 Objectivism: Theory and Practice
"This institution
will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to
follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left
free to combat it."
--Thomas Jefferson, on the University of
Virginia
Institute for Objectivist
Studies
Eighth Annual Summer Seminar
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
July 5-12, 1997
Table of Contents
Introduction
Picture yourself in an open, benevolent community of people who share your commitment
to reason and individualism...people of different ages, drawn from a variety of nations
and backgrounds, but united to offer their best ideas, values, and achievements.
Picture yourself in a classroom where Ayn Rand's philosophy
of Objectivism is explained and expanded by brilliant teachers...where your most
challenging questions aren't discouraged, but welcomed...where your days are filled with
discovery, your evenings with fun and friendship.
Now, picture yourself experiencing all this at an idyllic
setting: on an elegant campus founded by Thomas Jefferson himself, just miles from his
noble Monticello mansion, in the midst of the charm and cultural abundance of a gracious
southern city...
An intellectual feast. A social event. A spiritual tonic. This is the experience hundreds
of past participants have enjoyed at the annual Summer Seminar of the Institute for
Objectivist Studies.
You'll learn to grasp and apply Objectivism more fully.
You'll enrich your understanding of its meaning for your own life; you'll explore a host
of cultural and political issues; you'll learn about new scholarship at the frontiers of
Objectivist theory.
You'll choose from a rich menu of presentations ranging from
the elementary to the advanced: from practical workshops on encouraging honesty in
children, to cutting-edge presentations that apply Objectivist epistemology to artificial
intelligence. You can select a series of talks on political and cultural change by noted
activists. You can attend how-to sessions on writing, appreciating art and poetry, or
fighting city hall.
After hours, there's plenty of free time to greet old friends and make new ones.
You'll mingle with a superb faculty and fellow participants for informal discussions over
meals, or in the Common Room each evening. You can attend special sessions hosted by
participants who share your specific interests, hobbies, or causes.
Then there's the fun of our opening barbecue
"mixer"...the abundant local recreational and cultural activities...our annual
talent show...and the exciting closing dinner with dancing late into the night...
Thomas Jefferson designed the original core of the University
of Virginia as a scholarly community, "an Academical Village." The campus hub is
a stately masterpiece of federal period architecture, with expansive lawns and lush
gardens. You can lodge in the air-conditioned comfort of campus dormitory rooms, or select
from fine hotel accommodations nearby.
Past participants have praised the Seminar as...
"...the highlight of the year for me, intellectually
and socially. It has gone a long way towards re-energizing my interest in
Objectivism."
"...an excellent combination of education and recreation, as well as a great
opportunity to meet people who share your fundamental values."
"...brilliantly conceived, flawlessly executed, and warmly appreciated."
The 1996 Summer Seminar attracted over 200 people from all
over the world. This year's event will be larger and better than ever.
So join us for an incomparable week of stimulation,
companionship, and renewal.
Conference Life
 It's midnight, but in the Common Room, the
energy hasn't let up. In one corner, a writer, a physicist, and an actress talk about old
movie musicals. Elsewhere, a group of students peppers a faculty member with questions,
while in smaller clusters people quietly debate ideas, share hobbies and interests...plan
joint business ventures.
The Common Room
is the center of evening social activity at the Seminar. Its informality makes it easy for
you to meet others, chat about the day's events, share ideas and interests.
For seven years, the IOS Summer Seminar has provided
far more than lectures and classroom discussion. In fact, past participants have praised
the whole experience: the intellectual and emotional sum of living through seven intense
days of discovery and fellowship.
The experience begins immediately after you arrive, at the opening
barbecue on Saturday, July 5, and won't stop until the closing dinner and
dance on Friday, where we'll all celebrate the week and make plans to stay in
touch.
In between those events, you can attend Participant-Sponsored
Sessions—or sponsor one yourself! Participants can conduct their own
lectures, workshops, or performances. Last year, these ran the gamut from talks on
anarchism and medical law, to performances of "filk" and fiddle music. Thursday
evening's "In Performance" will showcase the many talents of
our participants. If you're a musician, comic, actor, dancer, poet, or director, this is
your night to shine! Visual artists are also invited to display their works in our
gallery.
