"The virtuous egoist" - philosophy applied to real life by Tara Smith, PhD (the University of Texas at Austin, USA).

Room 4, Instytut Amerykanistyki i Studiów Polonijnych UJ, ul. Rynek Główny 34, (3rd floor, in front of the entrance)
Thursday, 17:30-19.15

Ayn Rand is well known for advocating selfishness, yet the substance of that selfishness is rarely understood. This presentation will explain some of the pivotal features that distinguish Rand’s ideal: a virtuous egoist.

Dr. Smith will outline why a person should be an egoist, the particular kind of egoism that Rand does and does not commend, and the kinds of virtues that a person must exercise in order to actually advance his self-interest. Along the way, she will differentiate Rand’s egoism from hedonism, materialism, and predation, and indicate how moral virtues such as honesty and justice—when properly understood—are indispensable to a person’s genuine well-being.