Advanced Seminar Program Set

The Advanced Seminar in Objectivist Studies is TOC's hot-house for encouraging new scholarly work examining and extending the Objectivist system of ideas. The third annual Advanced Seminar will take place from the evening of June 27 through the evening of June 29, 2001. The location is The University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, convenient for those attending who wish to stay for the full summer seminar conference.

This year, the Advanced Seminar will feature a discussion of Louis Torres and Michelle Marder Kamhi's study of Ayn Rand's aesthetic theories, based on selections from their recently released book What Art Is (Open Court, 2000). There will also be two papers focusing on ethics: University of Colorado philosophy professor Michael Huemer will present his paper "Is Benevolent Egoism Coherent?" examining tensions in Rand's ethical theory; and independent scholar Allen Costell will treat the place of rationality in the Objectivist scheme of virtues. Costell argues that many standard accounts of Objectivism give an unbalanced treatment to the other cardinal virtues of productiveness and pride. Psychological and epistemological themes will also be treated this year. Vassar College psychology professor Ken Livingston will present a paper on evolutionary psychology, considering the soundness and philosophical underpinnings of this trendy approach to social and psychological issues. TOC's executive director, David Kelley, will offer an essay on the theory of propositions, developing work he first sketched out at the summer seminar in 1996. Finally, Christopher Robinson, a Ph.D. student in cognitive science at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, will contribute a paper on the mechanics of perception, entitled "How Expectancies Influence What We Perceive and What We Remember."

Advanced Seminar sessions usually consist of brief presentations followed by a free-ranging, moderated discussion. To allow for a lively discussion in which all can take part, the Advanced Seminar is limited to a small number of qualified participants, usually numbering between twenty to twenty-five in total. All participants are expected to have a systematic grasp of Objectivism and be able to engage in analysis of philosophical ideas on an advanced level. They should also be actively involved in advanced study or scholarship in philosophy and allied areas. The seminar is free to all student applicants, while for non-students there is only a room-and-board charge of $152 single/$106 double. Application information may be found in the summer seminar brochure and on TOC's Web site as well. The site also includes the schedule of sessions and other events at the seminar. The application deadline is April 23.