Kirjan toteuttamiseksi on tehty seuraavaa:
1) on kerätty pääasiassa Ayn Randin ja Leonard Peikoffin sitaatteja.
2) on luokiteltu ne aihepiireittäin.
3) on luokiteltu aiheet aakkosjärjestykseen.

Tämä on siis filosofinen hakuteos ja sitä tulee arvioida sellaisena. Teoksen toimittanut Harry Binswanger korostaa, ettei tämän hakuteoksen tarkoituksena ole korvata alkuperäisteoksia. Käytännössä teos on siis suunnattu henkilöille, jotka jo tietävät objektivismista jotain, mutta haluavat muistin virkistämiseksi varmistaa yksittäisen asian nopeasti.

Teoksen julkaisusta on kulunut muutama vuosikymmen, joten lukija haluaa varsin nopeasti tarkistaa, onko teos ajan tasalla. Tarkoitan tällä sitä, löytyykö hakuteoksesta sellaiset aiheet, jotka ovat nykyään hyvin ajankohtaisia. Teosta pitkään lukeneena olen toistaiseksi löytänyt seuraavat puuttuvat otsikot:

*Yksityisyys
*Nationalismi
*Monikulttuurisuus

Tosin on huomautettava, että näkemyksen näihinkin asiakysymyksiin pystyy helposti päätellä ja tämän kirjan lukija todennäköisesti ne jo tietääkin. On myös todettava, että nämä puutteet ovat pieniä kaiken hakuteoksen tarjoaman tietomäärän rinnalla. Näin ollen voidaan todeta, että kattavuuden näkökulmasta hakuteos on onnistunut. Teoksen asettelu on myös selkeä, joten moitittavaa on vaikea löytää.

Arvosana: 5/5

This book is a collection of ideas of Ayn Rand, organized by topic. She criticizes the German idealist philosopher Immanuel Kant for his denial of moral approval to the man who desires to do the right thing and does it. Instead, Kant gives moral approval only to the man who desires to do the wrong thing, but does the right thing anyway, out of a sense of duty. On this topic, Rand is in agreement with the Aristotelian philosopher Mortimer Adler, who asserted that virtue is right desire. That is, Adler (and Aristotle) give moral approval to the man who desires to do the right thing. Kant gets it wrong. The Buddhists are also on the wrong side of the issue. They assert that desire itself is evil. But only wrong desire, the desire to do things that harm our long-range goals, is evil, according to Aristotle and Rand. (Ayn Rand did not discuss Buddhism, or even Mortimer Adler, in this book, I am just voicing my own opinions). Ayn Rand also criticizes the American philosopher John Dewey, who was a major contributor to the philosophy of pragmatism. Rand objects to pragmatism, because it denies that there are general principles that apply in all places and at all times. She also criticizes Dewey for deriving his philosophy from Hegel, a philosopher she despises. Although Ayn Rand does not mention moral relativism in this book, one of its origins was Dewey's pragmatism. Ayn Rand writes about man being a creature with a "self-made soul". Here she emphasizes the importance of free will, in comparison to heredity and environment. The materialists deny the existence of the soul, the right-wing scientists emphasize the importance of heredity, the leftists emphasize the importance of the environment, and the religionists see the soul as an unearned gift from God, and not as self-creating. Her philosophy is thus distinct from all the major philosophies in our current world. Her position represents a part of common sense that has not received much past support from articulated philosophy.

Very helpful reference, identifying relevant passages from Rand's fiction and nonfiction that indicate her thoughts on a wide variety of topics. Not exhaustive, but a great first stop. I recommend this to anyone interested in Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism.

elibrary

A is A.

A great exploration into the mind of Ayn Rand

This is a series of essays illustrating the philosophical ideas at the basis of most of Rand's fiction. If you've read her fiction and dug it, and you have decent comprehension of western philosophy, you'll dig it. If you don't really understand the differences between Plato and Aristotle, or the difference between a free market vs a regulated market, then don't brother reading this. That's the only reason i gave it 3 stars - its relevant only if you already have a certain amount of relevant study under your belt. That being said, Rand's philosophical basis is in Aristotle e.g. there is a 'real' world and it's the one we all live in and it's made of material. Science might not know everything but they can sure get closer than a bunch of religious fanatics. Her critique of the then burgeoning, well-intentioned albeit misguided/collectivist and inquisitional Civil Rights movement is particularly relevant now, even prophetic. If she were alive today you would never even hear about her, not even on Fox News because of all the mean things she says about religion. We should consider ourselves lucky her books are still even being published.

Excellent companion piece for any Ayn Rand novel. Nice reference.

Haven't read all of it. I keep it as a reference book and use it to look up things occasionally. Not really the kind of book you read cover to cover.

This is a lexicon therefore I am going to read it again and again

The Ayn Rand Lexicon can be a great resource. Now it is available for free at http://aynrandlexicon.com/

very helpful. a well-organized and successful lexicon of all of Rand's philosphies organized by topic. a perfect introduction to objectivism or supplement to previous knowledge.