NIJamesHughes

http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,...n_story_related another case of government interventionalism being promoted as capitalism

Of course reason isn't omniscience. But if two people have the same principles and they come to a different conclusion on the same issue, one's facts are wrong. Someone has to be right and someone has to be wrong because the facts are the facts. Who has done the best job of discovering them?

Mr. Peikoff says to vote for John Kerry, and Mr. Binswanger says to vote for George Bush. Both men hold the same principles and they can't both be right, so which one actually is right?

When exactly does a species earn rights? To answer the question you would have to define at what point an animal becomes a rational animal. What exactly qualifies an animal to such a definition? Will it be correct to call, for example, dolphins, "human" (since human means rational animal) if they were to develop a rational faculty?

The "Meme" theory is the basis of this book. How is this for rational and scientific: "From 1852 to 1864, Karl Marx sat alone nearly every day in a corner of the library of the British Museum, going through books and assembling his theories. little did he realize it, but the bearded writer was simply the tool of fragmentary memes. Those ideas had been floating in the zeitgeist (?), waiting for a receptive human mind to come along and function as an enzyme functions in human metablolism-- splicing together molecules destined for each other"

"The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History" http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=books From Kirkus Reviews This exploration of the roots of violence in human society finds a villain in biology: not in the genetic urge that drives each organism to reproduce, but in the forces that create larger ``superorganisms'' that seek to perpetuate themselves. Bloom (whose credentials range from cancer research at Roswell Park Memorial Cancer Research Institute to experimental graphics, programmed learning, and founding a public relations firm that represented many well-known rock artists) draws on an impressive range of historical, anthropological, and biological research to support his thesis. (The 333 pages of text are followed by an additional 117 pages of notes and bibliography.) From this massive body of material, he arrives at a conclusion that such philosophers as Hobbes would find congenial: Aggression is not an aberrant force in society, but its very foundation. From Caesar to Khomeini, Bloom finds that those who have lead great nations are propagators of memes--the core bodies of a culture's key ideas that are the ideological equivalent of genes. History is not so much the contest of armies as of memes, and a strong meme drives out the weak as surely as the genes of an alpha male in a chimpanzee herd dominate those of his lesser competitors. While Bloom often gives cogent analyses of the currents of history, his thesis has an unfortunate potential for being warped to the service of chauvinism and racism. His attempts to draw lessons for the future (with comments on the predatory nature of Muslim society or the inability of African nations to transcend their tribal memes) are dubious at best, and potentially inflammatory at worst. And his ideas are often developed more by example than by exploration of their deeper consequences. Bloom's basic thesis is thought-provoking and often full of valuable insight; it is unfortunate that the implications he derives from it are so likely to encourage the worst aspects of human nature to come to the fore. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

I've read some things by Nathaniel Brandon, most his condemnation of Ayn Rand, and his articles is VoS and CUI. I liked the articles in the books and i know that it was written before the break with Miss Rand. For those that have read it.. Is it worth the investment in time and money? PS I apologize, I meant "The psychology of self-esteem"

Are you sure that the E-book is still there? For some reason I can't view it. Adobe doesn't even open when i click it. It shows the picture symbol (the colored shapes) the the broken picture symbol X.

If you don't mind, give some concrete examples.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/01/26/patriot.act.ap/ The right to secret searchs and seizures of weapons. The right to monitor library records and internet cookies.. more at aclu.com

Beyond Objectivism and Relativism Item Specifics - Textbooks, Education Author: Richard Bernstein Educational Level: -- Publisher: Univ of Pennsylvania Pr Publication Year: 1983 ISBN: 0812211650 Condition: New Format: Paperback Product Type: -- Category: Science & Tech Has anyone ever heard of this book and have info on it? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...ssPageName=WD1V

I'm am compiling a list of laws and government actions that will need to be repealed before America can achieve a full capitalist political system. I understand that the process of repeals will take time and will have to be on a law by law basis, but at the end, the goal, what things, exactly, will we have done away with in our government. Some basics: The Anti-Trust laws The New Deal The Patriot Act Medicare Social Security Welfare Income Tax Secondly, what will have to be added? Separation of state and economics private property as a fundamental right article in the Con. spesifically limiting the gov to army, police and civil courts

Good Idea. I'm deleting the majority of the material right now, feel free to fill it back in.

What is TEW? The only place I could find anything about it is here http://objectivescience.com/articles/ts_tew_still_fails.htm Thank you. James

"They[capitalist economies] have on occasion been through nearly disastrous periods (such as the Great depression), and most believe that it has only been government intervention that has prevented capitalist economies from collapsing, while a 'vocal minority maintain that it was government intervention that caused such disasters'." <---- here we are ;-) "Nevertheless, good or bad, because of or despite capitalism, it can be seen from history that the development of capitalism coincides with a large increase in population, technology, production and distribution - which taken together are felt to constitute "economic growth"." does this really say anything at all? "because of or despite capitalism, the development of capitalism..." ??? The author claims not to kow whether a large increase in population, technology, production and distribution it good or bad?? "It should be noted, however, that many other economic systems that have existed for significant periods of time (particularly in the last two hundred years) have also exhibited economic growth. Thus, although such growth is an aspect of capitalism, it is by no means unique to capitalist economies." These other economies of course are not cited. PS this article can be edited by anyone online. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalism

Are there any other virtues besides those in the Virtue of Selfishness? If so what are they and who presented them? Thank you James

I have heard a lot on this board about Christianity not being that prevailent or influencial in America. I don't know about where you live, but in Arkansas, it dictates nearly every piece of legislation and every piece of personal opinion. To give you an idea of the pervasivness: in a quarter mile stretch of my home town (Van Buren, pop 20,000) there are 4 christian churches, catholic baptist pentacostal, and methodist (incidentally that is the same stretch the high school and junior high are on. On a road into town there is a huge billboard with christ hanging from the cross and some scripture. In the paper the "religion section" is totally dominated by christian philosophy. You can't buy alcohol in the county. And in the next county over, you can't buy it on sunday. Most stores are closed on sunday as it is. There is no law that says it has to be that way, thats just the way the people want it. In the paper there are listings for over 500 churchs in the area with a population of around 100,000. On campus there are 2 different christian clubs as well as "future christian athletes"... These are just a few examples. Iknow that in the bigger cities, Chrisitianity isn't that much of a concern, but everywhere I've been around here (i'm a traveling salesperson, I cover about a quarter of the state) It seems like you can't get away from the christian influence.

Where do you go to manage the websites? Thanks James

70 and 90% income tax? Is that a typo?

I'm looking to put quotes about america's creation on fliers for my campus club, like from thomas jefferson, that are in line with Objectivist thought. Thank you all.

I'm not talking about a political party, I'm just saying that Objectivist's (rightly)condemn the US constitution as flawed by contradictory values. I'm just waiting until someone says "well if it that bad what would you all do instead?" that is when i could present them with the rational US constitution.

As to the second part of my question: has anyone written up a rational constitution? Shouldn't Objectivist's have one prepared just in case. When two parties are opposing and one offers no alternative and the other side offers one, even a suicidal one, the people will go with the side with the idea. This means Objectivist's should have a constitution written up ready to take the place of our current Con.

I added a different font to the merc. what do you all prefer, the blocky, or the cursive?

Opps. Here is the link http://www.cafepress.com/whoisaynrand

A whole series of product's (tee-shirts, mugs, caps) with "Who Is Ayn Rand?" Printed on them. Tell me what you think and buy them if you like them. More coming soon James