Shows
The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastJoe Rogan vs. Douglas Murray: Who’s Right About Trusting Experts?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY3NY7gFYtw
Podcast audio:
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Tristan de Liège examine Douglas Murray’s recent critique of Joe Rogan and other influencers who share their platforms with unreliable pseudo-experts. They explain why Murray fails to clarify the standards for distinguishing expert from non-expert testimony.
Among the topics covered:
Why Douglas Murray’s challenge to Joe Rogan’s platforming of non-experts is only partly right;
The proper role of expertise;
How to properly think about expert consensus as a non-expert;
How Murray is unclear about t...2025-06-021h 09
The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastJoe Rogan vs. Douglas Murray: Who’s Right About Trusting Experts?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY3NY7gFYtw
Podcast audio:
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Tristan de Liège examine Douglas Murray’s recent critique of Joe Rogan and other influencers who share their platforms with unreliable pseudo-experts. They explain why Murray fails to clarify the standards for distinguishing expert from non-expert testimony.
Among the topics covered:
Why Douglas Murray’s challenge to Joe Rogan’s platforming of non-experts is only partly right;
The proper role of expertise;
How to properly think about expert consensus as a non-expert;
How Murray is unclear about t...2025-06-021h 09The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastRacism: What It Is and Why It Persists | Gregory Salmierihttps://youtu.be/RclwB5luKek
Podcast audio:
Ayn Rand denounced racism as “the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism.” She also rejected as collectivist many of the measures being advocated to combat this evil, including what became the Civil Rights Act of 1964. On the sixtieth anniversary of that law, Dr. Greg Salmieri revisited the themes of Rand’s classic article “Racism,” relating them to present-day America.
Topics include the definitions of “race” and “racism,” how the rejection of free will incline intellectuals toward racism, how superficially opposed racist doctrines on the political left and right embolden one another, in what respects raci...2025-05-161h 27The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastRacism: What It Is and Why It Persists | Gregory Salmierihttps://youtu.be/RclwB5luKek
Podcast audio:
Ayn Rand denounced racism as “the lowest, most crudely primitive form of collectivism.” She also rejected as collectivist many of the measures being advocated to combat this evil, including what became the Civil Rights Act of 1964. On the sixtieth anniversary of that law, Dr. Greg Salmieri revisited the themes of Rand’s classic article “Racism,” relating them to present-day America.
Topics include the definitions of “race” and “racism,” how the rejection of free will incline intellectuals toward racism, how superficially opposed racist doctrines on the political left and right embolden one another, in what respects raci...2025-05-161h 27The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastDo Americans Have an Irrational, Religious Obsession With Work?https://youtu.be/vCiKkxLAFJY
Podcast audio:
In this episode of New Ideal, Sam Weaver and Tristan de Liège discuss Atlantic writer Derek Thompson’s idea that Americans are afflicted by a religious obsession with work that he calls “workism” and their view of the role of work in human life.
Among the topics covered:
Thompson’s view on work and why it's worth talking about;
Why making work central to one’s life doesn’t entail adopting a religious perspective;
Understanding what causes burnout and lack of fulfillment in work;
The Objectivist perspective on work.
Mentioned in this podcast are Ayn Rand’...2024-11-2553 min
The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastDo Americans Have an Irrational, Religious Obsession With Work?https://youtu.be/vCiKkxLAFJY
Podcast audio:
In this episode of New Ideal, Sam Weaver and Tristan de Liège discuss Atlantic writer Derek Thompson’s idea that Americans are afflicted by a religious obsession with work that he calls “workism” and their view of the role of work in human life.
Among the topics covered:
Thompson’s view on work and why it's worth talking about;
Why making work central to one’s life doesn’t entail adopting a religious perspective;
Understanding what causes burnout and lack of fulfillment in work;
The Objectivist perspective on work.
Mentioned in this podcast are Ayn Rand’...2024-11-2553 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastTwo Ayn Rand Biographies Not Worth Your Timehttps://youtu.be/MLF5deQWbrc
Podcast audio:
In this episode of New Ideal, Aaron Smith interviews Elan Journo to discuss his critical evaluation of two popular but deeply flawed biographies of Ayn Rand: Jennifer Burns’ Goddess of the Market and Anne C. Heller’s Ayn Rand and the World She Made.
Among the topics covered:
The standards of objectivity that the biographies fail to meet;
The authors’ disregard for how Rand thought of herself and her work;
Examples of the books’ lack of objectivity;
How the authors mishandled the biographies' sources;
Why ignoring Rand’s philosophy makes the books less interestin...2024-10-2856 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastTwo Ayn Rand Biographies Not Worth Your Timehttps://youtu.be/MLF5deQWbrc
Podcast audio:
In this episode of New Ideal, Aaron Smith interviews Elan Journo to discuss his critical evaluation of two popular but deeply flawed biographies of Ayn Rand: Jennifer Burns’ Goddess of the Market and Anne C. Heller’s Ayn Rand and the World She Made.
