Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Ayn Rand

2008-07-27T19:29:58Z

KyZan: "radical for capitalism" sentence added in first paragraph

[[Image:Jhyu65.jpg|right|thumb]]
'''Ayn Rand''', born '''Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum''' (1905-1982) was a [[Russian]]-born [[philosopher]], screenwriter, and novelist, who used her novels to promote her philosophy, known as [[Objectivism]]. Her best-known novels are [[Atlas_Shrugged|''Atlas Shrugged'']] and ''[[The Fountainhead]]''. Although her philosophy differs in many respects from [[libertarianism]], it also emphasized individual freedom, and her novels, particularly ''Atlas Shrugged,'' contain lectures that are considered touchstones for libertarian thinking. Rand often called herself a "radical for capitalism," by which she meant the pure, ''laissez-faire'' variety.

While Rand is commonly associated with [[conservative|conservatism]], she disagreed with social conservatives on key issues, most notably on the existence of [[God]] (as she was an [[atheism|atheist]]) and on traditional [[family]] values. Also, she was strongly [[pro-choice]] on the issue of [[abortion]], as are her followers.<ref>Page on abortion from the Ayn Rand Institute [http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7893]</ref>

==Quotes==
"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: The stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission – which is the stage of the darkest periods of [[human]] history, the stage of rule by brute force."<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45735 WorldNetDaily.com Should Democratic Party merge with Communist Party?, August 12, 2005</ref>

==Books Written==
*''We the Living''
*''Anthem''
*''The Fountainhead''
*''Atlas Shrugged''
*''Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal''
*''The Romantic Manifesto''
*''The New Left: The Anti-Industrial Revolution''
*''[[The Virtue of Selfishness]]''

==References==
Doherthy, Brian. 'Radicals for Capitalism a Freewheeling History of the Modern Libertarian Movement.' New York: Public Affairs, 2007.
<references/>

==External Links==
*[http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer Ayn Rand Institute]
*[http://www.ARIwatch.com ARI Watch] — argues that the above misrepresents Ayn Rand.
*[http://www.ios.org/ The Atlas Society — home of The Objectivist Center]
*[http://wiki.objectivismonline.net/wiki/Main_Page Objectivism Wiki]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rand, Ayn}}

[[Category:Women Authors]]
[[Category:Russian People]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

User:KyZan

2008-07-24T21:31:15Z

KyZan:

I'm a neo-conservative, classical liberal, libertarian, and Objectivist. But I'm only a light user of Wikipedia, and I just joined Conservapedia today. So I don't know how to respond to all the instant clamor of questions, comments, edits, etc. within FIVE minutes of joining, and before I can even finish submitting ONE potential article to Conservapedia. :-/

User:KyZan

2008-07-24T21:30:42Z

KyZan:

Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:51:07Z

KyZan:

Reasonism is the general viewpoint and intellectual perspective of the West which began about 600 BC and which went into steep decline around 800 years later. It inaugurated Western Civilization and liberal culture. Reasonism slowly revived after 1300 AD and then started another precipitous decline 500 years later. As of 1985 or so reasonism has started to lightly ascend again. But what is it exactly?

Reasonism is the broad, general, philosophical belief that only the mind and thinking faculty can genuinely, reliably, and accurately discern the truth and the nature of the universe. It constitutes a ''family'' of related philosophies. In the mid-500s BC Pythagoras said: "Reason is immortal, all else mortal." About a century later another Greek, Sophocles, observed: "Reason is god's crowning gift to man."

Atomism, Aristotelianism, Epicureanism, Stoicism, and the very recent Objectivism are all reasonist thought-systems. Reasonism is the intellectual claim that only rationality can correctly, positively, and definitively determine neutral, objective, absolute reality. Reasonism is the argument that only reason leads to certain understanding and unquestionable knowledge.

Virtually all living animals of any development and sophistication -- creatures of any complexity and subtlety -- don't merely automatically and unthinkingly react to stimuli and their external environment. Rather, they respond based on mental activity and at least some version of rational calculation. The brain-led and organized central nervous systems of even insects and worms can be fairly said to "think." Highly self-conscious humans, naturally, think and need to think, with far more celerity and profundity.

Reasonism argues that mentally-volitional and free-willed human beings exist and process information in ways very different from lower-order animals. Even well-evolved mammals are largely mechanical and automatic in their "thinking" habits and techniques. Not so people. Humans have to truly work to focus and direct their minds. And they need to make such determined, vigorous, and intelligent choices in order to best survive and prosper.

Thus human beings should, in general, employ their minds as much as possible, aiming for great breadth, depth, and rapidity, as well as high accuracy. The theory of reasonism argues that all relatively intelligent creatures should try to be as reasonable, rational, logical, and scientific as possible -- consonant with their fullest achievable pleasure, happiness, enjoyment of life, and fulfilling exploitation of that life. Higher-order beings should also attempt to adhere to and obey this mental activity as much as possible -- subject to the same caveats.