During free time periods each day, you may
use the University's splendid athletic and recreational facilities, including a gym, pool,
and tennis courts. You can take in the many attractions of Charlottesville's downtown
historic district. Wednesday afternoon and evening are left open, so you'll have time to
tour the surrounding area, including Jefferson's beloved Monticello and James Monroe's Ash
Lawn estate. You can visit local wineries, galleries, museums, and fun parks. You can go
hiking, canoeing, ice-skating—even hot-air ballooning! The popular Ash Lawn-Highland
Summer Festival continues through the week of the conference, too.
But the foundation of the Seminar is intellectual
stimulation. Each day, our program offers you a choice of sessions,
designed to meet your own interests and level of knowledge. Besides the formal
presentations, there will be informal sessions for students and faculty in specialized
fields, plus meetings of Objectivist discussion groups.
In the following program description, levels of difficulty
are indicated by these symbols:
 general interest;  more difficult; 
advanced.
Creating freedom
The battle for human liberty demands strategic vision.
Prominent activists on the front lines of social change will outline the key steps to a
society of reason and freedom.
David Kelley, Ph.D.
The State of the Culture
In these remarks to open the conference, David Kelley will
comment on the major trends in our culture today and the challenges they pose for
advancing reason and freedom. Dr. Kelley is the Institute's executive director.
Scott G. Bullock, J.D.
Litigating for Liberty
Scott G. Bullock will discuss his experience defending
private property and other economic rights in both federal and state courts, which are
still receptive to a principled defense of individual rights. Mr. Bullock's commentary has
appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and many other
publications and broadcasts. He is currently a staff attorney at the Institute for
Justice, a public interest law center defending economic liberty, where he has written
several Supreme Court briefs.
Edward L. Hudgins, Ph.D.
Capitalism vs. Pragmatism
Economic liberty rests on principles of individual rights and
on man's nature as a producer, creating value though the use of reason. A political
strategy based on these Objectivist principles will create its own momentum, while
pragmatic, short-term policies and arguments will fail. Edward L. Hudgins will illustrate
this theme by discussing recent policy battles over taxes, corporate profits, and other
issues. Dr. Hudgins is the director of regulatory studies at the Cato Institute.
Previously he served as senior economist at the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S.
Congress, working for Representative Dick Armey.
Robert Bidinotto
What Objectivists Must Learn From Religion
Though sales of Ayn Rand's works number in the millions of
copies, organized Objectivist activities attract only a few thousand regular participants.
By contrast, over 150 million Americans belong to religious denominations, and give over
$16 billion annually to Christian churches alone. Robert Bidinotto will show how various
religious and social movements have achieved cultural influence by addressing the
objective personal needs of ordinary people, and outline steps to bring Objectivism into
the daily lives of millions of people. A nationally-recognized journalist, Mr. Bidinotto
is director of development and special projects at the Institute.
Robert Poole, M.S.
The Role of Think Tanks in the Battle for Liberty
Ideological think tanks are a relatively recent phenomenon.
Robert Poole will provide an overview of the U.S. free-market think tank community,
explain what think tanks can and cannot do, and provide examples of their influence, based
in part on the Reason Foundation's experience. Mr. Poole is founder and president of the
Reason Foundation, publisher of Reason magazine, and a nationally known expert on
privatization and transportation policy. He consults regularly with national, state, and
local governments on how and why to privatize.
Nathaniel Branden, Ph.D.
The Philosophical and Psychological Foundations of a Free Society
The battle of capitalism versus statism goes much
deeper than economics. It is a moral battle between conflicting visions of the good and a
psychological battle between conflicting visions of what it means to be a human being. A
free society cannot prevail and flourish without a general consensus about certain key
philosophical and psychological principles. Dr. Branden, a practicing psychotherapist and prolific
author, will survey these principles. Among his books are The Psychology of Self-Esteem,
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, and Taking Responsibility: Self-Reliance and the
Accountable Life.
Intellectual frontiers
Objectivism has profound implications for a host of academic
fields. Scholars working at the frontiers of Objectivist thought will address a range of
theoretical issues.
Larry J. Sechrest, Ph.D.
Austrian Economics and Objectivism (2 lectures)
How does the Austrians' "subjective" theory of
value relate to the Objectivist view that values are objective? How does the aprioristic,
introspective nature of Austrian analysis relate to the Objectivist use of both deduction
and induction? These are among the questions Larry J. Sechrest will address in this
two-part series on the foundations of economics. Dr. Sechrest is associate professor of
economics and director of the Free Enterprise Institute at Sul Ross State University in
Alpine, Texas. He is the author of Free Banking: Theory, History, and a Laissez- Faire
Model (1993) as well as numerous articles in economic journals.