Among the topics covered:
The standards of objectivity that the biographies fail to meet;
The authors’ disregard for how Rand thought of herself and her work;
Examples of the books’ lack of objectivity;
How the authors mishandled the biographies' sources;
Why ignoring Rand’s philosophy makes the books less interestin...2024-10-2856 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastHow to Defend Free Speechhttps://youtu.be/emKgc2aO7x8
Podcast audio:
In this episode of New Ideal, Agustina Vergara Cid interviews Gregory Salmieri about his essay “Free Speech as a Right and a Way of Life.”
Among the topics covered:
What free speech is and why a defense of it is needed;
How to respond to acts of de-platforming and cancellation;
Why the right to free speech is absolute;
How public education violates free speech;
Non-governmental violations of free speech;
The difference between thought and action;
When protests and civil disobedience are justified;
How to promote a culture of free speech.
Mentioned in this...2024-09-201h 07The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastHow to Defend Free Speechhttps://youtu.be/emKgc2aO7x8
Podcast audio:
In this episode of New Ideal, Agustina Vergara Cid interviews Gregory Salmieri about his essay “Free Speech as a Right and a Way of Life.”
Among the topics covered:
What free speech is and why a defense of it is needed;
How to respond to acts of de-platforming and cancellation;
Why the right to free speech is absolute;
How public education violates free speech;
Non-governmental violations of free speech;
The difference between thought and action;
When protests and civil disobedience are justified;
How to promote a culture of free speech.
Mentioned in this...2024-09-201h 07
FUTURATI PODCASTEp. 157: Aristotle, AI, and what philosophy offers futurism | Gregory SalmieriDr. Gregory Salmieri is a senior scholar of philosophy at the Salem Center, where he holds the Brigham Fellowship for the Study of Objectivism. He is the co-editor of the books "A Companion to Ayn Rand" and "Foundations of a Free Society" and the author of numerous articles on philosophy, with a particular focus on Aristotle and Ayn Rand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2024-04-231h 16The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastWhy Do Philosophers Keep Getting Ayn Rand Wrong?https://youtu.be/FjsC7I-Qa4A
Podcast audio:
In this episode of New Ideal Live, Mike Mazza and Aaron Smith discuss Mazza’s recently published article about why academic philosophers tend to get Rand’s ideas wrong so frequently and the parochialism involved in many of their critiques.
Among the topics covered:
What Mazza aimed to explain in this article;
Why responding to academic critics is important;
What it means for philosophers to engage in parochialism;
How the methods of academic philosophers are poorly suited to understanding Rand;
The inductive structure of Rand’s arguments;
The multiple factors behind philosophers’ dismissa...2024-04-2257 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastWhy Do Philosophers Keep Getting Ayn Rand Wrong?https://youtu.be/FjsC7I-Qa4A
Podcast audio:
In this episode of New Ideal Live, Mike Mazza and Aaron Smith discuss Mazza’s recently published article about why academic philosophers tend to get Rand’s ideas wrong so frequently and the parochialism involved in many of their critiques.
Among the topics covered:
What Mazza aimed to explain in this article;
Why responding to academic critics is important;
What it means for philosophers to engage in parochialism;
How the methods of academic philosophers are poorly suited to understanding Rand;
The inductive structure of Rand’s arguments;
The multiple factors behind philosophers’ dismissa...2024-04-2257 min
Ayn Rand Institute Live!Aristotle’s Method of Scientific Investigation by Gregory SalmieriThis lesson explains Aristotle’s method of scientific investigation, focusing on Aristotle’s logical works—especially the Posterior Analytics. Salmieri discusses Aristotle’s view of the kinds of questions we seek to answer when we investigate; for example, the nature of definitions and their relationship to scientific demonstrations, and the formation of new concepts.
This course includes a handout: https://courses.aynrand.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Greg_Salmieri-Aristotles_Theory_of_Knowledge.pdf
Lesson 3 of 3 in "Aristotle's Theory of Knowledge"
Copyright © 1985 – 2024 The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI). Reproduction of content and images in whole or in part is prohibited. All rights reserved.2024-01-261h 30Podcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Aristotle’s Method of Scientific Investigation by Gregory SalmieriThis lesson explains Aristotle’s method of scientific investigation, focusing on Aristotle’s logical works—especially the Posterior Analytics. Salmieri discusses Aristotle’s view of the kinds of questions we seek to answer when we investigate; for example, the nature of definitions and their relationship to scientific demonstrations, and the formation of new concepts. This course includes a handout:...2024-01-261h 30Ayn Rand Institute Live!Aristotle’s Theory of Universals by Gregory SalmieriIn this lesson, Salmieri explains Aristotle’s theory of universals and how that theory makes possible scientific understanding (epistēmē) of this world based on sense-perception. The lesson explains that universal knowledge, for Aristotle, is a power to know particulars as falling under kinds. Salmieri concludes with a discussion of a famous chapter of the Posterior Analytics, in which Aristotle uses a battlefield metaphor to explain how we grasp universals.
