More Philosophical Goodness to Occupy Your Time

by Liberty and Power

Besides the Molinari Society meeting described below, philosophically-inclined L&P readers may also be interested in these sessions, at the American Philosophical Association Eastern Meeting (the NY Hilton):

GIV-1. Wed, 12/28
American Association for the Philosophic Study of Society
2:00-5:00 p.m., Concourse C
Topic: A Symposium on Rasmussen and Den Uyl's Norms of Liberty
Chair: Fred Miller, Jr. (Bowling Green State University)
Speakers: Aeon J. Skoble (Bridgewater State College)
Edwin England (Denison University)
Charlotte Thomas (Mercer University)
David Thunder (University of Notre Dame)
(Rasmussen and Den Uyl will participate in the Q&A)

GIX-2. Thursday, 12/29
Ayn Rand Society
1:30-4:30 p.m. Nassau Suite B
Topic: Ayn Rand as Aristotelian
Chair: John Cooper (Princeton University)
Speakers: James Lennox (University of Pittsburgh)
"Axioms and Their Validation"
Allan Gotthelf (University of Pittsburgh)
"Concepts and Essences"
Fred Miller, Jr. (Bowling Green State University)
"Values and Happiness"
Robert Mayhew (Seton Hall University)
"Literary Esthetics"

GXI-1. Friday, 12/30
American Society for Value Inquiry
9:00-11:00 a.m. Concourse B
Topic: Author Meets Critics: Tibor Machan's Objectivity
Chair: Douglas Den Uyl (Liberty Fund Inc.)
Critics: John Reis (Elmhurst College)
Douglas Rasmussen (St. John's University)
Fred Seddon (Duquesne University)
Author: Tibor Machan (Chapman University)

GXIII-5. Friday, 12/30
North American Society for Social Philosophy
1:30-4:30 p.m., Morgan Suite
Topic: The Why of Democracy
Chair: Barbara Andrew (William Paterson University)
Speakers: Alistair MacLeod (Queen's University)
"Can We Have Freedom and Justice without Democracy?"
Jan Narveson (University of Waterloo)
"Democracy by Main Force?"
Carol Gould (George Mason University)
Title: TBA

There may be others you might find interesting. The entire program is here.

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More Comments:

Roderick T. Long - 12/25/2005

I'm sorry I won't be able to go to any of these, but our department is conducting interviews at the APA -- three on the 27th, six on the 28th, and six on the 29th -- so the only session I'll be able to get away for is the Molinari one. :-(

Steve Jackson - 12/24/2005

What I meant (I wasn't clear) is that the ARS has members and speakers who are not associated with the ARI. That's not a problem for the ARS (actually it's good), but it is for the ARI.

As a general rule, the ARI doesn't permit ARI-associated scholars to interact on the subject of Objectivism with non-ARIans. E.G., what happened to Bernstein when he published in The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies.

As another example, Gotthelf says in his book on Rand that there "isn't much value" in secondary studies on Rand meaning, I assume, there isn't much value in Rasmuessen, Mack, Machan, etc.

Aeon J. Skoble - 12/24/2005

Actually, there is a condition - you have to be member of the American Philosophical Association! But that of course is open to all philosophers, and IIRC members of other disciplines can also join (e.g., law, poli sci).

Aeon J. Skoble - 12/24/2005

Here is the website for the Ayn Rand Society: http://www.aynrandsociety.org/
It's all appropriately scholarly, and membership is not restricted to ARI-sanctioned people. Several members I know of, including myself, are not. As far as I know, you don't even have to be an Objectivist, you just have to think Rand's ideas deserve serious consideration and scholarly investigation, which is true. Have a look at the website. Their sessions are usually very good.

Steve Jackson - 12/23/2005

I'm curious why the ARI allows an exception for its scholars to deal with the Ayn Rand Society.

Other than that, it's the party line.

Aeon J. Skoble - 12/23/2005

1, John Cooper isn't ARI-affiliated, to the best of my knowledge. He's perhaps the most eminent expert in Greek philosophy in the US, certainly top 3.
2, The Ayn Rand Society frequently has panelists who aren't ARI-affiliated.
3, every member of ARS I've met gets high marks for playing well with others, especially Gotthelf (although I'm sure some do not).

Steve Jackson - 12/23/2005

This sounds interesting. Generally Official Objectivists like Gotthelf take the position that no one outside the ARI understands Rand.

I wonder how these types interact with non-ARIans.