[Lecture Two] Objectivism: The State of the Art
by Dr. Leonard Peikoff
Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Course summary: In preparing the material for his treatise, Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, Dr. Leonard Peikoff confronted unique problems and challenges in how properly to systematize the material. Based on his earlier comprehensive course on Objectivism in 1976, Dr. Peikoff had to question whether he had developed the content to the most precise and accurate formulations. In completing this process, he arrived at new insights that allowed him to present the material more clearly and to demonstrate the proofs for them. He reviews this material in this course. Read more »
In this lecture: Dr. Peikoff continues the discussion of the logical structure of Objectivism through a discussion of the Objectivist metaphysics.
Study Guide
This material is designed to help you digest the lecture content. You can also download below a PDF study guide for the entire course.
| What is the difference between an implicit grasp and explicit knowledge? |
| What is missing from an implicit grasp of some item of knowledge? |
| Why is it necessary for identity as an axiom to be learned prior to the axiom of consciousness? |
| What step comes between grasping existence as an axiom and grasping identity as an axiom? |
| Describe the difference between an axiomatic concept and an axiom proper. |
| What other concepts of axioms are necessary to grasp before grasping the primacy of existence? |
| How does this observation help to answer the historical belief in a clash between consciousness and reality, or the mind/body dichotomy? |
| At the level of metaphysics, what is an absolute? |
| How does a child grasp the contrast to metaphysical absolutes? |
| Why does the grasp of the metaphysical versus to the man-made lead to the grasp of volition? |
| What are the two basic metaphysical errors prominent in the world? |
Q&A Guide
Below is a list of questions from the audience taken from this lecture, along with (approximate) time stamps.
| 1:00:30 | Previously there has been a distinction argued for between chronological and logical hierarchy. Yet, after yesterday’s lecture, the implication seems to be that there is no distinction. Does the issue of implicit vs. explicit knowledge have anything to do with the distinction? In other words, within the context of implicit knowledge, there seem to be no distinction, but within the context of explicit knowledge, is there not a distinction? |
| 1:05:39 | Are you saying that you have to know that the issue of the primacy of consciousness comes before the issue of volition? |
| 1:08:38 | To what extent and at what point does a parent try to teach this material to a child? |
| 1:14:39 | How did Helen Keller go through this process? |
| 1:17:47 | Would the cultural conditions affect the order or the timing of this learning experience? |
| 1:23:12 | Why do you use the term “religion” instead of “idealism”? |