Francisco Villalobos, M.A.
The Rights of Criminals
Does a person forfeit his rights when he commits a crime? How
then can rights be inalienable? Francisco Villalobos will show how the Objectivist view of
rights as objective principles cuts through traditional puzzles regarding crime and
punishment. Mr. Villalobos is a Ph.D. candidate in philosophy at City University of New
York and a J.D. candidate at Fordham Law School. He has clerked for the criminal defense
firm of Ianuzzi & Ianuzzi.
Adam D. Moore, M.A.
Intellectual Property Rights
Adam D. Moore, a doctoral candidate in philosophy at Ohio
State University, will discuss the controversial nature of property rights in such
intellectual products as software. He will offer a philosophical argument for such rights,
based on John Locke's theory of private property, and compare this approach with Ayn
Rand's views about intellectual property. Mr. Moore is the editor of Intellectual
Property: Moral, Legal, and International Dilemmas.
William R. Minto, M.A.
Parmenides' Last Stand: The Metaphysics of Persistence and Change
What facts of reality give rise to the concept of causality?
Can causal laws be probabilistic? This talk presents the essentials of a realist account
of the metaphysics of causality and discusses its implications for the nature of
scientific reasoning and explanation. William R. Minto is a Ph.D. candidate at the
University of Western Ontario, completing a thesis on the metaphysics of causality.
Kenneth Livingston, Ph.D.
Artificial Intelligence and Objectivist Epistemology (2 lectures)
Artificial-intelligence researchers currently disagree about
what models of intelligence offer the greatest promise for developing effective and useful
robots. Kenneth Livingston, a professor of psychology and cognitive science at Vassar
College, will review the dispute and show why the Objectivist epistemology offers a more
promising solution than any of the popular alternatives. He will also discuss the
relationship between philosophy and cognitive science. Prof. Livingston has published many
articles on issues in cognitive science. He is currently completing a software package for
teaching basic principles of robotics.
David Ross, Ph.D.
Objectivism, Intrinsicism, and Subjectivism
The cornerstone of Objectivist epistemology is Ayn Rand's
analysis of the relationship between the mind and its objects. David Ross, a mathematician
at Eastman Kodak Research Labs and a frequent lecturer at the Summer Seminar, will
contrast Objectivism with intrinsicist theories of epistemology (which fail to recognize
the role of the mind's identity in acquiring knowledge) and with subjectivist theories
(which deny the primacy of existence). He will also discuss intrinsicism and subjectivism
as thinking styles and contrast them with objectivity.
The Logical Structure of
Objectivism (D)
David Kelley, Ph.D.
Objectivism is an integrated body of principles. Grasping the
logical relationships among its central principles and the way in which they are validated
is important for anyone who wants a first-hand understanding of the philosophy. It is
vital for anyone who intends to teach, debate, or write about the philosophy.
In this five-lecture course, an expanded version of lectures
first presented at the 1996 Summer Seminar, David Kelley will review the basic anatomy of
the system, from the axioms of metaphysics and epistemology to ethics and political
philosophy, using the diagramming tools of logical analysis to outline the relationships
among key ideas. He will also discuss the respective roles of induction and deduction in
validating the principles.
To allow for discussion, enrollment will be limited; first
preference will be given to students, teachers, club leaders, and writers. See the back of
the registration form for application instructions. Dr. Kelley, the Institute's executive
director, is the author of The Art of Reasoning, a widely used logic textbook, and has
lectured frequently on the principles of Objectivism.
In addition to the course lectures, Dr. Kelley will conduct a
question and answer session on Objectivism, open to all Seminar participants.
Current issues
Experts from a variety of fields will analyze the deeper
meaning and emerging trends behind events and issues in the news.
 Linda Zinser, J.D.
Proof in the Law
Prosecutors
must establish criminal guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but most civil plaintiffs are
required to prove the defendants responsible by only a preponderance of the evidence. How
did this difference arise historically? Is it valid? Linda Zinser will address these
questions, drawing on her twelve years of experience as a Colorado attorney specializing
in civil litigation. Ms. Zinser has taught numerous seminars on law.
Madeleine Pelner Cosman, Ph.D., J.D.
Who Owns Your Body?
