BB&T doa $2 milhões para pesquisas sobre Ayn Rand

BB&T Donates $2 Million for Ayn Rand Research At The University of Texas at Austin

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.

O mundo está perdido mesmo...

O valor é totalmente absurdo, mas o que se tem contra Ayn Rand?

Lá vamos nós... Alguém lembra o link daquele tópico sobre a Ayn Rand para poupar o trabalho de reeditá-lo aqui?

Talvez esse texto possa lhe ajudar a entender: http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=5124"Religious conservatives don't like Ayn Rand because she chose Athens over Jerusalem, reason over revelation, and pragmatic conservatives don't like her because she was a moral absolutist. But there's usually something more that bothers conservatives.

Ayn Rand believed that the United States was the most moral society in history, but she also believed that its founding principles had never been properly defended. She therefore set out to secure America's basic values and principles--e.g., rugged individualism, limited government and capitalism. Unlike many conservatives, Rand didn't rely on faith, tradition, or folksy speeches to defend America. Instead, she thought those principles philosophically demonstrable.

The reason that some conservatives fear Ayn Rand is that, ultimately, they can't defend America philosophically. Conservatives don’t like the fact that Rand defends reason, objectivity, and certainty--and they won't; they don't like the fact that she defends rational self-interest, moral absolutism, and rationally grounded virtues--and they won't; they don’t like the fact that she defends individual rights and capitalism--and they won't. Because they won't defend these philosophical principles, they can't defend America. That is conservatism's dirty little secret."

Agora, mais importante do que entender a rejeição à Ayn Rand é entender porque o conservadorismo convencional não consegue fazer frente à esquerda (seja nos EUA ou em qualquer outro lugar). As duas questões estão relacionadas, mas este é um assunto mais complexo que envolve compreender a defesa moral do capitalismo em geral, e no caso dos Estados Unidos em particular, entender as forças políticas que controlam atualmente o partido republicano. O fracasso do governo Bush e a indicação de McCain (um sinal claro da dificuldade de combater ideologicamente estatismo) não são frutos do acaso.

Ah, perdoem-me pela ignorância. Mas, o Atlas Shrugged que li é sensacional, um dos melhores livros que já li na vida. Thank you for these information.