Reasonism vividly contrasts the driving, energetic phenomenon which Aristotle called "man's rational faculty" with (reactive) emotions, (biological) drives, and (inborn) instincts. It argues that while these three should brightly inform and enlighten human action, the ultimate guide to thought and behavior should be reason alone. This is because only pure, clean, unadulterated, uncompromised reason is sublimely powerful and utterly trustworthy in uncovering truth -- unlike emotions, drives, and instincts, or reasoning corrupted by them.

Reasonism is a scientific and philosophical thought-system which has immense trust and confidence (and "belief" and "faith") in cerebration, ratiocination, cogitation, rumination, reflection, deliberation, calculation, and analysis. But it summarily rejects faith, supernaturalism, revelation, intuition, superstition, and all other forms of nonsensicalness and irrationality. This includes blind, unthinking "belief" and acontextual, fanatical "conviction," as well as fantasy and delusion.

Reasonism is imminently empirical, common sensical, and practical. It emphatically rejects all Platonic and Kantian "forms" and "idealism" in which reality and reason don't touch each other. So too any other belief-system which considers fundamental and important issues without utilizing the senses, sensory input, evidence, and facts. So too any belief-systems in which the logic is insular, circular, and incestuous.

Reasonism has nothing to do with the phenomenon of psychological "rationalism" in which counterfeit reasoning involving convoluted logic results in false explanations, excuses, and justifications for generally strange and unjustifiable ideas and behaviors. Reasonism is also a kind of clean, clear, legitimate, logical version of philosophical "rationalism" in which the brain is no longer isolated from the universe or its perceptions of that universe. The mind isn't considered to be separate from or superior to sense perceptions when it comes to making judgments, gaining knowledge, and understanding reality. Reasonism says that the rational faculty and sensing apparatus of intelligent beings are wholly integrated units in complete contact with each other and the universe.

Reasonism also states that reason is the foundation of the glorious and transcendental phenomena known as science and philosophy, which highly efficaciously explain the physical and mental nature of our universe. The Greeks called reason'' logos'', "the word," and correctly noted that it was the organizing and driving principle of the entire universe.

==See also==

* [[Logic]]
* [[Aristotle]]

Talk:Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:49:34Z

KyZan: defeated

I wrote a long and thoughtful intro to this article. But it was ''deleted'' by Karajou within less than five minutes. I'll try to post and explain more later -- if this isn't instantly deleted. --Kyrel Zantonavitch (zantonavitch@yahoo.com) [[User:KyZan|KyZan]] 16:17, 24 July 2008 (EDT)KyZan

:Two things: one, do you have source material for what you wrote, or do we classify this as an opinion essay; and two, do you have the right, as opposed to the authorization, to upload and post it on a conservative-based website? [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 16:27, 24 July 2008 (EDT)

::I think the idea of reclassifying this as an essay is appropriate. It's not encyclopedia article material, but it puts ideas for consideration out there. As for whether it's appropriate to put on CP or not, I'd say "Yes" if it's labeled as an essay - the conservative response to the points in the essay can then be posted here, and that would be informative for the viewers. --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 16:33, 24 July 2008 (EDT)

:::This is hopeless. I haven't even STARTED and I've already received FOUR edits. [[User:KyZan|KyZan]] 16:35, 24 July 2008 (EDT)KyZan

::::I'm not sure what to do here, folks. I'm having considerable difficulty with the computer work, and I can NOT get 15 minutes of peace to upload a potential article without being bombarded with deletes, edits, questions, and comments. I just don't know what to do. I've done everything at least twice already. [[User:KyZan|KyZan]] 16:43, 24 July 2008 (EDT)KyZan

::::::Yes, ou do know what to do here; after all, you have ''"nothing less than the best, strongest, most important think tank on the face of the earth. This is to be an organization of high-minded idealists and fiery revolutionaries which can't be intimidated or deterred in their relentless pursuit of the truth."'' That's from your website. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 16:45, 24 July 2008 (EDT)

::::::: I give up. [[User:KyZan|KyZan]] 16:49, 24 July 2008 (EDT)KyZan

Talk:Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:48:45Z

KyZan: hopeless

Talk:Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:43:23Z

KyZan: hopeless

Talk:Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:35:59Z

KyZan: Intro.

Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:23:57Z

KyZan: Some quotations added.

Talk:Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:17:01Z

KyZan: Intro.

Talk:Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:16:52Z

KyZan: Intro.

