| 2002 Summer Seminar |
—William Thomas, M.A.
Course Description:
Referring to the structure of her philosophy, Ayn Rand wrote: "If one recognizes the supremacy of reason and applies it consistently, all the rest follows." Induction is the art of drawing accurate general conclusions from particular facts, and what Rand meant was that her philosophy was based in a scrupulous and thoroughgoing process of inductive reasoning. Objectivism is a system of logically connected ideas, but inductive claims enter in every part of the structure. William Thomas will draw on his work on The Logical Structure of Objectivism to survey the inductive basis of the key conclusions that make Objectivism a distinctive viewpoint. Among these are aspects of consciousness, including the need for concretization that underlies our need for art; moral issues such as the fundamental harmony of interests that subsists among those who live by reason; and political issues such as the need for government. He will discuss the nature of philosophic induction and will pay close attention to the proper formulation of inductive claims. This is an advanced course that presumes familiarity with Rand’s philosophic writings. Mr. Thomas is TOC’s manager of research and training and editor of the Objectivist Studies monograph series.
Schedule: All Days, 8:30:00 AM
Track: Philosophy