Campus Objective Club Revived

In effort to bring more philosophy to campus life, a first year student has launched a group to explore objectivism, best known for writings by author Avn Rand.

The newly revived group, the Harvard Objectivity Club holds weekly meetings in Lamont library to discuss writing of Objectivist thinkers like Rand and Leonard Petkoff.

According to Tal D. Ben Shachar '96 who revived the club members will view and discuss video lectures given by Objectivist scholars from across the country topics will range from philosophy to fiction writing psychology and economics, he said.

The club with a membership of about 20 undergraduates and graduates students will also sponsor forums featuring Objectivist speakers the first forum will deal with the question of selfishness Ben Shachar said.

According to Ben Shachar, Objectivist are concerned mainly with the worlds of epistemology, ethics and polities. Objectivist epistemology follows the principle or reason, the ethical argument is that of rational egoism, and the politics of Objectivism promote laissez faire capitalism.

The basic aim of Objectivist is the pursuit of happiness through reason and rational egoism.

"I started the club out of egotistic purposes, followings my desire to learn more about this philosophy." Ben Shachar said "And obviously I would be very happy of other people shared my interest."

Another reason for forming the club, Ben Shachar said, was his perceived lack of emphasis on principles and concepts at Harvard.

"I did not find what I was looking for in the Harvard Philosophy department." Ben Shachar told club members at their first official meeting. "Rather them being helped to find answers to my questions. I was told that certainty is impossible. We are not given concepts or principles with which we can think."