For the New Intellectual
Encyclopedia
For the New Intellectual: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand is a 1961 book by Ayn Rand
. It was her first long non-fiction book. Much of the material consists of excerpts from Rand's novels, supplemented by a long title essay that focuses on the history of philosophy
.
and Atlas Shrugged
. Her novels Anthem
and We The Living
each contribute one excerpt. The speech from We The Living is spoken by the main female character Kira Argounova, to the communist Andrei Taganov (one of the two male lead characters).
There are three speeches from The Fountainhead: one by the antagonist Ellsworth Toohey, one which is actually more of a conversation between the sympathetic character Gail Wynand and the hero Howard Roark, and one which is Howard Roark's triumphant courtroom speech. The last is a statement of Ayn Rand's philosophy as it existed at the time of writing The Fountainhead, and is a testimony to the human spirit expressed in individual invention and achievement.
There are six excerpts from Atlas Shrugged, all speeches by various protagonists. The topics covered by the speeches are the philosophical nature of money, the psychology of sexual desire (of a man for a woman), the condemnation encountered by successful industrialists, socialized (i.e. government-regulated) medicine, the motivation of profit versus the public good (from the perspective of an industrialist), and a thorough and lengthy 60-page statement of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism
.
The title essay discusses the history of philosophy with particular emphasis on the grievous missteps and errors committed along the way. The author uses two terms to illustrate the most notorious (in her view) individuals that have played a role in the history of philosophy, the terms being "Attila" and "Witch Doctor". She categorizes various participants in human history, who have been a force for evil in her view, as being an "Attila" or "Witch Doctor". An "Attila" is someone in history who used physical ("brute") force to accomplish goals. A "Witch Doctor" is someone (often a philosopher, religious person, or other type of intellectual) who has used the written or spoken word to persuade people to go against their rational minds, often to the advantage of the "Attila" who is currently in power.
She concludes the title essay by saying that she hopes a type of "new intellectual" (hence the title of the essay and the book) will gain prominence. The new intellectual will promote the use of reason to persuade his or her fellow men; as opposed to reliance on force, or the threat of force, in order to persuade by fear.
, philosopher Sidney Hook
called it a "unique combination of tautology and extravagant absurdity." In a negative review for Esquire
, Gore Vidal
said Rand "must be read to be believed" and that "Her 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality".
Rand bibliographer Mimi Reisel Gladstein
called Rand's title essay the "major attraction for those who have already read the novels". Historian James T. Baker said the essay "represents Rand's first step from fiction to public philosophy," and called the view of history it presents "intriguing and creative if a bit fantastic".
Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American novelist, philosopher, playwright, and screenwriter. She is known for her two best-selling novels The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and for developing a philosophical system she called Objectivism....
. It was her first long non-fiction book. Much of the material consists of excerpts from Rand's novels, supplemented by a long title essay that focuses on the history of philosophy
History of philosophy
The history of philosophy is the study of philosophical ideas and concepts through time. Issues specifically related to history of philosophy might include : How can changes in philosophy be accounted for historically? What drives the development of thought in its historical context? To what...
.
Contents
The excerpts from Rand's novels are all speeches on various topics, with the clear majority of the speeches coming from her main novels The FountainheadThe Fountainhead
The Fountainhead is a 1943 novel by Ayn Rand. It was Rand's first major literary success and brought her fame and financial success. More than 6.5 million copies of the book have been sold worldwide....
and Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged
Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States. Rand's fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing...
. Her novels Anthem
Anthem
The term anthem means either a specific form of Anglican church music , or more generally, a song of celebration, usually acting as a symbol for a distinct group of people, as in the term "national anthem" or "sports anthem".-Etymology:The word is derived from the Greek via Old English , a word...
and We The Living
We the Living
We the Living is the first novel published by the Russian-American novelist Ayn Rand. It was also Rand's first statement against communism. First published in 1936, it is a story of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Rand observes in the foreword to this book that We the Living was the closest she...
each contribute one excerpt. The speech from We The Living is spoken by the main female character Kira Argounova, to the communist Andrei Taganov (one of the two male lead characters).
There are three speeches from The Fountainhead: one by the antagonist Ellsworth Toohey, one which is actually more of a conversation between the sympathetic character Gail Wynand and the hero Howard Roark, and one which is Howard Roark's triumphant courtroom speech. The last is a statement of Ayn Rand's philosophy as it existed at the time of writing The Fountainhead, and is a testimony to the human spirit expressed in individual invention and achievement.
There are six excerpts from Atlas Shrugged, all speeches by various protagonists. The topics covered by the speeches are the philosophical nature of money, the psychology of sexual desire (of a man for a woman), the condemnation encountered by successful industrialists, socialized (i.e. government-regulated) medicine, the motivation of profit versus the public good (from the perspective of an industrialist), and a thorough and lengthy 60-page statement of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism
Objectivism (Ayn Rand)
Objectivism is a philosophy created by the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand . Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception...
.
The title essay discusses the history of philosophy with particular emphasis on the grievous missteps and errors committed along the way. The author uses two terms to illustrate the most notorious (in her view) individuals that have played a role in the history of philosophy, the terms being "Attila" and "Witch Doctor". She categorizes various participants in human history, who have been a force for evil in her view, as being an "Attila" or "Witch Doctor". An "Attila" is someone in history who used physical ("brute") force to accomplish goals. A "Witch Doctor" is someone (often a philosopher, religious person, or other type of intellectual) who has used the written or spoken word to persuade people to go against their rational minds, often to the advantage of the "Attila" who is currently in power.
She concludes the title essay by saying that she hopes a type of "new intellectual" (hence the title of the essay and the book) will gain prominence. The new intellectual will promote the use of reason to persuade his or her fellow men; as opposed to reliance on force, or the threat of force, in order to persuade by fear.
Reception
The book received a number of reviews at the time of its release, although significantly fewer than there were for Rand's novels. In The New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
, philosopher Sidney Hook
Sidney Hook
Sidney Hook was an American pragmatic philosopher known for his contributions to public debates.A student of John Dewey, Hook continued to examine the philosophy of history, of education, politics, and of ethics. After embracing Marxism in his youth, Hook was known for his criticisms of...
called it a "unique combination of tautology and extravagant absurdity." In a negative review for Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
said Rand "must be read to be believed" and that "Her 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality".
Rand bibliographer Mimi Reisel Gladstein
Mimi Reisel Gladstein
Mimi Reisel Gladstein is a professor of English and Theatre Arts at the University of Texas at El Paso. Her specialties include authors such as Ayn Rand and John Steinbeck, as well as women's studies, theatre arts and 18th-century British literature.-Life and scholarship:Gladstein was born in...
called Rand's title essay the "major attraction for those who have already read the novels". Historian James T. Baker said the essay "represents Rand's first step from fiction to public philosophy," and called the view of history it presents "intriguing and creative if a bit fantastic".