Ayn Rand and the Ethics of Selfishness | Tara Smith

Has selfishness been misunderstood? Is there a way of defending Ayn Rand’s egoism?

Tara Smith confronts challenging questions about morality, individual rights, and the balance between personal and societal well-being.

Read Smith's book here: https://a.co/d/5r4HfXb

00:00 Introduction to Ayn Rand and Egoism
00:21 Challenging Common Perceptions of Self-Interest
02:40 Objective vs. Subjective Self-Interest
05:17 The Role of Rationality in Human Flourishing
11:02 Principles of Human Flourishing
14:33 The Practicality of Moral Theories
26:54 Case-by-Case Basis in Moral Decisions
31:05 Identifying Through Lines in Ethics
31:46 Context Sensitivity in Moral Principles
36:06 Altruism and Self-Interest
36:52 Martians, Sociopaths, and Moral Obligations
39:29 Species Needs and Moral Values
42:48 Health, Psychology, and Individual Needs
48:03 Freedom, Government, and Individual Rights
54:16 Evolutionary Psychology and Randian Theory
01:03:01 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Presenters: Mark Oppenheimer and Jason Werbeloff
Editor and Producer: Jimmy Mullen and Porter Kaufman

Brain in a Vat bookshop (Shopify): https://smarturl.it/BrainShop
Brain in a Vat bookshop (Amazon): https://smarturl.it/BrainAmazonShop

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/braininavat
Contact us: Mark.Oppenheimer[at]gmail and Jwerbe[at]gmail