Sunday Course Descriptions

The Essence of Objectivism (six sessions)
-William Thomas, M.A.

Objectivism is both a profoundly inspiring moral vision and a truly practical guide for living. In this course of six short lectures, William Thomas provides a structured introduction to the key ideas of Objectivism for those who are new to Ayn Rand's work or who have loved her novels but are not deeply familiar with her philosophy. He will show how Rand's philosophy is illustrated both in her fiction and in real life, and contrast it with philosophic and religious views that pervade our culture today. Topics include: reason as one's only absolute in dealing with reality; happiness as the moral reward of productive achievement in life, and capitalism as the social system characterized by justice, freedom, and human heroism. In the process, Mr. Thomas will explain key Objectivist terms such as "the primacy of existence," "the choice to think," "the choice to live," and "the trader principle." William Thomas is The Objectivist Center's manager of research and training. He writes regularly on Objectivism in Navigator and is the co-author with David Kelley of The Logical Structure of Objectivism.

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Perennial Questions of Objectivism (six sessions)
-David Kelley, Ph.D.

From the time that Ayn Rand first set forth Objectivism as a philosophical system, a small set of perennial questions have occupied the attention of people with an intellectual interest in Objectivism. How is free will compatible with the law of causality? Can all values be grounded in survival-literal existence or non-existence-or must we introduce flourishing as the ultimate moral goal? Is it possible to prove that it is always in our interest to respect the rights of others? Such questions occupy the vast bulk of discussion time on internet discussion lists, college bull sessions, and other forums. In this six-unit course, David Kelley will discuss one question per day. His goal is not to provide definitive answers, but to analyze why these questions have proved so difficult for Objectivists. He will define the issue, summarize arguments for the alternative views, and indicate what sort of additional evidence or analysis would be required to resolve the issue. This is an advanced course, presupposing familiarity with Rand's philosophical writings and the secondary literature on Objectivism. Currently the executive director of the Center, Dr. Kelley has taught philosophy at Vassar College and Brandeis University.

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The State of the Culture
-David Kelley, Ph.D.

In his annual talk to open the conference, David Kelley will report on the state of the Objectivist movement and comment on major trends in the culture at large. Dr. Kelley has published widely on philosophical, cultural, and political topics

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Appreciating Classical Music (two sessions)
-Douglas Wagoner

These lectures aim to expand one's understanding of music and enrich one's experience of classical music. Using selected works to illustrate the historical development of musical structure, Douglas Wagoner will show how an understanding of counterpoint, harmony, and form can affect a listener's experience. Mr. Wagoner is a composer, conductor and player with over twenty years of professional experience. He is assistant conductor of the Brookline Symphony Orchestra and his compositions have been performed by the New Composer's Collective and the Berklee Concert Wind Ensemble.

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An Introduction to the Philosophy of History
-Stephen Hicks, Ph.D.

Philosophies of history attempt to provide general explanations for the course of human affairs. In this introductory lecture, Stephen Hicks will outline the major philosophies of history and various theories of environmental and biological determinism, and present the unique perspective on history that Objectivism's philosophy of reason, volition, and individualism provides. Stephen Hicks is associate professor and chairman of the department of philosophy at Rockford College. He is co-editor with David Kelley of Readings for Logical Analysis, now in its second edition. As a Visiting Fellow at the Center last year, he completed a book on postmodernism for which he is now seeking a publisher.

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The F.M. Alexander Technique: Giving and Withholding Consent
-Helen Hobbs

Often considered merely a method of improving posture, the Alexander Technique offers much more. It is a means of learning how to make conscious choices and to change the way we act. The technique allows its practitioners to exercise conscious control over their body's movement; it teaches practitioners to exercise control over everything from their posture to their mental focus. This introductory presentation will discuss Alexander's discoveries, demonstrate Alexander work with participants, and show the value of poise. Helen Hobbs is a certified teacher of the Alexander technique and has her own teaching practice. This course is limited to twenty participants.

