Ayn Rand’s Philosophy &

Implications for Professional

Nursing & U.S. Healthcare

Ayn Rand’s Philosophy

Objectivism: Objectivism is the

ultimate philosophy of unsullied reason and

unadulterated individualism.

Objectivism defined by RandInterview with Mike Wallace (1959)

(From Video “Ayn Rand a Sense of Life” Produced by Michael Paxton in 1998)

Historical ContextBorn Feb. 2, 1905 in

St. Petersburg Russia

Migrated to U.S. in 1926

Met & Married O’Connor in 1929

The Fountainhead 1943

“Objectivism” launched

1917-21 Russian Revolution

1918-1924 Lenin’s Internationalism

1921-1939 Russia under Lenin and Stalin

World War I 1914-1918

1929 The Great Depression

1933 Roosevelt’s New Deal

1947 Interrogated by the HUAC

Objectivism: The Philosophy of Reason

``My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievements as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.''

- Ayn Rand

Intellectual Freedom cannot exist without Political

Freedom

IntellectualFreedom

PoliticalFreedom

Free MarketFree Mind

Political Freedom cannot exist without economic freedom

Overview of Rand’s Philosophy

• Metaphysics: Objective Reality• Epistemology: Reason• Ethics: Self Interest• Politics: Capitalism

Examples of Rand’s Contributions Examples of Rand’s Contributions to Literatureto Literature

• Atlas Shrugged• The Fountainhead• We the Living• Anthem• Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal• For the New Intellectual• The Virtue of Selfishness

Rand’s Work reveals:

The philosophy of individualism, personal

responsibility, the power of reason, and the importance

of morality.

Reason is man’s only means of knowledge

Facts of reality are knowable through objective reasoning

Sensory perceptionLaws of logic

Knowledge

Non-rational forms of Knowledge

MysticismMysticism

IrrationalismIrrationalism SupernaturalismSupernaturalism

Non-SensoryNon-Sensory

A higher BeingA higher Being

Do not Exist!

Rational Self Interest is the Rational Self Interest is the Ethical CodeEthical Code

Ethics ofSelf Interest

HonestyHonesty JusticeJustice

ProductionProduction

TradeTrade

PridePrideRationalityRationality

IndependenceIndependence

IntegrityIntegrity

Capitalism demands the best of every man

His rationality

& rewards accordingly

$$

Altruism: the highest good is Altruism: the highest good is service to othersservice to others

Rand rejects Altruism

Connection to Other Philosophic Schools of Thought

• Aristotole• Platoism• Kant• Marxism• Communism

Connection to Nursing

• The use of reason to approach life’s challenges to examine & excel in life.

• Objective approach to scientific exploration using reason and logic for research.

• Respect for individuality.• The spirit of individual commitment to

achieve success.• The passion for what is right.

Healthcare’s Lesson in Rand’s Teaching

• Clinton-Bush Debates on Healthcare Reform

• “Market” driven managed care• Failure of Market driven managed

care• The alternative:

Socialized Healthcare