Quote :

"BB&T Donates $2 Million for Ayn Rand Research At The University of Texas at Austin by News Wire (March 20, 2008) [CapMag.com] AUSTIN, Texas — BB&T Corporation, one of the nation’s largest banks, has awarded $2 million to the Department of Philosophy at The University of Texas at Austin to establish the BB&T Chair for the Study of Objectivism. Tara Smith, professor of philosophy, has been named the first holder of the chair. Over 10 years, the gift will support research on Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism, as well as conferences, workshops, guest lecturers, visiting scholars and research on the moral foundations of capitalism. Smith spearheads Objectivism scholarship in the university’s philosophy department. She has published several articles on Rand's philosophy and the 2006 book, “Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist” with Cambridge University Press. She holds the Anthem Foundation Fellowship for the Study of Objectivism and is organizing the interdisciplinary conference, “Objectivity in the Law,” April 4-5. “Ayn Rand’s philosophy has been the subject of increasing academic interest in recent years, and this generous gift will allow us to deepen examination of her thought and engage leading scholars in other fields, such as law,” the Rand scholar said. “It’s an exhilarating opportunity and a testament to BB&T’s recognition of the vital importance of philosophy in people’s lives.” Rand, a Russian-born American philosopher and novelist, is best known for her magnum opus, “Atlas Shrugged.” A joint survey conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club found that “Atlas Shrugged” is the second most influential book for Americans today, after the Bible. According to the Ayn Rand Institute, an estimated 20 million copies of her books have been sold. “We believe that ideas matter. In this context, BB&T is trying to encourage a thorough and fair discussion of Rand’s philosophy and the moral foundations of capitalism on university campuses,” said BB&T Chief Executive Officer John Allison. “We are pleased to support the philosophy department's important work in the study of Objectivism at The University of Texas at Austin.” BB&T Corp., headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., is a financial holding company with $132.6 billion in assets. With more than 29,000 employees, its bank subsidiaries operate more than 1,500 branch offices in 11 states and Washington, D.C."

I feel better knowing my millions are with BB&T

4/6/2008 8:52:24 PM

BB&T also will not finance construction projects in which the land was obtained through eminent domain, which is another reason why I'm a fan.

4/6/2008 8:59:30 PM

Hard to believe that UT-Austin would allow an institute to study junk philosopy. Might as well have an institute to study Robert Heinlen or Terry Goodkind.

But I don't like eminent domain, so this thread is a push.

4/6/2008 9:42:49 PM

Quote :

"BB&T also will not finance construction projects in which the land was obtained through eminent domain, which is another reason why I'm a fan."

no shit, that is amazing.

4/6/2008 9:53:00 PM

"BB&T... The Bank with Balls"

They can have that for free.

4/6/2008 10:28:15 PM

Quote :

"Hard to believe that UT-Austin would allow an institute to study junk philosopy. Might as well have an institute to study Robert Heinlen or Terry Goodkind."

Plenty of places still teach Marxis... oh, but that's your sacred cow. So sorry.

4/6/2008 11:25:23 PM

Quote :

"Plenty of places still teach Marxis... oh, but that's your sacred cow. So sorry."

lol, yes, I am the hard core marxist let me tell you.

there are reasons not related to LIEberal bias as to why Rand hasn't been studied the way Marx or Kant or any number of others have.

My dislike for anarcho-libertarianism/randroids is moreso related to the Social Contract and Locke than class theory. I'm a strong believer in enlightenment-era liberalism built upon by Georgism as far as economic and environmental theory and Rawl's ideas on justice.

[Edited on April 6, 2008 at 11:42 PM. Reason : .]

4/6/2008 11:37:19 PM

Junk philosophy is junk philosophy, no matter who's pushing it. Why pick and choose?

4/6/2008 11:38:44 PM

Quote :

"Junk philosophy is junk philosophy, no matter who's pushing it. Why pick and choose?"

by "junk philosophy", i mean "hasn't been subjected to the same critical rigor", not "is a shitty idea".

Rand didn't break any real new ground that hadn't already been hashed and re-hashed previously, therefore it hasn't been covered in the way Marxism, which was a new idea at its time which built upon Hegel's ideas of man and imposition of ideas through society.

Here's a fun thought: Rand's man and Marx's man both exist at the center of a godless world.

4/6/2008 11:48:56 PM

Quote :

"by "junk philosophy", i mean "hasn't been subjected to the same critical rigor", not "is a shitty idea"."

Fair enough.

Quote :

"Rand didn't break any real new ground that hadn't already been hashed and re-hashed previously, therefore it hasn't been covered in the way Marxism, which was a new idea at its time which built upon Hegel's ideas of man and imposition of ideas through society."

I simply think too much emphasis is placed on the novelty of half-baked philosophies like Marxism and less upon their ability to stand up to critical examination. Just because it's new and a lot of chumps bought into it hardly makes it, well, good. (Insert historical analogy here.)

Quote :

"My dislike for anarcho-libertarianism/randroids is moreso related to the Social Contract and Locke than class theory. I'm a strong believer in enlightenment-era liberalism built upon by Georgism as far as economic and environmental theory and Rawl's ideas on justice."

Again, fair enough. Chances are we'd actually find quite a few common sources of agreement. (Georgism strikes me as interesting approach, for instance, although I often wonder how it could be practically implemented.)

4/6/2008 11:59:53 PM

why is this being done at a public school?

4/7/2008 1:01:30 AM

Now i want to see an "L. Ron Hubbard" Chair of Metaphysical Studies at a major state university.

4/7/2008 1:08:46 AM

I happen to bank with BB&T--but I didn't know about the bank's eminent domain position. Go, BB&T!

