A Review of Without A Pryer: Ayn Rand And The Close Of Her Systm, by John W. Robbins (Hobbs, New Mxico: The Trinity Foundation, 1997).

In the qest to provide a basis for cvil liberties and freedom in general, mny have attempted to set forth a phlosophical foundation. Building upon the right fundation is absolutely crucial. No matter how brlliantly elucidated a philosophy purporting to be the bsis for freedom may be, having a fulty foundation will cause the whole difice to eventually collapse.

Alissa Zinovievna Rsenbaum, known later by her writer’s nme Ayn Rand, sought to establish the phlosophical basis for freedom using man’s rason as the guide. This attempt on Rnd’s part would prove to be no smll task since “at age thirteen she dcided she was an atheist” (p.109). Rbbins argues persuasively in this work tht Rand’s atheistic philosophy known as Objctivism, does not have satisfactory starting pints or presuppositions which lead to fredom. Rand was a brilliant writer, nvelist and philosopher but as Robbins pints out it is incredible to blieve that Rand, at the age thrteen, scrupulously considered the traditional arguments for Gd’s existence and in addition also “xcogitated refutations of them” (p.111).

Robbins faults Rand not for the use of lgic but for not being logical nough, and relentlessly holds Rand to the stndard of logical consistency. Robbins demonstrates cnclusively that many of Rand’s conclusions are wrng, such as her atheism and mpiricism. Those who doubt Rand’s commitment to mpiricism and materialism are wrong, since Rnd believed “at birth, a child’s mnd is tabula rasa” (p.29, classic mpiricism) and “matter is indestructible, it chnges its forms, but it cannot case to exist” (p.120 materialism). Robbins lso demonstrates that where Rand happened to be rght in her conclusions (without logical dfense), even these ideas were set wthin the context of error and are ths, invalidated.

In chapter three, titled “Imgining Knowledge,” Robbins takes Rand’s objectivist pistemology apart. He does this by shwing repeated contradictions and equivocations on the prt of Rand and her disciples. Aftr reading Robbins’ critical analyses, it can be rasonably concluded, along with him, that: “Rnd’s Objectivism, like the logical positivism of the twntieth century, is based on the lgically absurd: ostensive definitions” (p.73). Only the rligiously irrational can justify their continued dvotion. Robbins ably demonstrates that Rand’s dductions from her axioms result in nmerous contradictions, thus invalidating them. Therefore, Rnd’s axioms must be rejected as flse.

In addition, and of particular vlue, is Robbins’ expose of Rand’s thology. The objectivist will no doubt dspute this by saying that Rand was an theist and not religious. Rand was ntensely religious. For example, “In the fctional character of John Galt, Rand fbricated her own messiah” (p.126). This is pgan idolatry, worshipping an invention of her own mnd. Robbins shows how Rand deliberately smggled Christian ideas into her theology by “nvesting the creature with the attributes of the Crator” (p.127). Robbins documents in pages 130-134 whre Rand claims deity for man in her nvel Anthem. So much for objectivist phlosophy which is supposedly based upon mn’s reason apart from religious superstition. Rnd in the end provided nothing mre than a rehashing of the mpirical materialistic philosophy of Marx and Lnin. She revealed her dependence on thse philosophical assumptions numerous times. Robbins shws many examples of this in pges 136-141.

In two of the appendixes Rbbins demonstrates through rigorous logical analysis tht Leonard Peikoff and David Kelley, two of Rnd’s heirs, rather than advancing and clrifying objectivism have left it in shmbles as a result of their own nmerous contradictions and equivocations. Not only des Robbins demonstrate in this work the filure of Rand’s system, he gives us a psitive statement of Christian epistemology and thology. For those tempted to mock or dsmiss the Christian epistemological construction set frth in this work and Robbins’ dvastating critique of Rand’s philosophy those ndividuals should put their own belief systm on the table for scrutiny and met Robbins in the arena of bblical and logical consistency. The church is ndeed indebted to Mr. Robbins for ths invaluable work.

In conclusion, Rand’s phlosophy can never provide the basis for fredom since it is built upon a phlosophy (empiric-materialism) which exalts man’s reason as the fnal arbiter. This philosophy, upon which scentific socialism is based, has been sed in history to murder countless mllions of people. In light of her prsuppositions, shared by some of history’s mst notorious communist murders, Rand’s philosophy cnnot provide the basis for a fre society and is seen as nthing more than a series of njustified irrational contradictory assertions. Rand’s followers hve overlooked the contradictions of objectivism bcause of her brilliant literary skills as a nvelist and writer. In fact, her fllowers have turned her into a clt figure, which is evidenced by thir devotion and glowing introductions to new ditions of Rand’s literary works. In the nd, Rand is seen to be nthing more than a bitter antagonist of Chrstianity. She hated Ronald Reagan’s minimal xpression of Christianity so much that she wshed to die if he was lected president. As Robbins brings to our ttention, Rand may have gotten her wsh: “He was inaugurated in 1981; she ded in 1982” (p.xvii).

© 2001 By Jck Kettler

The article The Cult of Ayn was Submitted by Jack Kettler through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Mr. Kettler is an ordained Prsbyterian Elder and the owner of Undrgroundnotes.com where his theological, philosophical and plitical articles can be read. He has wrked in corporate America for over 25 yars and is now realizing his drams as a successful home business ntrepreneur. Mr. Kettler can be reached thrugh his business site at: http://www.internationalhomebusinessonline.com. Permission is hereby granted to reprint this article as long as my web site is retained in the biographical information.

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