The Virtue of Selfishness Reading Group
9 hours total | 6 sessions, beginning September 10, 2024
“The purpose of morality,” wrote Ayn Rand, “is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live.” Is this true? If so, why? What does it mean for your life? And what does it mean for traditional morality?
In The Virtue of Selfishness: A New Concept of Egoism, Rand presents revolutionary ideas on morality—ideas based on observation and logic. She explains how objective morality is derived from perceptual reality and human nature. She discusses the requirements of human life, given the kind of animal we are; the requirements of personal happiness, given our nature; the values and virtues that can help us to think clearly, live fully, and foster social harmony; and why today’s dominant morality, altruism—which holds that being moral consists in self-sacrificially serving others—does not stand to reason and is inimical to human life and happiness.
In The Virtue of Selfishness, Rand not only explains her ethics, she applies its principles to topics such as conflicts of people’s interests, when compromise is appropriate and when it isn’t, the source and nature of rights, how to lead a rational life in an irrational society, and how moral principles apply to emergency situations.
Deep dive into the ground-breaking essays in Rand’s The Virtue of Selfishness, and level up with “the morality of life.”
Instructors
Martin Hooss
Martin Hooss is a fellow and instructor at Objective Standard Institute. He holds a master’s degree in English literature and classical philology from Trier University, and another in philosophy, politics, and economics from CEVRO Institute.
Thomas Walker-Werth
Course & Session Schedule
Sessions will run on Tuesdays from 9am–10:30am PT, starting September 10 through October 22, 2024 (no session September 24).
How the Course Works
This course is interactive and discussion-driven, so enrollment is limited. Register early to secure your spot. The course is held live on Zoom, which you can download for free here. Sessions are video recorded, so if you miss a session (or want to review), you can watch the recording. OSI may sell course recordings and/or use them for marketing, promotional, or educational purposes. Homework assignments are optional. Doing them may require an additional hour or more per week but will greatly enhance what you learn in this course. If you don’t have a copy of the book, you need to get one so you can read the chapters we’ll be discussing each week. You can purchase the book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BetterWorldBooks, or practically any other bookstore. We recommend a print copy of the book, but if you prefer an electronic copy, that is fine, too. (If your financial situation is such that you cannot afford to purchase a copy of the book, please let us know by emailing [email protected], and we will help you get one.) Course handouts and supplementary materials are delivered via email. Course participants are invited to an exclusive OSI Courses group on Facebook, where they can post questions and engage in discussions with the instructor and other participants. Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Read our FAQ or email us at [email protected]. By enrolling, you agree to OSI’s Course Terms and Conditions.