4/7/2008 4:07:19 AM

Quote :

"Just because it's new and a lot of chumps bought into it hardly makes it, well, good."

We study all sorts of bad ideas that have gone through the rigor. Marxism remains a historically important theory and it was the originator of a whole new school of theory banking on the idea of class as the dividing force in changing society. I believe it inevitably leads to dictatorship, personally. I'm just arguing that what Rand was saying wasn't new and was is really no more provocative than reading Robert Heinlen's stuff. There's a reason why her philosophical "work" has been largely ignored by the academic community, it didn't break any real ground and was mostly just a continuation of what I would say was more of a justification for being a sociopath than much else and something to make her and her cult feel like an actual academic community and not a cult (there's a reason why they all got banned from the National Review, you know), but that's just me. As for studies of crazy authors, I'll take giant bugs over rape fantasies any day, though. Heinlen might have been a dick, but at least his books were sorta entertaining.

Someday I hope to see a "Robert Heinlen Distinguished Professor for Citizenship and Service Studies", it's only fair.

[Edited on April 7, 2008 at 10:39 AM. Reason : .]

4/7/2008 10:34:10 AM

Quote :

"There's a reason why her philosophical "work" has been largely ignored by the academic community... "

Quote :

"A joint survey conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club found that “Atlas Shrugged” is the second most influential book for Americans today, after the Bible"

"Theory Envy"?

The attack by some 'intellectuals' on Rand reminds me of the smart kid who breaks out of the bad neighborhood..only to have his former homies diss him for selling out to the man.

4/7/2008 11:00:01 AM

I thought Objectivism was about rational self-interest.

Just what evidence did they find to support the notion that her philosophy had injected any such filter onto American pursuits of self-interest?

4/7/2008 12:24:25 PM

This thread needs a better title.

Who at BB&T made this decision!?

Apparently some universities will do anything for money. I wonder how many places BB&T had to shop this lemon around to before they found someplace that desperate. I hope NCSU was one of them.

I have already explained why Ayn Rand is a douche. So I wont bother repeating myself.
http://thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=359972

[Edited on April 7, 2008 at 1:06 PM. Reason : ``]

4/7/2008 1:05:33 PM

Quote :

"A joint survey conducted by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club found that “Atlas Shrugged” is the second most influential book for Americans today, after the Bible"

Number 3 or 4 was Battlefield Earth or some shit like that.

4/8/2008 12:33:24 AM

[quote]Apparently some universities will do anything for money. I wonder how many places BB&T had to shop this lemon around to before they found someplace that desperate. I hope NCSU was one of them.

I have already explained why Ayn Rand is a douche. So I wont bother repeating myself.[//quote]

Like Rand or hate her there is little doubt that she has had an effect on the evolution American conservatism and through that the nation as a whole. For many libertarian leaning conservatives their first exposure was through Rand. At a time when liberalism dominated Rand proposed a popular counterpoint.

As a philosopher she is not Nozick, but her impact is still important.

4/8/2008 11:55:22 AM

^

Very true. Ayn Rand was actually my first introduction to philosophy as well. I believe that having to confront her arguments has focused and changed my thinking on many issues. But her impact has been felt, as you note, as a teacher and public intellectual--not as a philosopher. I do not believe that she layed out a philosophy that could be productively studied or expanded upon by today's philosophers. Indeed, as I explain my other thread, I find several of her basic arguments contradictory.

And that's really the important question the University should ask itself. "Does Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism provide enough of a sound foundation to warrant funding its study". I don't believe it does and apparently neither does most universities. Of course, for $2 million the Univ of Texas at Austin has been willing to give it a shot. *shrug*

[Edited on April 8, 2008 at 12:28 PM. Reason : ``]

4/8/2008 12:15:17 PM

I love how the chair is named after a faceless corporation.

4/8/2008 12:27:09 PM

At last! I understand...

4/8/2008 4:48:05 PM

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu_moia-oVI

4/8/2008 5:05:15 PM

Quote :

"BB&T also will not finance construction projects in which the land was obtained through eminent domain, which is another reason why I'm a fan. "

me too

I think the schools approached Allison for funds, not the other way around.

In an interview John Allison states "the schools approached the foundation, not the other way around. We obviously can't make anybody teach something. We wouldn't want to, we wouldn't try to. These are professors that want to teach this."


[Edited on April 8, 2008 at 5:46 PM. Reason : ,]

4/8/2008 5:38:55 PM

^

I can't seem to find any articles that says whethered Allison offered the money or whether the school asked for it. But this would not be the first time that John Allison has offered "gifts" to universities that came with Objectivist strings.

Quote :

"CHARLOTTE, N.C. - As a college student in Chapel Hill, John Allison stumbled across a collection of essays by Ayn Rand and was hooked by her philosophy of self-interest and limited government. As he rose over the decades to chief executive of BB&T, one of the country's leading regional banks, Rand remained his muse. The Charlotte Observer reports that he's trying to replicate that encounter through the charitable arm of his Winston-Salem-based company, which since 1999 has awarded more than $28 million to 27 colleges to support the study of capitalism from a moral perspective. But on at least 17 of those campuses, including UNC Charlotte, N.C. State and Johnson C. Smith University, the gifts come with an unusual stipulation: Rand's novel, "Atlas Shrugged," is included in a course as required reading. The schools' agreements have drawn criticism from some faculty, who say it compromises academic integrity. In higher education, the power to decide course content is supposed to rest with professors, not donors. Debate about the gifts, which arose at UNCC in March, illustrates tensions that exist over corporate influence on college campuses. "

http://www.newsobserver.com/1565/story/1027381.html

[Edited on April 8, 2008 at 6:16 PM. Reason : ``]

4/8/2008 6:14:15 PM