy have usually resulted in thin intellectual chicken soup. This book is an exception. Sciabarra, a visiting scholar in politics at NYU, goes back to Rand's Russian roots, arguing that she rejected both Russian religious mysticism and Marxism but clung to what they had in common?a rejection of mind-matter dualism and a concentration on the concrete. He also argues (more doubtfully) that she developed her own dialectic of the mutual implication of mind and matter, thought and action, reason and feeling. Sciabarra thinks it is this dialectical tension that gives Rand's ideas power, but he admits she would have rejected the word dialectic and that he is bringing a hidden structure to light. Essential for Rand fans and for academics who want to analyze her thought.?Leslie Armour, Univ. of Ottawa
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

This book reveals the distinctively Russian aspects of Ayn Rand's philosophy. As such, it is a major contribution to the public's knowledge and understanding of this controversial and still-popular writer. --Bernice Glatzer Rosenthal, Nietzsche in Russia

Several books have been written about Rand but none with the philosophical depth and scope of Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical. It brings to light information about Rand's philosophical education that is not available elsewhere and shows that this education was substantial. Rand s ideas will no longer be able to be dismissed as merely shallow ideology. --Tibor Machan, Auburn University

Sciabarra shows that Rand is best understood as a postmodern thinker, for she was really concerned with creating a culture that overcame the dichotomies of modernity: empiricism/rationalism; facts/values; body/mind; and prudence/morality. This important and thoughtful work will change how the views of this deep and disturbing thinker are understood. --Douglas B. Rasmussen, St. John's University

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Product Details

• Paperback: 477 pages
• Publisher: Pennsylvania State Univ (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0271014415
• ISBN-13: 978-0271014418
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,333,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( R ) > Rand, Ayn

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why the controversy about this brilliantly written book?, August 21, 1999

By 

Ari Armstrong ([e-mail]) (Denver) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical (Paperback)

Those unfamiliar with the history of Ayn Rand may wonder about the widely divergent reviews *Russian Radical* has received at Amazon and elsewhere. My own view is that Sciabarra writes with superb scholarship and penetrating insight. His book is the main reason for my renewed interest in the ideas of Rand.

The critics of *Russian Radical* fall into roughly three camps. The first consists of those who appreciate Sciabarra's scholarship but disagree with his application of "dialectics" to Rand's thought. This is an honest and mostly friendly disagreement. Many of these critics are associated with the Objectivist Center of New York.

The second camp consists of Rand's "true believers" who take adoration of Rand to a near-cultish extreme. Such people, often associated with the Ayn Rand Institute, regularly attack scholars not officially sanctioned by Leonard Peikoff, Rand's heir. If you hear ad hominem attacks directed toward Sciabarra, chances are they're coming from this camp.

The third camp of critics consists of those who feel an irrational hostility toward Rand and who take out this hostility on anyone who sympathizes with Rand's beliefs. Rand, after all, advocated egoism and capitalism, making her an arch-enemy of big-government advocates and religionists.

Of course, there are also thousands of readers, me included, who appreciate Sciabarra's work and agree with it substantially. In my view, *Russian Radical* is the single most important book on Rand's ideas ever written. - Ari Armstrong

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A much needed book, October 24, 2003

By 

Dr. Lee D. Carlson (Baltimore, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical (Paperback)

It is refreshing to see at last a critical review of the philosophical thought of Ayn Rand, since her philosophy is sometimes described as "naive", and, perhaps just as troubling, as the greatest philosophy ever to appear in print. The author of this book has given the reader an honest and in-depth analysis of one of the most controversial figures in twentieth-century philosophical thought. Rand was not an academic philosopher, and this, coupled with her frequent vitriolic attacks against many philosophical schools of thought, induced many to speak out against her, and they typically did so with a degree of vituperation unmatched as yet in public debate. Fortunately the shouting and name-calling typically accompanying discussion of Randian philosophy is not included in this book. Also not included is any blind, uncritical allegiance to Randian philosophy, for this can also accompany discussions of it. Rand has made some interesting contributions to philosophical thought, and her theory of ethics is I believe unequaled, and one can find a very thorough discussion of just how she arrived at this theory throughout this book. However Rand, like every other philosopher, cannot remove herself from history and cultural influences, and view the world from a detached, apodictic point of view, for that is the nature of human learning. One builds on what has been done before, and with careful thought and unique insight, some original ideas can then be developed, which will hopefully extend what has been done before, and nontrivially. The author of this book clearly shows the historical origins of Randian thought, those origins have their place in the Russian university that Rand attended.