This course includes a handout: https://courses.aynrand.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Greg_Salmieri-Aristotles_Theory_of_Knowledge.pdf
Lesson 2 of 3 in "Aristotle's Theory of Knowledge"
Copyright © 1985 – 2024 The Ayn Rand Institute (ARI). Reprodu...2024-01-191h 31Podcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Aristotle’s Theory of Universals by Gregory SalmieriIn this lesson, Salmieri explains Aristotle’s theory of universals and how that theory makes possible scientific understanding (epistēmē) of this world based on sense-perception. The lesson explains that universal knowledge, for Aristotle, is a power to know particulars as falling under kinds. Salmieri concludes with a discussion of a famous chapter of the Posterior Analytics,...2024-01-191h 31Podcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Aristotle on the Different Types of Knowledge by Gregory SalmieriIn this lesson, Salmieri discusses Aristotle’s view of the types and degrees of knowledge. In particular, he explains what is distinctive about the type of knowledge that Aristotle calls epistēmē (scientific understanding) and relates it to Objectivism’s view of the importance of thinking in principle. He also introduces Aristotle’s concept of technē (art, craft or...2024-01-121h 29Ayn Rand Institute Live!Aristotle on the Different Types of Knowledge by Gregory SalmieriIn this lesson, Salmieri discusses Aristotle’s view of the types and degrees of knowledge. In particular, he explains what is distinctive about the type of knowledge that Aristotle calls epistēmē (scientific understanding) and relates it to Objectivism’s view of the importance of thinking in principle. He also introduces Aristotle’s concept of technē (art, craft or skill) and explains why Aristotle regards both technē and epistēmē as superior to mere experience.
This course includes a handout: https://courses.aynrand.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Greg_Salmieri-Aristotles_Theory_of_Knowledge.pdf
Lesson 1 of 3 in "Aristotle's Theory of Knowledge"
Copyright © 1985 – 2024 The Ayn Rand In...2024-01-121h 29Ayn Rand Institute Live!Moral Cognition: Telling Right from Wrong by Gregory SalmieriWhat is the relationship between abstract moral principles (such as those that make up the Objectivist ethics) and the ability of people who do not (yet) grasp these principles to tell right from wrong? To what extent (and in what ways) can someone who doesn’t understand why something is good (or bad) know that it is good (or bad)? In this talk, Dr. Salmieri will address these questions and some of their implications for moral education, intellectual activism, and assessing ideological movements.
Recorded at OCON 2023 in Miami, Florida.2023-10-311h 29Podcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Moral Cognition: Telling Right from Wrong by Gregory SalmieriWhat is the relationship between abstract moral principles (such as those that make up the Objectivist ethics) and the ability of people who do not (yet) grasp these principles to tell right from wrong? To what extent (and in what ways) can someone who doesn’t understand why something is good (or bad) know that it...2023-10-311h 29The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastLibertarianism: Big Tent or Big Mess?In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and Nikos Sotirakopoulos review Matt Zwolinski and John Tomasi’s new book The Individualists: Radicals, Reactionaries, and the Struggle for the Soul of Libertarianism, and argue that the authors’ attempt to define libertarianism demonstrates that it lacks a coherent ideological identity.
Among the topics covered:
Zwolinski and Tomasi’s book and the liberty vs. libertarianism movements;
The connection between libertarianism and the progressive left;
Why libertarians share an intellectual alliance with the reactionary right;
How the connections between libertarian factions are sociological rather than ideological;
Why defending liberty is meaningless without a philo...2023-10-021h 03The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastLibertarianism: Big Tent or Big Mess?In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and Nikos Sotirakopoulos review Matt Zwolinski and John Tomasi’s new book The Individualists: Radicals, Reactionaries, and the Struggle for the Soul of Libertarianism, and argue that the authors’ attempt to define libertarianism demonstrates that it lacks a coherent ideological identity.
Among the topics covered:
Zwolinski and Tomasi’s book and the liberty vs. libertarianism movements;
The connection between libertarianism and the progressive left;
Why libertarians share an intellectual alliance with the reactionary right;
How the connections between libertarian factions are sociological rather than ideological;
Why defending liberty is meaningless without a philo...2023-10-021h 03The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastAyn Rand’s Distinctive View of Romantic ArtIn this episode of New Ideal, Sam Weaver interviews Harry Binswanger and Shoshana Milgram about the Romantic movement in art and Ayn Rand’s unique account of it. They also discuss an upcoming conference, Resurrecting Romanticism, which will focus on Romanticism in music and the visual arts.
Among the topics covered:
The value of learning about Rand’s philosophy of art;
A brief summary of Rand’s account of why we need art;
The unique value of Romantic art’s portrayal of volition and values;
Terence Rattigan’s The Browning Version and the stories of O. Henry as examples of Romantic l...2023-09-121h 13The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastAyn Rand’s Distinctive View of Romantic ArtIn this episode of New Ideal, Sam Weaver interviews Harry Binswanger and Shoshana Milgram about the Romantic movement in art and Ayn Rand’s unique account of it. They also discuss an upcoming conference, Resurrecting Romanticism, which will focus on Romanticism in music and the visual arts.