Madeleine
Pelner Cosman will explain how criminal law controlling medical care invades patients'
privacy and perverts medical ethics; and how regulations force physicians to delay or deny
necessary care rather than face felony, fines, and prison. What can an Objectivist do? Dr.
Cosman is president of Medical Equity, a national medical and surgical practice brokerage.
She is also professor emerita at City University of New York, where she taught medical law
for 30 years, Life Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, and a prolific author and
speaker.
Gordon D. Stubley, Ph.D., P. Eng.
Professional Heroes
In Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand chose an engineer as her
hero. Every day, engineers are required to practice a cardinal Objectivist virtue-an
unswerving commitment to reason and reality-as they design safe implementations of
technology. Gordon D. Stubley will review a number of case studies of engineering
practice, including the Challenger space shuttle accident and the Kansas City Hyatt
Regency Sky Bridge collapse, to demonstrate how this virtue is embodied in the practice of
professional engineers, and how it also applies to other professions. Dr. Stubley, a
consultant in the development of engineering software, is an engineering professor at the
University of Waterloo in Ontario.
Jeff Scott
Shares vs. Stakes
Since economic and political factors have limited the growth
of government, anticapitalists are trying to force corporations to pursue "social
responsibility" rather than profit. One of their key strategies is the
"stakeholder model," which would transfer power from stockholders to workers,
consumers, and other "stakeholders" in the corporation. Jeff Scott will show why
a stakeholder economy would mean interest group warfare, eroding rather than creating
value. Mr. Scott is a financial analyst, assistant vice-president, at Wells Fargo Bank. He
is currently writing a book for the Institute analyzing financial innovations in the 1980s
and the attack on that era as a "decade of greed."
Lindsay Perigo
Antipodean Altruism
Lindsay Perigo will show how New Zealand's acclaimed economic
"revolution" is jeopardized by the absence of an ethical revolution. He will
discuss the Hayekian basis of the reforms; the reformers' hostility to principles; the
electorate's hostility to the reforms; and the triumph of altruism and welfarism in the
1996 election. Mr. Perigo was one of New Zealand's leading broadcast journalists during 15
years with the BBC's World Service. Currently he is editor of The Free Radical, a
libertarian magazine; host of a national radio program; and leader of the LibertariaNZ
political party.
History and culture
Scholars in literature, psychology, history and law will
discuss the cultural influence of pivotal thinkers and ideas.
Susanna Fessler, Ph.D.
Buddhism
Why has Objectivism not spread in East Asia? Susanna Fessler,
assistant professor of East Asian Studies at the State University of New York at Albany,
will explain how the core beliefs of Buddhism contradict Objectivism theory. Because
Buddhism lacks even the partial individualism of western Christianity, effective
dissemination of Objectivism in East Asia would require a different focus than in the
West. Prof. Fessler is a specialist in Japanese culture, language, and literature.
David N. Mayer, Ph.D., J.D.
The Declaration of Independence as a Literary and Philosophical Work
In writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas
Jefferson defined the American philosophy of government as one premised on individual
rights. David N. Mayer will analyze the Declaration as both a literary and a philosophical
work, showing how successfully Jefferson accomplished his object of making the document
"an expression of the American mind." Prof. Mayer is the author of The
Constitutional Thought of Thomas Jefferson. He is currently professor of law and
history at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.
Robert L. Campbell, Ph.D.
Jean Piaget's Genetic Epistemology: An Appreciation and Critique (2
lectures)
Robert L. Campbell, an associate professor of psychology at
Clemson University, will discuss themes in Jean Piaget's work that have clear counterparts
in Objectivism, such as the biological functions of knowledge and the importance of our
knowledge of possibility and necessity. Piaget's insistence that what develops is
genuinely new knowledge-not merely a recombination of existing elements—and his
emphasis on understanding infants and children in terms of their own cognitive
perspectives should also be taken seriously by Objectivists. Prof. Campbell has published
articles on numerous topics in psychology. Currently he is editing and translating Jean
Piaget's Studies in Reflecting Abstraction.
James S. Robbins, Ph.D.
Plato, Aristotle, and the Renaissance (2 lectures)
"The lack of money is the root of all evil." This
startling claim by the Renaissance artist and poet Giotto illustrates the new emphasis on
worldliness produced by the rediscovery of Aristotle in the West. These lectures trace the
route of rediscovery, from Byzantium to Western Europe, and its effects on intellectuals
who increasingly embraced empiricism, reason, the pursuit of self-interest and wealth.
