[Am-info] Ayn Rand Institute?

[Eric M. Hopper]

On Mon, 2002-03-18 at 16:29, Felmon Davis wrote:
> On Monday 18 March 2002 11:53 am, Mitch Stone wrote:
> > Logical consistency is where you find it, I guess. Rand's rigid
> > self-interest dogma led to some fairly bizarre conclusions. For
> > example, the only kind of force seen as "objectively" unethical is
> > physical force -- you should not beat money out of someone. But if
> > you can swindle them out it, that's okay because it just indicates
> > that you're smarter then they, and therefore more deserving. Think
> > of it as social darwinism for nerds -- a human potential movement
> > for people without a conscience.
> >
> > I've developed a sort of acid test for people who claim to believe
> > in objectivism. I ask them if they should be allowed to fire a gun
> > into a crowded room, provided they don't hit anyone. This is
> > precisely the sort of moral and ethical question Rand's philosophy
> > can't resolve. 
> 
> I'm being a little dense, sorry, and I don't want to turn this into a 
> seminar but could you briefly explain why Objectivism can't resolve 
> this case? Is there some contradiction it gets caught in here?

To a strict Objectivist, the case is clear cut.  Of course you can fire
a gun in a crowded room if you don't hit anybody.

But, to an Objectivist who's willing to conceded that perhaps
Objectivism doesn't correctly cover every possible situation, the
scenario has some definite problems.  It's very hard to fire a gun in a
crowded room without hitting anybody.  It's really best if nobody ever
fires a gun in a crowded room.  Then there's the question of the harm
the ensuing panic (which is all totally due to people's fearful
reaction, and not at all to the actual act of firing the gun) causes,
and whether you ought to have laws that take this quite understandable
effect into account.

It's actually a pretty good test.  Much like asking a Libertarian what a
corporation actually is.

*grin*,
-- 
The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they
be properly armed.  -- Alexander Hamilton
-- Eric Hopper (hopper@omnifarious.org 
http://www.omnifarious.org/~hopper) --