Introductions are in order...

Introductions and Personal Notes
1

Hello, members of the Objectivism Online forum.

I’ve been a member for a few months I think, but I posted primarily on Facebook for over a year, and didn’t really take notice of this forum until very recently. It’s funny because I would be in the middle of a discussion about Objectivism on Facebook, and someone would link to one of the discussions already happening, and I would read the posts, but never get into the discussion.

I’ve really liked what I’ve read so far, and many of you are well-versed in Objectivist literature, so discussing points about it or philosophy in general should be very interesting.

I’m a sophomore at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and I recently declared my major in philosophy. I’ve been a student of Objectivism/Objectivist for about 19 months, and to be more specific, I think I became an explicit Objectivist during the summer while doing an in-depth study of “Objectivism: the Philosophy of Ayn Rand.” I’m also a freshman at the Objectivist Academic Center. I’m honestly getting more out of the “Intro. to Philosophy” course taught at the OAC than I am in the “Phil. Problems” intro. course I’m required to take here at U of M, in order to be a philosophy major.

I’m particularly interested in Epistemology and Ethics in Philosophy, and I also like to delve into Politics in certain areas.

Thus far, I’ve read Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, PWNI, OPAR, VOR, TVOS, ITOE (1st and 2nd), The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution, CUI, FNTI, and RM. I’ve also read “Viable Values” and “Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics: the Virtuous Egoist” by Tara Smith, and I read “We the Living” on-and-off. I’ve gone through most of “Ayn Rand Answers,” and will finish that this upcoming break I think.

Outside of Objectivism, I’m reading “A History of Philosophy” by Wilhelm Windelband, a book that is “suggested reading” at the Ayn Rand Bookstore. I have to agree with their estimates; I do think I’m getting more out of reading this book than by reading some of the philosopher’s works in my “Intro. to Phil.” textbooks, particularly because of the connections Windelband makes.

Well, I suppose that’s enough information. Hope to discuss issues with you on the forum!

2

Welcome to the forum.

3

Welcome.

4

Welcome to the forum! I think that you find the forum to be both pleasant and informative. I also anticipate that you will contribute much value yourself.

5

Welcome! :slight_smile:

6

Hello, members of the Objectivism Online forum.

I’ve been a member for a few months I think, but I posted primarily on Facebook for over a year, and didn’t really take notice of this forum until very recently. It’s funny because I would be in the middle of a discussion about Objectivism on Facebook, and someone would link to one of the discussions already happening, and I would read the posts, but never get into the discussion.

I’ve really liked what I’ve read so far, and many of you are well-versed in Objectivist literature, so discussing points about it or philosophy in general should be very interesting.

…

Thus far, I’ve read Atlas Shrugged, The Fountainhead, PWNI, OPAR, VOR, TVOS, ITOE (1st and 2nd), The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution, CUI, FNTI, and RM. I’ve also read “Viable Values” and “Ayn Rand’s Normative Ethics: the Virtuous Egoist” by Tara Smith, and I read “We the Living” on-and-off. I’ve gone through most of “Ayn Rand Answers,” and will finish that this upcoming break I think.

Welcome, and I have to say that is an impressive achievement to have gotten through all that in 19 mos. It took me almost a year to digest Atlas Shrugged (I think I read it through once and then had to go back and pore over each page considering the philosophical implications).

It reminds me of an encounter I had with Harry Binswanger: I ran into him in a Starbucks and introduced myself and he was asking about my history with Objectivism. When I told him I had been a student of Oism for seven years, he responded to the effect of “Oh, so you’re really new to it”. I remember thinking of what an odyssey the past seven years feels like, but I guess in relative terms I am still pretty new to Objectivism.

Incidentally, I think We the Living is the hardest book to read, at least having grasped Objectivism at the point that I read it. I practically bawled when I got to the end.