Focusing on Florence, the banking capital of Europe at the time, James S. Robbins will
also describe how Neoplatonic influences sowed the philosophical seeds of destruction.
Prof. Robbins teaches political theory, history, and constitutional law at Tufts
University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Foundations of Ethics
Ayn Rand was one of the few philosophers to hold that virtue
is consistent with the pursuit of happiness and self-interest, and the only philosopher
who defined these concepts in terms of life as an ultimate value. Three lectures and a
panel discussion will explore theoretical issues at the foundations of the Objectivist
ethics.
Kelly Rogers, Ph.D.
Randian Egoism in Historical Context
This lecture will chart the major developments in
self-interest theory since antiquity in order to define Ayn Rand's position in the debate
and to shed further light on her philosophical innovations. Kelly Rogers has taught
philosophy at the University of Florida. She has published several articles on Aristotle's
ethics and edited Self-Interest: An Anthology of Philosophical Perspectives.
Irfan Khawaja, M.A.
Life and Value
What are values? Why does man need them? Irfan Khawaja will
discuss why these are the fundamental questions that an objective theory of value and
obligation must answer; he will show how Ayn Rand's derivation of moral value answers
those questions, providing a rational foundation for an ethics of rational egoism. Mr.
Khawaja is currently a Ph.D. candidate in philosophy at Notre Dame, writing a doctoral
thesis on the Objectivist ethics.
Neera Kapur Badhwar, Ph.D.
Virtue and Happiness
Even though happiness is the summum bonum that justifies
moral virtues, Neera Kapur Badhwar will argue that virtues are not purely instrumental
means to happiness but components of it. Dr. Badhwar is associate professor of philosophy
at the University of Oklahoma and is currently a Laurance L. Rockefeller fellow at the
University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. She is the editor of Friendship:
A Philosophical Reader, and the author of numerous articles in philosophy journals.
A Panel on Ethics
The lectures by Kelly Rogers, Neera Kapur Badhwar, and Irfan
Khawaja deal with theoretical issues at the foundations of the Objectivist ethics. In this
panel session, David Kelley will comment on the lectures and will moderate discussion
among the lecturers as they discuss each other's viewpoints and take questions from the
audience.
Applications
In these lectures and workshops, veterans in a number of
fields will share their years of experience in translating Objectivist theory into
practice.
 Susan Dawn Wake, M.A.
Objectivism in the Classroom: A Report from the Front
The spread of Objectivist ideas in the classroom has long been a goal
of organized Objectivism. What role can Objectivism play in the content and methodology of
teaching undergraduate philosophy courses? How explicit should one be, and why? What are
the prospects for spreading Objectivism in this manner? This report from the academic
front will show how an accomplished teacher pursues one of the Institute's most vital
goals. Susan Dawn Wake is a lecturer in philosophy at St. Mary's University in Halifax.
Ilana Dover, M.S.
Children and Honesty
This
workshop, geared primarily for teachers, parents, and parents-to-be, will explore the
unique challenges involved in promoting honesty in young children and adolescents. It will
include a discussion of developmental limitations, parental expectations, policies that
encourage honesty, and effective ways of expressing one's own moral stand. Participants
will be invited to discuss their own experiences and to share alternative strategies and
resources to promote honesty in children. Ilana Dover has an M.S. in marriage, family, and
child counseling. She has Montessori teaching credentials and has worked with children and
their families as a teacher, a counselor, and a parent.
Susanna Fessler, Ph.D., and Debra Ross
Getting Your Ideas Across and Out There (2 sessions)
Communicating Objectivist ideas and principles to the general
public is essential to the task of bringing about a more rational society. Session I will
show how the principles of clear thinking translate into good writing; Session II will
address specific strategies for submitting finished work for publication in the
appropriate forum. The workshop will be limited to 30 participants. See the back of the
registration form for application instructions. Susanna Fessler, Ph.D., is assistant
professor of East Asian Studies at the State University of New York at Albany. Debra Ross,
president of Axton Enterprises in Fairport, NY, is the former managing editor of
Hatherleigh Press in New York City.
John Enright
Enjoying Poetry
What should we look for in poetry? How do the meaning and the
musical properties of language combine to create an aesthetic experience? Drawing on a
range of poetic examples, John Enright will discuss the appreciation of poetry. Mr.