Among the topics covered:
The value of learning about Rand’s philosophy of art;
A brief summary of Rand’s account of why we need art;
The unique value of Romantic art’s portrayal of volition and values;
Terence Rattigan’s The Browning Version and the stories of O. Henry as examples of Romantic l...2023-09-121h 13Ayn Rand Institute Live!Q&A Panel and Conclusion of Conference with Onkar Ghate, Robert Mayhew, and Gregory SalmieriAttendees take this final opportunity to pose any lingering questions the conference may have raised.
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Con Europe 20232023-07-281h 07Podcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Q&A Panel and Conclusion of Conference with Onkar Ghate, Robert Mayhew, and Gregory SalmieriAttendees take this final opportunity to pose any lingering questions the conference may have raised. Recorded live at Ayn Rand Con Europe 20232023-07-281h 07Ayn Rand Institute Live!Man’s Life as the Standard of Value in the Ethics of Ayn Rand and Aristotle by Gregory Salmieri“Man’s life,” wrote Ayn Rand, “is the standard of morality.” Aristotle was the first to identify the proper standard of morality as the distinctly human form of life—the life of a rational animal. But Rand and Aristotle have importantly different views of what the human form of life is—in particular, about why reason is a value and how it relates to the faculties and the needs that human beings share with other living things. This talk explores the similarities and differences between these two ethicists.
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Con Europe 20232023-06-2351 minPodcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Man’s Life as the Standard of Value in the Ethics of Ayn Rand and Aristotle by Gregory Salmieri“Man’s life,” wrote Ayn Rand, “is the standard of morality.” Aristotle was the first to identify the proper standard of morality as the distinctly human form of life—the life of a rational animal. But Rand and Aristotle have importantly different views of what the human form of life is—in particular, about why reason is a...2023-06-2351 minPodcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Panel Discussion: Objectivism and Ancient Greek Philosophy with Robert Mayhew, Gregory Salmieri and Aaron SmithToday’s earlier sessions were about Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism. In this panel we reflect on this philosophy in light of the nature of philosophy as a discipline and its origins in the thinkers of Ancient Athens. What is philosophy and why did it first arise in Ancient Greece and flower in Athens? What is the...2023-06-161h 12Ayn Rand Institute Live!Panel Discussion: Objectivism and Ancient Greek Philosophy with Robert Mayhew, Gregory Salmieri and Aaron SmithToday’s earlier sessions were about Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism. In this panel we reflect on this philosophy in light of the nature of philosophy as a discipline and its origins in the thinkers of Ancient Athens. What is philosophy and why did it first arise in Ancient Greece and flower in Athens? What is the special significance of Socrates and Plato? Why did Rand see her “only philosophical debt“ as being to Aristotle and in what sense is her philosophy Aristotelian? What are the other philosophic systems from antiquity and how does Objectivism relate to them?
Recorded live at Ayn R...2023-06-161h 12Ayn Rand Institute Live!Q&A Panel on Objectivism with Onkar Ghate, Gregory Salmieri, Tara Smith and Aaron SmithAfter reflecting on the talks so far, here is your chance to ask any questions you have about Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism.
Recorded live at Ayn Rand Con Europe 20232023-06-091h 10Podcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Q&A Panel on Objectivism with Onkar Ghate, Gregory Salmieri, Tara Smith and Aaron SmithAfter reflecting on the talks so far, here is your chance to ask any questions you have about Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism. Recorded live at Ayn Rand Con Europe 20232023-06-091h 10Ayn Rand Institute Live!Capitalism: The Only Moral Social System by Gregory Salmieri“If life on earth is one’s standard of value,” wrote Ayn Rand, “then the nineteenth century moved mankind forward more than all the other centuries combined.” She attributed the century’s “creative energy” and “rising standard of living” to the introduction of the only moral social system: capitalism. In this talk, Dr. Salmieri discusses why it is the only moral system, and how its moral character makes possible an unprecedented prosperity that humanity has only begun (fitfully) to achieve.Recorded live at Ayn Rand Con Europe 20232023-06-0254 minPodcast – Ayn Rand Institute Live!Capitalism: The Only Moral Social System by Gregory Salmieri“If life on earth is one’s standard of value,” wrote Ayn Rand, “then the nineteenth century moved mankind forward more than all the other centuries combined.” She attributed the century’s “creative energy” and “rising standard of living” to the introduction of the only moral social system: capitalism. In this talk, Dr. Salmieri discusses why it...2023-06-0254 min
Choose Your IssuesAncient Greek Philosophy and the Modern WorldThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 30Choose Your IssuesThe Nature of Individual RightsThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 48Choose Your IssuesObjectivism and Education, with special guest Matt BatemanThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 57Choose Your IssuesAre we selfish by Nature?, a discussion with Bryan CaplanThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 45Choose Your IssuesControversies about the Covid-19 PandemicThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 27Choose Your IssuesThe Culture & Education WarsThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 22Choose Your IssuesNepo Babies and a Level Playing Field?The Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 18Choose Your IssuesWhat is Freedom?The Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 32Choose Your IssuesThe Hamline University Controversy: “Academic Freedom” and Images of MohamedThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2023-05-041h 18
