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Greek Examples Of Objectivism

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StarBuck

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Hello everyone.

I've been looking into Objectivism for a little over a year (having read Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, PWNI, and TVOS) and I think I have a basic idea of her philosophy now. However, one idea keeps coming back to me as I read her, that her basic ideas of value and virtue (which I see as her most important arguements) are based on Roman and Greek philosophers. Obviously we all know the regard she held Aristotle in, what other greco-roman figures espoused similar veiws?

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Hello everyone.

I've been looking into Objectivism for a little over a year (having read Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, PWNI, and TVOS) and I think I have a basic idea of her philosophy now. However, one idea keeps coming back to me as I read her, that her basic ideas of value and virtue (which I see as her most important arguements) are based on Roman and Greek philosophers. Obviously we all know the regard she held Aristotle in, what other greco-roman figures espoused similar veiws?

How did you come to that conclusion if you don't know what other Greek and Roman philosophers "espoused similar views"?

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How did you come to that conclusion if you don't know what other Greek and Roman philosophers "espoused similar views"?

I don't think he is assuming the existence of other Greek or Roman philosophers; he is asking if anyone knows of any.

Anyway, I do not know of any explicit references Ms. Rand made to such people, but I know that Socrates talked a lot about values.

For more, I would suggest going here and browsing about. Check out Peikoff's lecture (the first one listed on the page). Also, and this is the one you should definitely check out, Jones' History of Philosophy Volume I. It has all the Greek philosophy you would ever want, and is highly recommended in O'ist circles. You can probably find what you're looking for there.

Did that answer your question?

(Oh, and you should also PM Burgess Laughlin. He knows a lot about that sort of thing )

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Praxus wrote -

How did you come to that conclusion if you don't know what other Greek and Roman philosophers "espoused similar views"?

I said it because the greeks and romans were obsessed with what is good and how to get it. When I think of their civilization I think of a constant striving toward the complete human potential (wow, that sounded like a car advertisement, but I think you get my point); as opposed to the later Christian and Modern civilisations that are concerned less with the individual than the societies (worrying more about who gets rights rather than what to do with your rights for example).

Also, FreeThinker, thanks for the links.

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Praxus wrote -

I said it because the greeks and romans were obsessed with what is good and how to get it. When I think of their civilization I think of a constant striving toward the complete human potential (wow, that sounded like a car advertisement, but I think you get my point); as opposed to the later Christian and Modern civilisations that are concerned less with the individual than the societies (worrying more about who gets rights rather than what to do with your rights for example).

Also, FreeThinker, thanks for the links.

No problem. I think it would be more accurate to say they were obsessed with THE good. Subtle, but important.

Also, I don't think you are wrong, but be sure you know the facts before you conclude that. Don't take Ms. Rand's words as necessarily absolute.

Sorry if that came across as patronizing.

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I don't mean to sound presumptuous, but I think that what Free Thinker was getting at was that you shouldn't unquestionably accept what Rand says; everyone must come to his own conclusion about what is true using his own brain, not taking on faith what someone says.

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I don't mean to sound presumptuous, but I think that what Free Thinker was getting at was that you shouldn't unquestionably accept what Rand says; everyone must come to his own conclusion about what is true using his own brain, not taking on faith what someone says.

Right. I just find it a bit un-nerving (or is it unnerving?) when someone already has a conclusion, then reads about the facts to support it. It isn't a big deal (on this thread, I mean), I just wanted to point it out. I think you should read what AR says, consider it (on face value), then go read as much about the issue as interests you. I personally would find myself (for instance) talking about Israeli history and their right to exist (as a nation) without having read anything on the issue (aside from ARI's Op-Eds).

This is another one of those issues that is rehashed over and over again, it seems.

I also do not want to come across as presumptuous, but as long as Elysium brought it up, I thought I'd better explain myself.

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