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Ninety-Three: Victor Hugo's Greatest Novel
-Michelle Fram-Cohen, M.A.

Victor Hugo's last novel, Ninety -Three, is the only work of literature to be analyzed by Ayn Rand in The Romantic Manifesto, or elsewhere in her published work. What is the significance of this novel that merited Rand's enthusiastic endorsement? The novel's unique qualities will be discussed in the context of Hugo's literary work and nineteenth-century romantic literature. Michelle Fram-Cohen holds an M.A. in comparative literature and translation studies from SUNY at Binghamton. Her literary publications include book reviews, poetry translations and short essays in Full Context, the Objectivist Forum, the Atlantean Press Review, and Monadnock.net.

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Carl Rogers and the Influence of Client-Centered Therapy on Objectivism
-Marsha Enright, M.A.

Carl Rogers and his Client-Centered method had a deep influence on the development of psychotherapy in the twenthitwentiethogers was one of the first to try to approach clients without pre-conceived theories about their nature or motivations. Among other things, he also innovated the recording of sessions on tape for later review, and the use of research to examine psychotherapeutic methods. Rogers' method of psychotherapy and the theory which he developed to account for its effectiveness will be presented and examined. Marsha Enright will show how views on personal growth and human nature can be of use to Objectivists, as well as the way in which these views could be integrated into Objectivism will be discussed. Seminar attendees should be able to find the information of personal interest and of practical use in improving their own lives. Marsha Enright is a practicing psychotherapist and educational consultant.

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Concretization (two sessions)
-Phillip Coates

In the attempt to live by a very abstract philosophy and deal with an often irrational culture, we can easily allow our abstractions to become disconnected, or to "float." Concretization is a cure for this. It involves much more than just giving an occasional example in one's writing or conversation. It is a universal thinking skill. Philip Coates will discuss a array of techniques that can be used to keep our ideas anchored in concrete reality, increase our control of our abstract knowledge in everyday living, and give our thinking crystalline clarity in general. Mr. Coates has been a Guest Lecturer at UCLA and Cal State Long Beach and an Instructor at The New School for Social Research in New York City. He has written for professional and academic journals and magazines including the Independent Review, Reality, Classics Review, and Objectivity.

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Virtues in Verse: The Best of Berton Braley
-Linda Tania Abrams

During a career that spanned the first four decades of this century, Berton Braley published some ten thousand poems, touching on every imaginable aspect of modern life during the first part of the twentheth century. His feeling for the lyric possibilities in men, machines and industry led to his unique role as "the Machine Age poet": staff poet of Coal Age, American Machinist and other industry journals. He was a frequent contributor to Forbes, the Saturday Evening Post, and nearly every other major popular magazine of his day. Linda Tania Abrams has been an internationally acclaimed performer for over a decade and is the founder and director of Past Times With Good Company, a professional living-history troupe.

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Jazz: An Art Form for Individualists (two sessions)
-Robert L. Campbell, Ph.D.

In these two lectures, Robert Campbell will trace the history of jazz from its inception in the 1910s to the present day. The significant values expressed in jazz include individuality in sound, improvisation, and various subtleties of rhythm; and the emotional range of the music is broad. He will illustrate the major stylistic approaches with recorded examples, along with many of the great individual contributors to the music. Dr. Campbell, a professor of psychology at Clemson University, is the co-author of The Earthly Recordings of Sun Ra (2nd edition, 2000). He was a regular reviewer of jazz and blues recordings for Cadence magazine (1992-1999) and maintains a scholarly Web site on jazz and rhythm and blues in Chicago after World War II (http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/rsrf.html).

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Effective Communication Workshop Information Session

William Thomas, TOC's manager of research and training will host an Effective Communication Workshop information session. If you are interested in developing your skill at speaking on Objectivism in public, this session will explain the Workshop and the methods that make it a uniquely valuable experience. More on TOC's Effective Communication Workshop .

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