Yaron Brook ShowGreg Salmieri & Yaron Discuss Objectivism and Its Applications | Yaron InterviewsGregory Salmieri is a senior scholar of philosophy in the Salem Center for Policy at the McCombs School. He holds the Brigham Fellowship for the Study of Objectivism and is the director of the center’s Program for Objectivity in Thought, Action, and Enterprise. His research concerns epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy, and the philosophies of Aristotle and Ayn Rand. Salmieri is the co-editor of “A Companion to Ayn Rand” and “Foundations of a Free Society” and the author of numerous articles and talks.Salmieri has taught philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Rutg...2023-04-212h 22Choose Your IssuesSpecial Episode with Yaron BrookThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2022-12-0800 minChoose Your Issues“Unconditional Love?”The Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2022-11-3000 minChoose Your Issues“Academic Freedom”, the Midterm Elections, and the Net-Zero DebateThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2022-11-3000 minChoose Your IssuesTelling Information from MisinformationThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2022-11-3000 minChoose Your IssuesIndividualism vs Collectivism: Human Nature, Ethics and PoliticsThe Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2022-11-3000 minChoose Your IssuesIs Politics Downstream from Culture?The Podcast of the Objectivism Program at the Salem Center in the University of Texas at Austin. Gregory Salmieri and others discuss issues of the day in light of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.2022-11-3000 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastPanel on America’s Culture: Live from OCON 2022In this episode of New Ideal Live, broadcast live from OCON 2022, Onkar Ghate, Gregory Salmieri, Tara Smith and Yaron Brook discuss the tumultuous events of the last few years and how we should evaluate the state of American political culture in light of them.
Among the topics covered:
The irrationality and tribalism of most Americans’ responses to Covid-19;The increasing popularity of conspiratorial thinking;How 9/11 and subsequent wars contributed to Americans’ loss of trust in institutions;The disappearance of discussion about economic policy from American political culture;The transformation of the Tea Party into the modern Republican base;The fact that...2022-07-111h 15The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastPanel on America’s Culture: Live from OCON 2022In this episode of New Ideal Live, broadcast live from OCON 2022, Onkar Ghate, Gregory Salmieri, Tara Smith and Yaron Brook discuss the tumultuous events of the last few years and how we should evaluate the state of American political culture in light of them.
Among the topics covered:
The irrationality and tribalism of most Americans’ responses to Covid-19;The increasing popularity of conspiratorial thinking;How 9/11 and subsequent wars contributed to Americans’ loss of trust in institutions;The disappearance of discussion about economic policy from American political culture;The transformation of the Tea Party into the modern Republican base;The fact that...2022-07-111h 15New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstitutePanel on America’s Culture: Live from OCON 2022In this episode of New Ideal Live, broadcast live from OCON 2022, Onkar Ghate, Gregory Salmieri, Tara Smith and Yaron Brook discuss the tumultuous events of the last few years and how we should evaluate the state of American political culture in light of them.
Among the topics covered:
The irrationality and tribalism of most Americans’ responses to Covid-19;
The increasing popularity of conspiratorial thinking;
How 9/11 and subsequent wars contributed to Americans’ loss of trust in institutions;
The disappearance of discussion about economic policy from American political culture;
The transformation of the Tea Party into the modern Repu...2022-07-111h 15The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastAlex Epstein’s Powerful Case for More Fossil Fuel EnergyIn this episode of New Ideal Live, Keith Lockitch and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss Fossil Future, a powerful new book on energy and climate change written by former Ayn Rand Institute fellow Alex Epstein. The book argues that to achieve a better world, we need to expand our use of fossil fuel energy, not decrease it.
Among the topics covered:
Fossil Future in relation to other recent books challenging climate alarmism;Epstein’s account of the widespread ignorance of the benefits of fossil fuels;Epstein’s concept of a knowledge system by which expert knowledge is reached and disseminated (often inaccurately) to t...2022-06-061h 05The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastAlex Epstein’s Powerful Case for More Fossil Fuel EnergyIn this episode of New Ideal Live, Keith Lockitch and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss Fossil Future, a powerful new book on energy and climate change written by former Ayn Rand Institute fellow Alex Epstein. The book argues that to achieve a better world, we need to expand our use of fossil fuel energy, not decrease it.
