Foundations of a Free Society: Reflections on Ayn Rand's Political Philosophy (Ayn Rand Society Philosophical Studies)

Foundations of a Free Society brings together some of the most knowledgeable Ayn Rand scholars and proponents of her philosophy, as well as notable critics, putting them in conversation with other intellectuals who also see themselves as defenders of capitalism and individual liberty. United by the view that there is something importantly right—though perhaps also much wrong—in Rand's political philosophy, contributors reflect on her views with the hope of furthering our understandings of what sort of society is best and why. The volume provides a robust elaboration and defense of the foundation of Rand's political philosophy in the principle that force paralyzes and negates the functioning of reason; it offers an in-depth scholarly discussion of Rand's view on the nature of individual rights and the role of government in defending them; it deals extensively with the similarities and differences between Rand's thought and the libertarian tradition (to which she is often assimilated) and objections to her positions arising from this tradition; it explores Rand's relation to the classical liberal tradition, specifically with regard to her defense of freedom of the intellect; and it discusses her views on the free market, with special attention to the relation between these views and those of the Austrian school of economics. Contents......Page 8 Note on the Series / James G. Lennox......Page 12 Introduction / Gregory Salmieri......Page 16 Part One: Reason, Force, and the Foundations of Politics......Page 26 The Place of the Non–Initiation of Force Principle in Ayn Rand’s Philosophy / Darryl Wright......Page 28 Force and the Mind / Darryl Wright......Page 58 The Scope and Justification of Rand’s Non–Initiation of Force Principle / Darryl Wright......Page 89 Part Two: Rights and Government......Page 128 Ayn Rand’s Theory of Rights: An Exposition and Response to Critics / Fred D. Miller Jr. and Adam Mossoff......Page 130 A Critique of Ayn Rand’s Theory of Rights: Response to Miller and Mossoff / Matt Zwolinski......Page 165 Selfish Regard for the Rights of Others: Continuing a Discussion with Zwolinski, Miller, and Mossoff / Gregory Salmieri......Page 179 Ayn Rand and Robert Nozick on Rights / Lester H. Hunt......Page 206 Rand (contra Nozick) on Individual Rights and the Emergence and Justification of Government / Onkar Ghate......Page 219 Anarchism versus Objectivism / Harry Binswanger......Page 241 Defending Liberty: The Commonsense Approach / Michael Huemer......Page 250 Egoism, Force, and the Need for Government: A Response to Huemer / Harry Binswanger......Page 274 Part Three: Rand and the Classical Liberal Tradition on Intellectual Freedom......Page 294 A Wall of Separation between Church and State: Understanding This Principle’s Supporting Arguments and Far-Reaching Implications / Onkar Ghate......Page 296 The Arc of Liberalism: Locke, Mill, and Rand / Robert Garmong......Page 317 Part Four: The Nature and Foundations of Economic Freedom (and Its Opposite)......Page 338 Economic Theory and Conceptions of Value: Rand and Austrians versus the Mainstream / Robert Tarr......Page 340 Mises, Rand, and the Twentieth Century / Peter J. Boettke......Page 397 The Head, the Heart, and the Ethics of Capitalism: Response to Boettke / Robert Garmong......Page 414 The Aristocracy of Pull: An Objectivist Analysis of Cronyism / Steve Simpson......Page 423 Uniform Abbreviations for Rand’s Works......Page 442 References......Page 446 Contributors......Page 462 Index......Page 466 La 4e de couverture indique : "Foundations of a Free Society brings together some of the most knowledgeable Ayn Rand scholars and proponents of her philosophy, as well as notable critics, putting them in conversation with other intellectuals who also see themselves as defenders of capitalism and individual liberty. United by the view that there is something importantly right--though perhaps also much wrong--in Rand's political philosophy, contributors reflect on her views with the hope of furthering our understandings of what sort of society is best and why. The volume provides a robust elaboration and defense of the foundation of Rand's political philosophy in the principle that force paralyzes and negates the functioning of reason; it offers an in-depth scholarly discussion of Rand's view on the nature of individual rights and the role of government in defending them; it deals extensively with the similarities and differences between Rand's thought and the libertarian tradition (to which she is often assimilated) and objections to her positions arising from this tradition; it explores Rand's relation to the classical liberal tradition, specifically with regard to her defense of freedom of the intellect; and it discusses her views on the free market, with special attention to the relation between these views and those of the Austrian school of economics." The third book published in Ayn Rand Society Philosophical Studies series; an exploration of Ayn Rand's political philosophy