Enright is the author of Starbound and Other Poems, and has written and lectured
on poetry.
Peter Saint-Andre
The Joy of Art
Ayn Rand held that the purpose of art is the deeply personal
pleasure of contemplating one's ideal world. Peter Saint-Andre will explore ways to
increase that pleasure and will address several common beliefs that inhibit artistic
enjoyment. Mr. Saint-Andre received his B.A. in philosophy and classics from Columbia
University. He has written widely on philosophy and the arts and is active as a
songwriter, poet, and composer. He works as a writer for an Intranet development company
in Morristown, NJ.
Linda T. Abrams, J.D.
Fighting City Hall
Knowing and using sound tactical principles can make
confrontations with government officials and agencies less frustrating and their outcomes
more successful. Linda T. Abrams outlines principles and "self-defense" tactics,
informed by Objectivist insights, that you can apply to any legal field or issue. Ms.
Abrams spent over a dozen years as an attorney who fought successfully for clients being
victimized by government at all levels. Profiles about her crusading work appeared in such
publications as the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and Reason.
 Nathaniel Branden, Ph.D.
Objectivism in Daily Life
Objectivist
moral principles can be turned into instruments of self-torture through tragically
misguided interpretations and applications to the choices and decisions of everyday life.
Nathaniel Branden, a practicing psychotherapist and author of numerous works in
psychology, will show why the effort to "live" Objectivism is sometimes so
painful. He will also show how Objectivism can be an effective guide to happiness.
Advanced Seminar
The Advanced Seminar provides intensive training for advanced
students and a critical review of new technical work on Objectivism. To allow for active
discussion, participation is limited to qualified students, teachers, and professional
scholars. (To apply, contact the Institute at 1-800-374-1776 for a registration form.
Follow the instructions on the back of the form and submit your application before April
28.)
Valerie Loiret-Prunet, Agrege Professor
Modern Linguistics and Objectivism: Rediscovering the "I" in
Grammar and Discourse
According to a new linguistic theory developed recently by
French linguists, the function of grammar is to express not merely the structure of facts
but also the speaker's relationship to the facts. Valerie Loiret-Prunet, a professor of
linguistics and of English and American literature at the University of Paris, will
discuss the relationship of this new approach to the Objectivist epistemology. Dr.
Loiret-Prunet is also vice-president of the French Ayn Rand Society.
William Dale, M.A.
The Logic of Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the science of expressing conceptual thought.
William Dale will extend the Objectivist theory of concepts to such rhetorical issues as
metaphor, connotation, and the use of emotional shading in argument. He will argue that an
objective theory of argumentation and meaning requires rhetoric, properly understood. Mr.
Dale is a Ph.D. candidate in public policy and an M.D. candidate at the University of
Chicago. He has lectured on Objectivism for the Free Market Society of Chicago. His
writing has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, Freedom Daily, and Cancer
Policy.
Eyal Mozes, Ph.D.
The Free Rider Issue: An Objectivist View
Living in a civilized society presents many opportunities for
"free riding, " i.e., for gaining benefits from the efforts of others without
contributing to these efforts. Eyal Mozes will analyze and defend this phenomenon from the
point of view of the Objectivist ethics, and criticize views that regard free-riding as an
ethical or social problem. Dr. Mozes is a software engineer in White Plains, NY, who has
published articles on rights and on the philosophy of mind.
Kenneth J. McLaughlin, Ph.D.
Market Failure, State Intervention, and the Objectivist Case for
Capitalism
Kenneth J. McLaughlin will argue that free markets can fail
due to externalities or "free-rider" problems but that state intervention cannot
improve matters for everyone. The presentation will include many applications and
examples. Prof. McLaughlin has published extensively on labor economics and
macroeconomics. He is an associate professor of economics at Hunter College and the
Graduate Center, City University of New York.
Registration
Conference Fee
Early registration (postmarked by April 28,
1997): $795 per person includes your choice from over 60 hours of scheduled presentations
(subject to certain limitations), additional Participant-Sponsored Sessions, Seminar
materials, lunch from Sunday through Friday, coffee breaks, "In Performance,"
the opening cookout, and the closing dinner and dance. The conference fee increases to
$895 on April 29, 1997. The conference fee and any charges for on-campus accommodations
(see below) may be paid by check or international money order, in U.S. funds and drawn on
a U.S. bank, made payable to: Institute for Objectivist Studies, or by accepted credit
card. All participants will receive an acknowledgment and additional information in May.