Among the topics covered:
Fossil Future in relation to other recent books challenging climate alarmism;Epstein’s account of the widespread ignorance of the benefits of fossil fuels;Epstein’s concept of a knowledge system by which expert knowledge is reached and disseminated (often inaccurately) to t...2022-06-021h 05The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastPhilosophers’ Unprofessional Treatment of Ayn RandIn this episode of New Ideal Live, Onkar Ghate and Mike Mazza discuss academic philosophers’ dismissals of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, and some of the reasons why academic philosophers often fail to live up to the profession’s scholarly standards when addressing Rand’s ideas.
Among the topics covered:
The provincial view of philosophy that leads Sidney Hook to dismiss Rand as unsophisticated in his review of her book For the New Intellectual;How Robert Nozick goes wrong in his article “On the Randian Argument” by approaching Rand’s inductive arguments as if they were deductive;James Rachels’s claim, in his widely-us...2022-05-311h 08The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastPhilosophers’ Unprofessional Treatment of Ayn RandIn this episode of New Ideal Live, Onkar Ghate and Mike Mazza discuss academic philosophers’ dismissals of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, and some of the reasons why academic philosophers often fail to live up to the profession’s scholarly standards when addressing Rand’s ideas.
Among the topics covered:
The provincial view of philosophy that leads Sidney Hook to dismiss Rand as unsophisticated in his review of her book For the New Intellectual;How Robert Nozick goes wrong in his article “On the Randian Argument” by approaching Rand’s inductive arguments as if they were deductive;James Rachels’s claim, in his widely-us...2022-05-261h 08The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastUnderstanding the Roots of the New Inflation: With Rob TarrIn this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer interviews Rob Tarr, an expert on economics, about how Ayn Rand’s philosophical approach to economics can help us understand the nature and causes of inflation.
Among the topics covered:
Whether inflation is an increase in the price level or in the money supply;Ayn Rand’s explanation of the epistemological causes of inflation in “Egalitarianism and Inflation”;How Rand’s economic views contrast with the Keynesian view;How Rand’s economic views compare to those of various free market economists;Different ways of measuring inflation;The causes of the current increase in...2022-04-031h 09The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastUnderstanding the Roots of the New Inflation: With Rob TarrIn this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer interviews Rob Tarr, an expert on economics, about how Ayn Rand’s philosophical approach to economics can help us understand the nature and causes of inflation.
Among the topics covered:
Whether inflation is an increase in the price level or in the money supply;Ayn Rand’s explanation of the epistemological causes of inflation in “Egalitarianism and Inflation”;How Rand’s economic views contrast with the Keynesian view;How Rand’s economic views compare to those of various free market economists;Different ways of measuring inflation;The causes of the current increase in...2022-04-011h 09
Philosophy of EducationPublic School: A Conversation with Kmele foster and Dr. Gregory SalmieriKmele Foster and Dr. Gregory Salmieri join Matt Bateman for a critical discussion of public school. Is it compatible with free speech? With parental custodianship? Do we need it for cultural unity? How should we evaluate school choice proposals?
Kmele is the co-founder of Freethink Media (https://www.freethink.com/), and co-host of The Fifth Column, a libertarian podcast that covers political and social issues. (https://wethefifth.com/). You can find Kmele on Twitter, @kmele.
Dr. Salmieri is a senior scholar of philosophy in the Salem Center at the University of Texas, Austin. He holds the Brigham Fellowship for the...2022-03-071h 39The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastA Companion to Ayn Rand: Gregory Salmieri InterviewCoeditor Gregory Salmieri discusses A Companion to Ayn Rand, part of the Blackwell Companions to Philosophy series.2022-02-1849 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastA Companion to Ayn Rand: Gregory Salmieri InterviewCoeditor Gregory Salmieri discusses A Companion to Ayn Rand, part of the Blackwell Companions to Philosophy series.2022-02-1849 minNew Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstituteA Companion to Ayn Rand: Gregory Salmieri InterviewCoeditor Gregory Salmieri discusses A Companion to Ayn Rand, part of the Blackwell Companions to Philosophy series.
2022-02-1849 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastConservatives, Libertarians, Anarchists vs. Rand on PoliticsOne virtue of Foundations of a Free Society is that it offers an in-depth look at Rand’s political thought. And the book helps us understand how her distinctive moral case for a free society relates to (and contrasts with) the views of other philosophers who are seen as advocates for liberty.
Elan Journo talked with one of the book’s coeditors, Gregory Salmieri, and, among many topics, they discussed the issue of how to situate Rand’s ideas on the intellectual landscape. Some of the topics touched on:
What was Rand’s case for capitalism, and how does it compare...2022-02-1841 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastConservatives, Libertarians, Anarchists vs. Rand on PoliticsOne virtue of Foundations of a Free Society is that it offers an in-depth look at Rand’s political thought. And the book helps us understand how her distinctive moral case for a free society relates to (and contrasts with) the views of other philosophers who are seen as advocates for liberty.
