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Last edited by mheiman
October 24, 2023 | History

Ayn Rand

Alice O'Connor (born Alisa Zinovyevna Rosenbaum;[a] February 2, [O.S. January 20] 1905 – March 6, 1982), better known by her pen name Ayn Rand (/aɪn/), was a Russian-American writer and philosopher. She is known for her fiction and for developing a philosophical system she named Objectivism. Born and educated in Russia, she moved to the United States in 1926. She wrote a play that opened on Broadway in 1935. After two early novels that were initially unsuccessful, she achieved fame with her 1943 novel, The Fountainhead. In 1957, Rand published her best-known work, the novel Atlas Shrugged. Afterward, until her death in 1982, she turned to non-fiction to promote her philosophy, publishing her own periodicals and releasing several collections of essays.

Rand advocated reason as the only means of acquiring knowledge; she rejected faith and religion. She supported rational and ethical egoism and rejected altruism. In politics, she condemned the initiation of force as immoral[5][6] and opposed collectivism, statism, and anarchism. Instead, she supported laissez-faire capitalism, which she defined as the system based on recognizing individual rights, including property rights. Although Rand opposed libertarianism, which she viewed as anarchism, she is often associated with the modern libertarian movement. In art, Rand promoted romantic realism. She was sharply critical of most philosophers and philosophical traditions known to her, except for Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas and classical liberals.

Rand's fiction received mixed reviews from literary critics.[ Although academic interest in her ideas has grown since her death, academic philosophers have generally ignored or rejected her philosophy because of her polemical approach and lack of methodological rigor.[4] Her writings have influenced some libertarians and conservatives politically. The Objectivist movement attempts to spread her ideas, both to the public and in academic settings

Russian-born American writer and public philosopher (1905–1982)

Born February 2, 1905
Died March 6, 1982

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  • Cover of: Anthem

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  • Cover of: Anthem
    First published in 2000 82 editions

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  • Cover of: The fountainhead

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  • Cover of: Atlas shrugged
    Cover of edition atlasshruggedcen00aynr Cover of edition atlasshrugged00rand_2 Cover of edition atlasshrugged00rand Cover of edition atlasshruggedrand Cover of edition atlasshruggedsig00aynr First published in 1936 52 editions

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  • Cover of: We the living
    Cover of edition weliving0000aynr Cover of edition weliving0000rand Cover of edition isbn_0451158601 Cover of edition weliving0000rand_g9q9 Cover of edition weliving00rand First published in 1936 27 editions

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  • Cover of: The New Left: the anti-industrial revolution.

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  • Cover of: For the new intellectual: the philosophy of Ayn Rand

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  • Cover of: Anthem
    First published in 1946 21 editions

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  • Cover of: The virtue of selfishness: a new concept of egoism.

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  • Cover of: Capitalism: the unknown ideal
    First published in 1967 13 editions

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  • Cover of: Night of January 16th: a play
    First published in 1936 12 editions

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  • Cover of: The romantic manifesto: a philosophy of literature.

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  • Cover of: Philosophy, who needs it
    First published in 1982 11 editions

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  • Cover of: We the Living
    First published in 1959 9 editions

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  • Cover of: Introduction to objectivist epistemology

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  • Cover of: The Art of Nonfiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers

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  • Cover of: Anthem
    First published in 2005 8 editions

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  • Cover of: The Fountainhead
    Cover of edition bwb_C0-AZK-316 First published in 1943 8 editions

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  • Cover of: The Art of Fiction: A Guide for Writers and Readers

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  • Cover of: Anthem
    First published in 2017 6 editions

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History

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October 24, 2023 Edited by mheiman merge authors
July 17, 2023 Edited by bitnapper Edited without comment.
July 17, 2023 Edited by bitnapper merge authors
January 26, 2022 Edited by tmanarl merge authors
September 2, 2012 Edited by 201.242.226.197 Added new photo