I just finished reading VOR and, in the final essay, Peikoff says “Whatever her errors, she practiced what she preached, both epistemologically and morally.” What errors is he referring to? He mentioned that he sometimes got frustrated with her when she would get angry, but then he said that her anger was perfectly rational, so I’m really at a loss as to what he is referring to.
I think it was more of a hypothetical question, as in, “even supposing she had any errors”, rather than, “putting aside her errors”. Regarding aspects of personality, those are not ‘errors’ per se, and different people respond to them differently.
Are there areas on which he disagrees with her? I seem to remember someone mentioning the fact that he disagree with her ideas about a woman president.
Errors don’t necessarily refer to philosophical errors. In The Voice of Reason Dr. Peikoff mentions that Miss Rand was always looking for that intellectual equal she could talk to; it made her vulnerable to people that were looking to use her abilities to benefit them. Those kinds of errors.
Right, but does he disagree with her about anything? What about the woman president issue?
Right, but does he disagree with her about anything? What about the woman president issue?
It’s very easy for people with the exact same philosophy to disagree on concrete issues. Look at all the fierce debates on this forum.
I don’t know if Dr. Peikoff and Ms. Rand had a disagreement about whether or not there could or should be a woman president. If they did, I don’t find it of very high importance.
The “woman president” issue is an application of philosophy, too, not a part of it, so it’s perfectly fine to disagree about it so long as you have a valid reason and context for doing so.