Elan Journo talked with one of the book’s coeditors, Gregory Salmieri, and, among many topics, they discussed the issue of how to situate Rand’s ideas on the intellectual landscape. Some of the topics touched on:
What was Rand’s case for capitalism, and how does it compare...2022-02-1841 minPhilosophy of EducationSpecial Episode: Rethinking DEI in Schools: Systemic vs. Personalized ApproachesIn this special episode, Montessorium’s pedagogy and identity team shares their radical approach to DEI, one that centers around respect for individual agency and emphasizes direct, individualized interventions grounded in deep personal relationships.
This panel is led by Matt Bateman, Executive Director of Montessorium. He is joined by Ray Girn (CEO of Higher Ground Education), Kmele Foster (Partner at Freethink Media), Chloe Valdary (Founder of the Theory of Enchantment) and
Dr. Gregory Salmieri (Philosopher at the Salem Center at UT Austin).2021-12-3056 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastObjectivism Q&A: Live from OCONIn this episode of New Ideal Live, recorded live at the 2021 Objectivist Summer Conference in Austin, Texas, philosophers Onkar Ghate, Ben Bayer, Mike Mazza and Aaron Smith answer questions about Objectivism from the audience.
Among the topics covered:
Whether philosophy requires specialized knowledge (e.g. about historical events);Why Ayn Rand thought that determinism is “incoherent” and not just “false”;Whether the existence of free will can be proven with a scientific method;Whether “greed” is a valid concept;Why John Galt and not Hugh Akston led the strike in Atlas Shrugged;Whether there’s been progress in Objectivism on the subject of...2021-09-071h 00The Ayn Rand Institute PodcastObjectivism Q&A: Live from OCON
In this episode of New Ideal Live, recorded live at the 2021 Objectivist Summer Conference in Austin, Texas, philosophers Onkar Ghate, Ben Bayer, Mike Mazza and Aaron Smith answer questions about Objectivism from the audience.
Among the topics covered:
* Whether philosophy requires specialized knowledge (e.g. about historical events);* Why Ayn Rand thought that determinism is “incoherent” and not just “false”;* Whether the existence of free will can be proven with a scientific method;* Whether “greed” is a valid concept;* Why John Galt and not Hugh Akston led the strike in Atlas Shrugged;* Whether there’s been progress in Objectivism on the subject of...2021-09-071h 00
Power Hour with Alex EpsteinHow Defunding Reliable Energy Caused the Texas BlackoutsOn this week’s Power Hour Alex Epstein joins philosopher Gregory Salmieri and statistician Carlos Carvalho to discuss what caused Texas electricity to be so unreliable when it was desperately needed during a recent winter storm.
In this wide-ranging discussion Alex emphasizes the point that by giving undeserved money and preferences to unreliable wind and solar electricity, Texas defunded the reliable and resilient electricity it needed.
Some specific topics include:
- How the grid needs to match supply and demand.
- What we know about what actually happened before the mass blackouts.
...2021-03-251h 17
The Don Watkins ShowGovernment - Commentaries on OPAR 46Diving deep into Leonard Peikoff's book, "Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand," one section at a time. Except this episode where we do two sections.This episode covers "Government as an Agency to Protect Rights" and "Statism as the Politics of Unreason" from Chapter 10."What is Liberty?" by Onkar Ghate and Greg Salmieri - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqsoWxJ-qmMusQPtWeOIXnWMYaOegGCOJ"Government: Who Needs It" by Gregory Salmieri - https://youtu.be/_78JtNzVi64 "The Structure of Government" by Ayn Rand - https://youtu.be/5mQmP-JG8o4For the latest n...2021-03-1036 minThe Ayn Rand Institute PodcastDavid S. Wilson’s ‘Sequel’: Atlas Hugged or Atlas Mugged?
In this episode of New Ideal Live, Keith Lockitch and Ben Bayer discuss biologist David Sloan Wilson’s so-called sequel to Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged.
Among the topics covered:
* What Wilson’s book, Atlas Hugged, is about — and why it’s worth analyzing;* Whether the book can be considered a “sequel” to Rand’s novel;* How Wilson’s novel rewrites crucial events of the original, especially the story of John Galt;* Whether artistic license or parody are compatible with intellectual critique;* Wilson’s caricature of Rand’s views of happiness, productiveness, and individualism;* The “philosophical obtuseness” of Wilson’s argument for collectivism...2021-03-081h 23New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstituteHow Ethics Can Guide Our Lives, Not Just Resolve DilemmasIn this episode of New Ideal Live, Gregory Salmieri joins Ben Bayer to discuss the approach that leads many prominent philosophers to analyze far-fetched dilemmas, an approach that offers no serious moral guidance for everyday life. They also discuss how a different approach can actually guide our decisions.
2020-11-231h 04New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstituteThe Assault on ExpertiseIn this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and Elan Journo sit down to discuss the general skepticism around the role of scientific expertise, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Topics discussed include:
The fallacy of appealing to irrelevant authority
The necessity of appealing to reliable experts when one does not have specialized knowledge of one’s own
Methods of independently evaluating the reliability of experts
The good and bad reasons people have for distrusting experts and being skeptical about certain scientific fields
Some of the resources mentioned in this podcast are lesson 2 of...2020-08-311h 04New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstituteBuilding and Toppling Public StatuesStatues of historical figures are being toppled or vandalized across the country. Many people claim that the statues being torn down or defaced are monuments to racism that can no longer be tolerated.