Sustaining Members, Sponsors, and Benefactors of the
Institute are eligible for a 10% discount on the conference fee.
Students: Full-time students and recent
graduates (those who graduated from a full-time program in 1995 or later) may attend the
Seminar at the reduced fee of $225. This fee is available through May 30 only.
Scholarships: A limited number of
scholarships for the 1997 Summer Seminar are available to full-time students. To apply,
complete the scholarship application section of the conference registration form and
return it before April 4. Scholarships will be awarded by May 9. We expect to offer a
total of 30 scholarships. Students who apply for a scholarship before April 4 but who are
not awarded one may still attend the Seminar by paying the $225 fee before May 30.
Accommodations and meal plans
Charges for accommodations and meals as described below are
not included in the basic conference fee. (As described above, that fee does cover lunch
and the Saturday and Friday dinners.)
On-Campus Dormitories: Arrangements for
on-campus accommodations can be made through the Institute until June 5. Air-conditioned
accommodations for seven nights (Saturday night-Friday night inclusive) are available in
the Brown College dormitories (space permitting), a short walk from the lecture halls. The
price is $320 per person for single occupancy, $245 per person for double occupancy. The
price includes breakfast each morning (Sunday through Saturday) and dinner on Sunday,
Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Payment of these charges should be included with the
conference fee. Scholarship students will have until May 30 to pay these charges. (If you
are attending alone, you may request that you be assigned a roommate.) Participants
interested in extending their stay in the dormitory by one night to take advantage of the
many recreational opportunities in the area may do so for an additional charge. One night
may be added at either end of the Seminar for: $35 single occupancy, $25 double occupancy.
No meals are provided. Extensions must be requested and paid for with the other Seminar
fees.
Off-Campus: A limited number of rooms have
been arranged at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel. Located about 2.5 miles from campus, the
hotel offers air-conditioned sleeping rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and daily breakfast
buffets. Outdoor cafes, shops, a movie theater and an indoor ice rink are just outside the
hotel. A free airport shuttle is available as is free parking for guests. Daily room rates
for single or double occupancy are $69 plus taxes. Payment of these charges should NOT be
included with the conference fee. Please make arrangements directly with the hotel at
(804) 971-5500 or 1-800-THE-OMNI before June 5. Mention the "IOS Summer Seminar"
to obtain our negotiated discount rate.
There are many other hotels located near the campus. For a
list of local hotels and their room rates, please call the Institute.
Hotel guests and others staying off campus must make their
own arrangements for the breakfasts and dinners included in the dormitory meal package. A
package of four dinners (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) is available for $35, payment
for which must be included with the conference fee. Participants may purchase single meals
on campus in the Newcomb Dining Hall.
Other fees
Transportation to the conference is the responsibility of
participants. (For participants flying to Charlottesville, see the section below.) On-
campus parking permits are available for an additional charge. While at the Seminar, the
extensive recreation facilities of the University of Virginia campus are available for use
by participants who purchase daily or weekly passes.
Discount airfares
USAir has been designated as the official carrier for
participants in the IOS Summer Seminar. USAir is offering an exclusive low fare for our
participants. This special fare will offer a 5% discount off First Class and any published
USAir promotional round trip fare. A 10% discount off unrestricted coach fares will apply
with 7 day advance reservations and ticketing required. These discounts are valid provided
all rules and restrictions are met and are applicable for travel from all points on
USAir's route system.
USAir will also offer exclusive negotiated rates for
participants who are unable to meet the restrictions of the promotional round trip fares,
such as Saturday stayover. Certain restrictions, including advance purchase requirements,
may apply. These special rates are applicable for travel from the continental United
States and Canada. The above discounts are not combinable with other discounts or
promotions, and are valid for travel between July 1-15, 1997. Additional restrictions may
apply on international travel. To obtain these discounts, you or your travel agent must
call USAir's Meeting and Convention Reservation Office at 1-800-334-8644; 8:00AM - 9:00
PM, Eastern Time. Refer to GOLD FILE No. 34630125.
Cancellation policy
Written cancellation requests mailed prior to April 28, 1997
will receive a full refund; those mailed between April 28 and June 5, 1997 will receive a
refund of 60% of the full amount paid. All charges are nonrefundable after June 5, 1997.
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