The mission of my Prometheus Foundation is to promote Ayn Rand and advance her philosophy of Objectivism. Two of the most effective ways to do this are to inspire people to read Rand’s books, especially The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged—and to promote and deliver Leonard Peikoff’s courses. Prometheus Foundation is achieving these aims in various…
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More of the FDA’s Infinite Wisdom and Benevolence…
You think the FDA is a benign bureaucracy? See here regarding its massive destruction of American lives via its regulations on producers of Covid vaccines. But the FDA’s dictates disrupt and destroy more than the production and distribution of vaccines. They also ensure that catsup makers use the “correct” amount of lemon juice in their…
Homicide and the FDA
Homicide is the deliberate and unlawful killing of one person by another. There are four types: capital murder, murder, manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide. War, by contrast, involves the legally sanctioned killing of a country’s enemies. But what do we call bureaucratic, government-sanctioned killing of a country’s own citizens? As our “protector,” the Food and…
Dr. Leonard Peikoff’s Courses and Lectures
When I studied Dr. Peikoff’s courses almost 40 years ago, I was thrilled by the knowledge and delighted with the clarity, certitude, and wit of his delivery. I had taken hundreds of courses during my life, but none that compared to his. It is through them that I became an Objectivist. They changed my life….
An Ayn Rand Scholarship Foundation Update
Thank you for the many responses to the proposal for an Ayn Rand Scholarship program. We will be expanding the program to include fellowships. I have received exciting and substantial responses to the proposal from individuals and organizations. Discussions are continuing. The next steps are: Establish a system to search for the brightest and best…
A Bittersweet Legal Victory
The Colorado Court of Appeals threw out Judge Ross Buchanan’s opinion against CollegeAmerica and, in an unprecedented action, removed him from the case. See the press release here. There is a political campaign (which began with the Obama administration) to cripple and close private for-profit career colleges and universities. With coordinated attacks originating from Senators…
Longevity: Delaying, Even Reversing Aging
According to ongoing studies that seem promising, Rapamycin is the most effective pharmacological agent for delaying or reversing some of the biological effects of aging. I also highly recommend Dr. Attia’s five-part series “Studying Studies”—it is an epistemological tour de force.
OCON – History with Pictures
While cleaning up my old home at Lake Tahoe, I came across two photographs and a certificate from September 1, 1985. I believe that this was the first OCON, at that time named The Jefferson School. (Correction: A friend emailed to let me know that the first TJS conference was in 1983.) This “OCON” was…
A Wonderful (and Long-Overdue) Conference
A few weeks ago, more than 250 life-loving people gathered in beautiful Newton, MA for four days of fellowship and “philosophy for freedom and flourishing,” at TOS-Con 2021. The topics ranged from art to racism to self-development to capitalism, and all were unified by a single theme: the unique powers of reason and freedom to…
An Ayn Rand Scholarship Foundation
Ayn Rand declared, “What we need today are ‘new intellectuals’,” which she said includes “any man or woman who is willing to think, meaning: any man or woman who knows that man’s life must be guided by reason, by the intellect, not by feelings, wishes, whims, or mystic revelations. Any man or woman who values…
Ayn Rand’s Treasures Online
The Ayn Rand Institute announced a “goal to make much more of the [Ayn Rand] archives available online.” This is an exciting and valuable activity for the Ayn Rand Institute. Stay tuned for future updates; I will be periodically checking on their progress.
Providing for the Poor
Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher, famously said: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Typical of Nietzsche to say something exotic but not sensible. But contrary to Nietzsche, our current political ultracrepidarians (know-it-all politicians) suggest the opposite and are intent on providing unearned benefits to all, including forgiveness of student loans, free college,…
A Modern Miracle – Child Survival
One of the most tragic, wretchedly heartbreaking traumas for parents is the loss of a child, either neonatal or during childhood, adolescence, or even in their adult years. It’s just not supposed to happen! It feels like a betrayal; it can cause unspeakable suffering. I was struck by a column by Alison Gopnik titled “A…