Reasonism

2008-07-24T20:11:27Z

KyZan: Introduction to article on family of philosophies and their subsequent broad general culture

Reasonism is the general viewpoint and intellectual perspective of the West which began about 600 BC and which went into steep decline around 800 years later. It inaugurated Western Civilization and liberal culture. Reasonism slowly revived after 1300 AD and then started another precipitous decline 500 years later. As of 1985 or so reasonism has started to lightly ascend again. But what is it exactly?

Reasonism is the broad, general, philosophical belief that only the mind and thinking faculty can genuinely, reliably, and accurately discern the truth and the nature of the universe. It constitutes a family of related philosophies. Atomism, Aristotelianism, Epicureanism, Stoicism, and the very recent Objectivism are all reasonist thought-systems. Reasonism is the intellectual claim that only rationality can correctly, positively, and definitively determine neutral, objective, absolute reality. Reasonism is the argument that only reason leads to certain understanding and unquestionable knowledge.

Virtually all living animals of any development and sophistication -- creatures of any complexity and subtlety -- don't merely automatically and unthinkingly react to stimuli and their external environment. Rather, they respond based on mental activity and at least some version of rational calculation. The brain-led and organized central nervous systems of even insects and worms can be fairly said to "think." Highly self-conscious humans, naturally, think and need to think, with far more celerity and profundity.

Reasonism argues that mentally-volitional and free-willed human beings exist and process information in ways very different from lower-order animals. Even well-evolved mammals are largely mechanical and automatic in their "thinking" habits and techniques. Not so people. Humans have to truly work to focus and direct their minds. And they need to make such determined, vigorous, and intelligent choices in order to best survive and prosper.

Thus human beings should, in general, employ their minds as much as possible, aiming for great breadth, depth, and rapidity, as well as high accuracy. The theory of reasonism argues that all relatively intelligent creatures should try to be as reasonable, rational, logical, and scientific as possible -- consonant with their fullest achievable pleasure, happiness, enjoyment of life, and fulfilling exploitation of that life. Higher-order beings should also attempt to adhere to and obey this mental activity as much as possible -- subject to the same caveats.

Reasonism vividly contrasts the driving, energetic phenomenon which Aristotle called "man's rational faculty" with (reactive) emotions, (biological) drives, and (inborn) instincts. It argues that while these three should brightly inform and enlighten human action, the ultimate guide to thought and behavior should be reason alone. This is because only pure, clean, unadulterated, uncompromised reason is sublimely powerful and utterly trustworthy in uncovering truth -- unlike emotions, drives, and instincts, or reasoning corrupted by them.

Reasonism is a scientific and philosophical thought-system which has immense trust and confidence (and "belief" and "faith") in cerebration, ratiocination, cogitation, rumination, reflection, deliberation, calculation, and analysis. But it summarily rejects faith, supernaturalism, revelation, intuition, superstition, and all other forms of nonsensicalness and irrationality. This includes blind, unthinking "belief" and acontextual, fanatical "conviction," as well as fantasy and delusion.

Reasonism is imminently empirical, common sensical, and practical. It emphatically rejects all Platonic and Kantian "forms" and "idealism" in which reality and reason don't touch each other. So too any other belief-system which considers fundamental and important issues without utilizing the senses, sensory input, evidence, and facts. So too any belief-systems in which the logic is insular, circular, and incestuous.

Reasonism has nothing to do with the phenomenon of psychological "rationalism" in which counterfeit reasoning involving convoluted logic results in false explanations, excuses, and justifications for generally strange and unjustifiable ideas and behaviors. Reasonism is also a kind of clean, clear, legitimate, logical version of philosophical "rationalism" in which the brain is no longer isolated from the universe or its perceptions of that universe. The mind isn't considered to be separate from or superior to sense perceptions when it comes to making judgments, gaining knowledge, and understanding reality. Reasonism says that the rational faculty and sensing apparatus of intelligent beings are wholly integrated units in complete contact with each other and the universe.

Reasonism also states that reason is the foundation of the glorious and transcendental phenomena known as science and philosophy, which highly efficaciously explain the physical and mental nature of our universe. The Greeks called reason logos, "the word," and correctly noted that it was the organizing and driving principle of the entire universe.

User talk:KyZan

2008-07-24T20:07:38Z

KyZan: answer to Karajou

You cannot post an entire article within Conservapedia that is copyrighted by the authors; you cannot post such content without the author's permission. You can create that article using your own words as well as selected quotes from that website, provided they are properly credited. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 15:57, 24 July 2008 (EDT)

:Karajou -- You should have given me at least five minutes(!) to complete setting up the article before deleting it! Conservapedia DOES have my permission to use it as a starting base for an entry on the aforementioned subject. [[User:KyZan|KyZan]] 16:07, 24 July 2008 (EDT)KyZan

User:KyZan

2008-07-24T19:35:20Z

KyZan: Brief intro.

I'm a classical liberal, libertarian, and Objectivist!