Ayn Rand: Difference between revisions
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Recently, her books have begun to show up on reading lists for some political philosophy courses, and the Journal of Ayn Rand Studies was established. Think-tanks founded by Objectivism's proponents, such as [http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=index&cvridirect=true the Ayn Rand Institute] and [http://www.objectivistcenter.org/ The Atlas Society], also promote Objectivist ideas. Penn State Press's ''Rereading The Canon'' series, which was a collection of volumes of Feminist interpretations of specific philosophers, included a book on Ayn Rand. Rand-influenced academics like Tara Smith, David Kelley and Chris Matthew Sciabarra have published many works expanding upon Objectivism and detailing the implications of her ideas.
Unfortunately, Rand as a figure generates intense feelings of either seething hatred or ([http://www.amazon.com/Ayn-Rand-Cult-Jeff-Walker/dp/0812693906 some] [http://www.2think.org/02_2_she.shtml say]) cultish adoration and as such debates over the content of her ideas have a general tendency to spill over into debates about her as a person. For instance, several Rand critics question [http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/60120/ her ability to stay true to her own principles]. She may have also received [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-ford/ayn-rand-and-the-vip-dipe_b_792184.html government aid] after getting lung cancer, but Rand herself argued that if someone had paid taxes to fund these systems then they "have a clear right to any refund of their own money" (see [http://www.reason.com/blog/2011/01/30/rand-on-the-dole here]). These aspects of Rand's character have been criticized by several Objectivists. While Rand's personal eccentricities do not necessarily prove anything about the validity or invalidity of her philosophy, Rand did [https://web.archive.org/web/20130405154214/http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/60120/index2.html once] point to herself as proof that her philosophy could work in the real world.
(Note: In recent years, left-wing critics of Rand spread a story claiming that Rand had a [[Draco in Leather Pants]] admiration of serial killer William Hickman. In reality, Rand called Hickman a [http://storeyinstitute.blogspot.com/2012/02/myths-lies-and-true-believers-why.html purposeless monster], and Hickman is only mentioned in notes for a story in which she describes the protagonist as being ''the exact opposite'' of Hickman. More commentary on this, as well as objectivist responses to other criticisms of Rand can be found [http://fvdb.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/the-left-smears-ayn-rand/ here].)
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