Ayn Rand’s project of absolute ethics Cover Image

Projekt etyki absolutnej Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand’s project of absolute ethics

Author(s): Sławomir Drelich
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Philosophy, Ethics / Practical Philosophy
Published by: KSIĘGARNIA AKADEMICKA Sp. z o.o.
Keywords: objective ethics; Objectivism; rational ethics; libertarianism

Summary/Abstract: Ayn Rand is one of the most famous American thinkers identified with libertarian thought. She is primarily known as the founder of the philosophical system, which she described as the Objectivism or Objectivist philosophy. This concept became the foundation for created by her ethics and axiology, as well as her interesting vision of society, state and economy. This article gives an overview of Ayn Rand’s absolute ethics, which has never been formulated as a separate theory. However it can be reconstructed on the basis of Rand’s essays, novels and journalism. This kind of ethics can be defined as an absolute or objective ethics. The foundation of this concept of ethics is Randian dogma of the objective existence of the world and human being. That is why the central ideas of this concept are: individualism, rationalism, voluntarism and vitalism. And the key values are accordingly: man, reason, freedom and life. Ayn Rand refers to the Aristotle’s concepts but also attempts to restore the principles of the classical liberalism.

  • Issue Year: 13/2016
  • Issue No: 45
  • Page Range: 109-124
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Polish