Hidy-ho, everyone! I’ve participated in this forum on and off for almost three years now, possibly before these “introduction posts” were a regular occurrence! My name is Andrew Ritchie; I originally wanted to make my user name “Andrew R,” just to keep it simple, but then thought “R Andrew” would be more original. After picking that name, I realized “Randrew” begins with “Rand”, which actually annoyed me a little: after all, there is a pretty big difference between admiring someone’s philosophy and naming yourself after them.
So I’ve decided to change my name; I shall now explain the meaning of my new handle. I’m a graduate student in Mathematics, with some interest in Statistics. In a way, a statistician is an engineer of knowledge and certainty: indeed, the choice of a statistical test used on a data set can alter the level of confidence one attributes to a conclusion. (This is my attempt to romanticize a career that otherwise looks very dry to an outsider.)
I’m more of a student of Objectivism or “Objectivist sympathizer” than an Objectivist, as I can be rather irrational and whimsical at times. For example, my second and third favorite musical artists of all time are Marilyn Manson and Tom Waits.
Anyway, I’ve enjoyed my time on here so far, and I’m looking forward to expounding here several theories related to Objectivism that I’ve come up with lately!