The author sees the problem for Randian scholarship as predominantly arising from her public persona, and thus scholars need to differentiate Rand's personality from her philosophy. Her intransigence, intolerance, and general mean-spiritedness must be ignored if one is not to collapse into psychologism, argues the author. Scholars must also he argues, attempt to find out what actually defines her philosophy and makes it distinctive. This has been a source of contention in recent years, with different "schools of thought" established, each claiming to represent exclusively her philosophy.

Another virtue of this book is the author's insistence on using a hermeneutical approach when analyzing Randian philosophy.The information content of an idea, he argues, includes myriads of unforeseeable non-trivial statements, this being similar to what happens in mathematics. It is well known to those who practice mathematics that a large number of problems and concepts can be generated from a particular area of it. These problems can go way beyond the intent of the mathematicians who created this particular area. Many advocates of Randian philosophy, as the author points out, like to think of her philosophy as a "closed system". Without actually defining it, one can only make educated guesses as to what this really means. If it means a deductive system where each statement can be derived from others within the system, and no further development is necessary, then this is problematic. The example of mathematics again shows that a deductive system can be extended greatly depending on the ingenuity of the researcher.

Rand herself was a poor scholar, only infrequently quoting works of philosophy that she deemed worthy of inclusion. Considering her confidence in the originality of her ideas this is not surprising. However every claim about another scholar's ideas should be given textual support. Indeed, Rand's criticism of Immanuel Kant is unrelenting, but her analysis of his philosophy lacks the depth needed to judge his philosophy from her vantage point. Luckily the author assists the reader in the understanding of just why Rand objected to Kant so vociferously.

Hopefully this book will be the first in many that will put Rand in the historical context of twentieth century philosophy. Rand is a fairly good example of what can be produced outside the academy if one has the cognitive discipline and the large amounts of time needed to develop systematic philosophical systems. The information age has brought publishing strategies that Rand did not have when she was alive. The doors are thus open for most anyone to express their ideas and have them accessible to a world-wide audience. Critical works of philosophy can thus be produced both inside and outside the academy.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is Meta-Rand. It is applied Objectivism., September 1, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Ayn Rand: The Russian Radical (Paperback)

First let me say that this book is a difficult read. Having said that, it is a must read for any serious student of Ayn Rand's "project."

Chris Sciabarra makes a strong case for the dialectical nature of Rand's philosophy. He looks at how her work might have been informed by her Russian roots and the early experiences of her life and how she developed a philosophy that attempted to integrate all aspects of Objective Reality. Objective Reality as Rand saw it is not inherently fragmented. A philosophy based on Objective Reality would of necessity integrate all aspects into a cohesive whole.

Apparently, some who regard Rand as a mystical goddess, take offense at the sharp focus that Sciabarra puts on her work. This seems odd, given that this book demonstrates a profound respect for her intellectual accomplishments.

Rand often said in her own writing that each person had a right to act in his own rational self-interest, and with that right came a moral obligation to actively seek the truth (Objective Reality) as a prerequisite of rational choice. In essense, Sciabarra has used Rand's most fundamental principles to attempt an objective analysis of her analysis. This makes his effort a moral one. Yet to some he has committed the original sin by eating from the tree of knowledge and must be cast out of the Garden of Eden for it.

My only criticism was that this book does not critique her failures or attempt to explain her tyranny toward those closest to her. But that subject has been covered in other books by those who knew her personally and is well beyond the scope of this book.

Sciabarra's thoroughly researched RUSSIAN RADICAL will remain an important contribution to Rand scholarship for many years to come.