[Lecture One] Objectivism Through Induction
by Dr. Leonard Peikoff
Total Time: 1 hour, 26 minutes
Course summary: In this course, Dr. Peikoff demonstrates how to grasp philosophic ideas and principles in the same way that they were discovered—through induction from the facts of reality. Working through a process of generalizing from observed facts, Peikoff shows how a student can come to grasp and validate key ideas in Objectivist philosophy. Key concepts covered in the course include the idea of objectivity in both knowledge and values, egoism, reason as man’s means of survival, and the metaphysical status of sex. Read more »
In this lecture: In this lecture, Dr. Peikoff introduces the purpose of using induction to reach all of one’s philosophic ideas. He describes how induction helps us avoid rationalism and to become clearer thinkers. He then applies the method to the law of cause and effect.
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.
| Why does every field of knowledge depend on induction as a methodology for reaching knowledge? |
| What purpose of cognitive efficiency is achieved by using the inductive method? |
| Why does rationalism in effect represent a shortcut? |
| How does the polemical approach undermine one’s ability to induce? |
| Taking the example of the law of cause and effect, what would be the rationalistic way to derive the principle? |
| How does working down from a standard definition help one get to concretes? |
| Make a list of things you might observe on a “causality walk.” |
| How do you know when you have made enough observations? |
| How does integration of inductions act in a reciprocal way? |
| Complete the thinking assignment described by Dr. Peikoff, to induce “man’s basic means of survival is reason.” |
| Describe the “reduction” and “genus” methods. |