HW DUE FRIDAY 9/7

9III 2nd:

HW DUE FRI. 9/7: 

IN WRITING PORTFOLIO, complete JOURNAL #7/'RAND PHILOSOPHY RESPONSE' below....

--DIRECTIONS: In at least 150 words (1/2 to ¾ page), consider the facets of Rand’s OBJECTIVIST philosophy and READ CAREFULLY the explanations below:

(*The following excerpt is from "What Makes Ayn Rand's Philosophy So Unique?" -www.aynrandnovels.org)

To most modern philosophers philosophy is disconnected from life—nothing more than an analysis of language, or speculation about the unknowable, or an intellectual game—which is why most people think philosophy is “just a lot of theory” (i.e., a waste of time).

To Ayn Rand, by contrast, philosophy is a matter of life and death. On [sic] her view, philosophy studies the fundamental nature of existence, of man and of man’s relationship to existence. A philosophy, such as Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism, is a systematic, integrated view of existence—what used to be called “a philosophy of life.” Far from being a useless game, philosophy, to Ayn Rand, is the determining factor in an individual’s character and happiness and in every aspect of a culture, including history, politics, education....

Now here, briefly, is what is unique about Ayn Rand’s philosophy; it is not just her approach to philosophy.

-The nature of reality: Objectivism holds that things are what they are, independent of anyone’s knowledge or wishes. Objectivism rejects both the view that reality is some supernatural realm inaccessible to reason or that everyone has his own subjective reality.

-Knowledge: Objectivism holds that reason is man’s only means of knowledge and tool of survival and that certainty is attainable. Objectivism thus rejects both the view that there is some non-rational means of knowledge (e.g., faith or intuition), and the view that knowledge is impossible and truth is relative to the individual or culture.

-Human nature: Objectivism holds that individuals have free will, are autonomous and independent: by using reason, they can determine their own beliefs and values and thus control their own lives (“Man is a being of self-made soul”). Objectivism rejects the view that an individual’s thoughts and actions are the inevitable result of factors (e.g., heredity or environment) beyond his control.

-Ethical standards: Objectivism holds that ethics is objective and factual; the standard of moral value is that which furthers the survival of man as a rational being. Objectivism rejects the view that ethics is a matter of opinion, that right and wrong are determined by social convention, ethnicity, personal preference or religious commandment.

-Morality: Objectivism holds that every individual is an end in himself—which means that each individual should be selfish, should live by his own mind and for his own happiness, neither sacrificing himself to others nor sacrificing others to himself. Objectivism rejects the view that an individual’s moral worth is determined by his altruistic service to society, the needy, the nation or some deity.

-Politics: Objectivism holds that capitalism is the only moral social system and that the only proper purpose of government is the protection of an individual’s right to life, liberty, property and pursuit of happiness. Objectivism rejects the collectivist view that government exists to further the “common good,” the will of the majority or any particular group (e.g., the working class); and, unlike libertarianism, it rejects the view that government is evil by nature.

Now, after reading these descriptions, respond to the following prompt: Of the 'tenets' (items in bold w/descriptions) of OBJECTIVISM described above, which one do you identify with the MOST?  Why?  Which one do you DISAGREE with the most? Why? Be prepared to share!!!  Give personal examples as well! 

9th 3rd/4th:

STUDY FOR QUIZ #4 FRI. 9/7 ON:

--RDG STRATEGIES sheets/notes: focus on SOAPSTone

--'genres' sheet/highlighted terms on BOTH SIDES

--poetry v. prose/know how to identify each!

--how to use positive/comparative/superlative DEGREES OF COMPARISON

--‘basics’ on underlining and quotation marks from our practice pages