Ayn Rand is well known for advocating egoism, but the substance of that egoism�s instruction is rarely understood. Far from representing the rejection of morality, selfishness, in Rand�s view, actually demands the practice of a systematic code of ethics. This book explains the fundamental virtues that Rand considers vital for a person to achieve his objective well-being: rationality, honesty, independence, justice, integrity, productiveness, and pride. Tara Smith examines what each of these virtues consists in, why it is a virtue, and what it demands of a person in practice.
Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist
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"...a strongly written addition to the scholarly literature on Ayn Rand's philosophy...belongs in every college and university library, and on the shelves of philosophers interested in Rand's views and current trends in the ethics literature." --Stephen R.C. Hicks, Rockford College: Philosophy in Review
Book Description
This book explains the fundamental virtues that Rand considers vital for a person to achieve his objective well-being: rationality, honesty, independence, justice, integrity, productiveness, and pride. Tara Smith examines what each of these virtues consists in, why it is a virtue, and what it demands of a person in practice.
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86 of 94 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Noting how recent scholarly work in ethics dances around the edges of seriously grappling with egoism, Dr. Smith offers the invitation: Why not judge ethical egoism by squarely confronting it in its most powerful and consistent form? Thus her comprehensive, systematic presentation of Ayn Rand's ethics. This book is particularly welcome because important elements of Rand's ethical thought are scattered among her novels and various essays, with further illumination sprinkled in her journals, her live Q&A, and reflected in works by her leading and longtime students (primarily Dr. Leonard Peikoff). Smith draws all of this together into a single, clear, carefully organized presentation, judiciously employing comparison and contrast with contemporary academic thought to clarify distinctions and to highlight the novel and powerful aspects of Rand's ideas.
Smith's presentation is masterful, executed with clarity, power, and finesse. Yet it is accessible, and she maintains a warm, reflective style throughout that is grounded in the realities of human life. While following along as Smith unwinds the major virtues Rand identified, what makes them virtues, and what they demand of us in action, you may find that you can't help but consider the implications regarding your own behavior -- the character you are shaping by your everyday choices and actions -- the course you are charting in your own life. This is a solid academic work, but it is also the deepest sort of practical self-help book, implicitly encouraging people to get real and seriously consider what it means to live as a human can and should.
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Regarding Steve Jackson's review: Smith was clear about her mission of presenting RAND'S ethical ideas, and doing so certainly doesn't entail a survey of all fully-, semi-, non-, and anti-Objectivist thought regarding Rand's ethics. That would be a different book, and Mr. Jackson denying Smith's achievement here by leading people to confuse her purpose with his own is unjust. Smith took on a worthy and substantive project, and she absolutely knocked the ball out of the park.
Smith's presentation is masterful, executed with clarity, power, and finesse. Yet it is accessible, and she maintains a warm, reflective style throughout that is grounded in the realities of human life. While following along as Smith unwinds the major virtues Rand identified, what makes them virtues, and what they demand of us in action, you may find that you can't help but consider the implications regarding your own behavior -- the character you are shaping by your everyday choices and actions -- the course you are charting in your own life. This is a solid academic work, but it is also the deepest sort of practical self-help book, implicitly encouraging people to get real and seriously consider what it means to live as a human can and should.
-----
Regarding Steve Jackson's review: Smith was clear about her mission of presenting RAND'S ethical ideas, and doing so certainly doesn't entail a survey of all fully-, semi-, non-, and anti-Objectivist thought regarding Rand's ethics. That would be a different book, and Mr. Jackson denying Smith's achievement here by leading people to confuse her purpose with his own is unjust. Smith took on a worthy and substantive project, and she absolutely knocked the ball out of the park.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book should be next on your reading list if you want an in-depth and rigorous study of Ayn Rand's ethics of Rational Egoism beyond what you can glean from reading Ayn Rand's novels and non-fiction essays. First of all, although this book is philosophically rigorous, it is highly readable. Personally speaking, I thought reading this book was a pleasure.
This book offers a detailed understanding of the Objectivist principles of *how* one should be moral. The first chapter is a useful introduction to what virtues are and what one can expect to gain from reading this book. The second chapter is a brief overview of Ayn Rand's answer to *why* one should be moral and hence, is a summary of Tara Smith's book "Viable Values". The third chapter goes into great detail on rationality, which is the primary virtue according to Objectivist ethics. The next six chapters are each devoted to one of the six secondary virtues of Objectivist ethics, which are: Honesty, Independence, Integrity, Justice, Pride and Productivity.
The last chapter should also be of great value to those who enjoy reading beyond the lines. In this chapter, Dr. Smith evaluates four other qualities which are commonly held to be virtues: Charity, Generosity, Kindness and Temperance, according to Objectivist principles. Although Dr. Smith indicates that these qualities are not inherently bad according to Objectivist principles, she nevertheless correctly concludes that since Objectivism holds one's own life as the standard of value, these qualities cannot properly be considered virtues according to Objectivist principles.
Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone seeking a more thorough understanding of the philosophy of Ayn Rand!
This book offers a detailed understanding of the Objectivist principles of *how* one should be moral. The first chapter is a useful introduction to what virtues are and what one can expect to gain from reading this book. The second chapter is a brief overview of Ayn Rand's answer to *why* one should be moral and hence, is a summary of Tara Smith's book "Viable Values". The third chapter goes into great detail on rationality, which is the primary virtue according to Objectivist ethics. The next six chapters are each devoted to one of the six secondary virtues of Objectivist ethics, which are: Honesty, Independence, Integrity, Justice, Pride and Productivity.
The last chapter should also be of great value to those who enjoy reading beyond the lines. In this chapter, Dr. Smith evaluates four other qualities which are commonly held to be virtues: Charity, Generosity, Kindness and Temperance, according to Objectivist principles. Although Dr. Smith indicates that these qualities are not inherently bad according to Objectivist principles, she nevertheless correctly concludes that since Objectivism holds one's own life as the standard of value, these qualities cannot properly be considered virtues according to Objectivist principles.
Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone seeking a more thorough understanding of the philosophy of Ayn Rand!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have only used this book as a reference but as such it has done an excellent job clearing up some confusions. For context, I have read most of Ayn Rand's work and have thought about them quite a bit. This book takes Ayn Rand's ideas and chews them, looking at all the different angles and playing devil's advocate.Tara Smith writes very clearly. I highly recommend it for someone who reads Ayn Rand's writings but has trouble seeing just how some ideas really look like.
Some of the ideas this book helped me with was life as the standard, what happiness really means to Objectivists, and how an egotist has true friendships. It also helped me get a better understanding of the primary virtues of Objectivism. Highly recommend it.
Some of the ideas this book helped me with was life as the standard, what happiness really means to Objectivists, and how an egotist has true friendships. It also helped me get a better understanding of the primary virtues of Objectivism. Highly recommend it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well Written Account of Rand's Virtuous Egoism... With Some Loose...
Philosophy professor Tara Smith has produced a book of value to Ayn Rand scholarship. While Rand wrote many nonfiction essays describing the Objectivist approach to ethics (and... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kevin Currie-Knight
Close, But No Cigar
Tara Smith's book makes a valiant attempt to put a good face on ethical egoism. Be that as it may, she doesn't succeed in shoring up the defenses where they're most needed. Read more
Published 16 months ago by V
The Price of Virtue
Prof. Tara Smith follows up her defense of Ayn Rand's metaethics (VIABLE VALUES) with this work devoted to the normative ethics of Objectivism. Read more
Published on May 23, 2006 by Steve Jackson
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Much recent discussion in ethics has danced around the edges of egoism, as renewed attention to virtue ethics, eudaimonia, and perfectionism naturally raise questions about the role of self-interest in a good life. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
life qua man, philosophically objective value, creating material values, moral ambitiousness, unbreached rationality, rational egoist, rational egoism, correlative action, sanction evil, irrational society, optional values, temperate person, own flourishing, rationality demands, virtue demands Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Atlas Shrugged, New York, The Ethics of Emergencies, The Fountainhead, Viable Values, Ayn Rand Answers, Social Philosophy, Nicomachean Ethics, Oxford University Press, The Age of Envy, Cambridge University Press, Leonard Peikoff, Harry Binswanger, Oxford English Dictionary, Doesn't Life Require Compromise, Rational Life, The Unknown Ideal, Clarendon Press, Gabriele Taylor, Howard Roark, Robert Mayhew, The Virtue of Seshness, Wicked Pleasures, Allan Gotthelf, John Locke New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Much recent discussion in ethics has danced around the edges of egoism, as renewed attention to virtue ethics, eudaimonia, and perfectionism naturally raise questions about the role of self-interest in a good life. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
life qua man, philosophically objective value, creating material values, moral ambitiousness, unbreached rationality, rational egoist, rational egoism, correlative action, sanction evil, irrational society, optional values, temperate person, own flourishing, rationality demands, virtue demands Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Atlas Shrugged, New York, The Ethics of Emergencies, The Fountainhead, Viable Values, Ayn Rand Answers, Social Philosophy, Nicomachean Ethics, Oxford University Press, The Age of Envy, Cambridge University Press, Leonard Peikoff, Harry Binswanger, Oxford English Dictionary, Doesn't Life Require Compromise, Rational Life, The Unknown Ideal, Clarendon Press, Gabriele Taylor, Howard Roark, Robert Mayhew, The Virtue of Seshness, Wicked Pleasures, Allan Gotthelf, John Locke New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 88
books:
See all 88 books this book cites
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand on 49 pages
- The Nicomachean Ethics (Oxford World's Classics) by Aristotle on 13 pages
- Viable Values: A Study of Life as the Root and Reward of Morality by Tara Smith on 10 pages
- Ayn Rand: Overlook Illustrated Lives by Jeffrey Britting on 10 pages
- Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal by Ayn Rand on 8 pages
See all 88 books this book cites
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