Category:Philosophy

February 27, 2023 | Post

Ayn Rand, a celebrated author and philosopher, was one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. Known for her bestselling novels, such as The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, Rand’s ideas have had a profound impact on the fields of politics, economics, and philosophy.

February 17, 2023 | Post

Ideology — that is, a system of beliefs that are baked into our perception of the world — serves important functions in human society. It can provide context to problems, foster a sense of belonging and community, and in some cases even inspire hope. But what are the limits of ideology?

February 14, 2023 | Post

Central to Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism is the idea that each of us should hold our own personal happiness as our highest moral purpose. Here are a selection of Ayn Rand quotes for living a fulfilling life…

January 10, 2023 | Post

In “How the Force Can Fix the World”, Stephen Kent explores how Star Wars themes can be applied to our current political and cultural landscape. A thought-provoking and compelling read for fans of Star Wars and for those looking for a new perspective on real-world issues.

November 23, 2022 | Post

Cosmopolitanism is the belief in universal human rights, regardless of time or place. That each of us is a citizen of the world first, country second. It also denotes a law and morality that transcends all, and must be applied to everyone equally. But cosmopolitanism is more than just a recognition of the universal rights of others.

October 14, 2022 | Post

Objectivism is consistently mischaracterized and stereotyped in popular media, and is blamed as responsible for any right-leaning political development. Here are five common myths that you may have heard about Ayn Rand.

October 1, 2022 | Post

Just because something’s ancient doesn’t mean it’s wise. And just because Confucius (or even some other thinker of renown — even if that’s Ludwig von Mises!) said something, doesn’t mean it’s beyond reproach.

September 30, 2022 | Post

It used to be very easy to define political camps. You were left-wing if you were a socialist, and you were right-wing if you were a capitalist. But now the terms of the debate have changed. Economics has taken a back seat

September 15, 2022 | Video

In this video, Jon Hersey, managing editor of The Objective Standard, argues that four thinkers, Aristotle, Rand, Plato, and Kant, are the key to understanding some of history’s most brilliant eras — and its darkest — as well as the modern-day culture war that seemingly divides us so profoundly. Whose ideas, for example, dominated during […]

July 8, 2022 | Post

Friends of liberty are united by a common interest in peacefully building a freer society that champions liberty for all.

March 25, 2022 | Post

John Locke and David Hume are two thinkers who provided a robust defense of property rights, and their arguments are markedly different.

February 28, 2022 | Post

When we think of terms such as capitalism, individualism, or selfishness, one name comes to mind: Ayn Rand. But what makes Rand so significant?

February 2, 2022 | Post

Modernity is unthinkable without capitalism, yet Ayn Rand defined capitalism as an unknown ideal, one whose benefits people did not understand

December 16, 2021 | Video

If you feel constrained by the Democrat/Republican, liberal/conservative divide, you might be a Libertarian. And if that’s the case, Learn Liberty’s wide-ranging Philosophy 201 & 202 courses is for you.

In this introductory video, Peter Jaworski, Assistant Teaching Professor at Georgetown University, and Chris Freiman, Associate Professor at William and Mary University lay out a brief syllabus, defining Libertarianism as a political philosophy that regards individual liberty as the morally appropriate and legitimate priority for political institutions.

October 22, 2021 | Post

To make a coherent defense of liberty, it is important not to neglect the philosophical and moral considerations that underpin our individual rights.

October 10, 2021 | Post

Since its publication in 1957, Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged continues to have a lasting impact and remains a cornerstone of pro-liberty literature

July 15, 2021 | Post

Self-identified libertarians have a variety of core principles, and different stressors can push some towards more nefarious ideologies, like the far-right

April 28, 2021 | Video

Lesson 10 of our Law 201 Course: Prof. Ilya Somin returns to explain how Immigration promotes and even secures liberty, not only for migrants themselves but also for natives. He talks about improving the lives of people fleeing dictatorships, authoritarian regimes, and poverty and how this movement reflects (positively) in the economy and society of more open countries.

April 28, 2021 | Video

Torts and crimes are different concepts that guide criminal and civil Laws within societies. In this video, we will examine how interactions between people can be harmful to some, and also what legal tools are there to prevent and punish those who cross the line.

January 11, 2018 | Video

Is human blood a “public resource”? Prof. Peter Jaworski argues that your bodily fluids belong to you, and governments should let you sell them.

January 2, 2018 | Video

Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker argues that political correctness actually breeds the very same extremist views it hopes to quash. Excerpted from Spiked Magazine’s ‘Unsafe Space Tour’ panel discussion at Harvard University.

November 30, 2017 | Video

Professors Laura Kipnis, Angus Johnston, and author Brendan O’Neill debate: Should We Limit Free Speech for Nazis? Excerpted from the Spiked Magazine Unsafe Space Tour panel discussion at New York Law School. Moderated by Tom Slater (of Spiked Magazine).

August 31, 2017 | Video

To make sense of Karl Marx or even Adam Smith, you need to see the way they looked at prices — through the labor theory of value.

October 29, 2015 | Post

Should you save the spider in the toilet? That’s the philosophical thought experiment explored in the new Learn Liberty video below. Despite the good intentions of those who want to save the spider, there is no guarantee that they will result in it being saved. In fact, good intentions may make the spider worse off. […]