In this episode of New Ideal Live, philosophers Onkar Ghate, Ben Bayer and Gregory Salmieri discuss the nature of this phenomenon, whether it is a legitimate form of protest and what, if anything, should be done about public monuments of questionable figures.
2020-08-031h 04New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstituteWho’s the Censor: Twitter or Trump?Are social media companies a threat to free speech? President Trump seems to think so. Recently, Trump signed an executive order ostensibly aimed at preventing “censorship” by digital platforms like Twitter and Facebook. In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer sits down with Gregory Salmieri to critique the president’s executive order and to clear up dangerous confusions about the nature of free speech and censorship.
2020-06-101h 00New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstituteCondemning Lawless Violence — By the Police and the RiotersIn the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer last week, protests erupted nationwide. In this late-breaking episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer, Onkar Ghate and Gregory Salmieri discuss police misconduct, the riots that followed, and how to think about a path forward from the lawless injustice that is common to both.
2020-06-031h 35The Don Watkins ShowMark Pellegrino's journey from environmentalist to capitalistDon Watkins and Mark Pellegrino (Lost, Supernatural) discuss Mark's journey from environmentalist to capitalist. Along the way they explore the challenges of debating controversial ideas on social media, being pro-liberty in Hollywood, and whether anarchism is truly part of the liberty movement. "Government: Who Needs It" by Gregory Salmieri - https://youtu.be/_78JtNzVi64 Anarchism: The Enemy of Liberty - https://youtu.be/gjFevWb6p8M SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER - https://www.donswriting.com/ SUPPORT THE SHOW - http://libertyunlocked.com/--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/don-watkins/suppo2020-06-0153 minNew Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstituteShould Government Just “Follow the Science”?Several governors have announced that they will lift lockdown orders using the advice they receive from scientists and doctors. But even though scientific knowledge is obviously relevant to a government’s response to a pandemic, can it offer policy guidance all by itself? In a recent episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and Gregory Salmieri discuss this very question: “Should government just ‘follow the science’?”
Springboarding from several recent articles on the same topic, Bayer and Salmieri discuss how scientific information and expertise are not sufficient to ground the ethical and political value judgments at the basis of p...2020-05-1855 minNew Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstitutePhilosophers Discuss: Should We Accept Suffering as Part of Life?In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and special guest Gregory Salmieri discuss recently published articles, secular and religious, that address the question of whether we can find meaning in the facts of suffering and death — facts the coronavirus pandemic are forcing many to face first-hand.
2020-04-2955 minNew Ideal, from the Ayn Rand InstituteGovernment’s Proper Role During COVID-19 PandemicAs COVID-19 continues to impact every
aspect of human life, government has assumed a key role in the fight against
the pandemic. Federal, state, and local governments are implementing directives
intended to enforce social distancing, stimulate the economy, and address
medical shortages, among other measures.
In a special installment of our webinar series Philosophy for Living on Earth, I sat down with Onkar Ghate, the Ayn Rand Institute’s chief philosophy officer, and Gregory Salmieri, a lecturer in philosophy at Rutgers University, to discuss government’s proper role in a public health crisis.
2020-04-021h 32
Philosophy for Living On EarthThinking Philosophically About the Pandemic with Onkar Ghate and Gregory SalmieriThe COVID-19 pandemic and the responses to it from both business and government are now dominating the headlines and overwhelming our lives. As we all begin to grapple with the wide-ranging effects of both the disease and the steps being taken to fight it, there’s a need to take a step back and survey the … Continue reading Thinking Philosophically About the Pandemic with Onkar Ghate and Gregory Salmieri →2020-03-1800 minPhilosophy for Living On EarthIs Privilege Real? by Gregory SalmieriMany people believe that privilege—the idea that special rights or advantages are available only to a particular person or group—is a problem. While there are advantages, such as the wealth and location of one’s parents, that are not a choice, there are reasons to be skeptical about whether or not privilege is a problem. For … Continue reading Is Privilege Real? by Gregory Salmieri →2020-02-2600 minPhilosophy for Living On EarthDo People’s Interests Have to Conflict? by Gregory SalmieriPeople are at odds with one another all the time (we have wars, personal animosities, etc.) and it is generally assumed that people’s interests conflict. We are often told that the only way to have any kind of peace is to compromise—to give up our interests in deference to other people. Ayn Rand rejects this…2020-01-0800 minPhilosophy for Living On EarthIsn’t Everybody Selfish? by Gregory SalmieriThe question “Isn’t Everybody Selfish?” is often asked cynically by people who think selfishness is a bad thing and that it’s impossible to avoid. Sometimes it is said by economists who think that selfishness helps to explain human action, and sometimes the question is posed skeptically to people, e.g., Ayn Rand, who say that everyone…2019-09-1800 min