The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast

American popular culture is filled with pieces that gently mock, satirize and ridicule religion, especially Judeo-Christian beliefs. To cite but three instances, Stephen Colbert’s periodic Late Show conversations with God, the character of Ned Flanders on The Simpsons, and the musical The Book of Mormon. At the same time, religion remains a highly respected force in American society, often regarded as an integral thread of American exceptionalism. This respect was on full display in the nation’s response to the attacks of September 11, 2001. Here were trained fighters who flew airliners into New York City’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon in Virginia, and who declared they were doing so in the name of their faith. Yet few American leaders could even entertain the idea that these may have been religiously inspired attacks. The basic reason religion remains such an esteemed aspect of American society is that it is considered important, even indispensable, to morality. The strongest form this idea takes is that morality depends on religion — that without God, the distinction between good and evil loses meaning, and anything goes. In this episode, we read aloud Onkar Ghate's article, “Finding Morality and Happiness Without God.” In that essay, Ghate argues that because reason is how we understand and deal with reality, a proper approach to morality will teach us how to follow reason on principle, without any concession to unexamined feelings or to faith. Ghate’s article was originally published in New Ideal on May 4, 2018.

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Nikos Sotirakopoulos and Ziemowit Gowin mark the one-year anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine by discussing European attitudes towards Russia before and after the launch of the all-out campaign. Among the topics covered: How European nations found themselves heavily reliant on Russian gas exports; How European leaders' lack of principled thinking led to a refusal to recognize pre-invasion Russia as an authoritarian state, despite past acts of military aggression; The surprisingly strong and moral reaction of European countries to the invasion; The lessons Europeans have learned from the invasion and the lessons so far unlearned; Why calls for a ceasefire based on a compromise between Russian and Ukrainian “interests” would amount to moral capitulation, a total surrender to Russia’s goals, and encouragement of future aggression. Mentioned in this podcast are “Why John Mearsheimer Gets Ukraine Wrong” by Elan Journo, “A Historian of the Future: Five More Questions for Stephen Kotkin” by The Hoover Institution, and “The Roots of War,” “Altruism as Appeasement,” and “Doesn’t Life Require Compromise?” by Ayn Rand. This episode was recorded on February 24, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHmApTxyvCg Podcast audio:

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and Sam Weaver discuss Ron DeSantis’ push to ideologically transform Florida colleges, and evaluate its potential to bring about greater freedom in the realm of education. While some of DeSantis’ actions should be evaluated as positive, there are ominous signs that they could also entrench further state control of education. Among the topics covered: The toxic monoculture in American higher education; The need for a separation of education and state; Using the “Fairness Doctrine” to reverse state control in education; Aspects of DeSantis’ proposal that could help introduce ideological diversity; How DeSantis’ proposals could entrench a different kind of ideological monoculture; What arguing for freedom in education requires. Mentioned in this podcast and relevant to the discussion is Ayn Rand’s essay “Fairness Doctrine for Education” in Philosophy: Who Needs It. The podcast was recorded on February 17, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. Podcast audio:

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Elan Journo and Sam Weaver discuss Natalie Wexler’s argument that many American elementary schools have abandoned the responsibility of teaching factual content, and that this rejection of the importance of knowledge is exacerbating the nation’s reading crisis. Among the topics covered: The outrageous failure of American schools to teach students how to read and to kindle in them a love of reading; Natalie Wexler’s argument that this failure is related to the failure of schools to teach basic factual knowledge; Wexler’s view that phonics is necessary but not sufficient for teaching reading, because knowledge is also necessary for understanding meaning; Schools’ bizarre attempt to detach reading skills from the study of content; How this approach destroys students’ motivation to learn; Why government control of education is to blame for the entrenchment of these failed methods; How the establishment has ignored evidence of the bankruptcy of its methods. Mentioned in the discussion are Natalie Wexler’s book The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System – and How to Fix It, Ayn Rand’s essay “The Comprachicos”,  Leonard Peikoff’s essay “The American School: Why Johnny Can’t Think”, and a New York Times article about literacy theorist Lucy Calkins. This episode was recorded on February 10, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch previous episodes here. https://youtu.be/UtDGjiGdwcs Podcast audio:

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Aaron Smith interviews Harry Binswanger on Ayn Rand’s distinctive value-centered approach to philosophy — and to living life. As a long-time student of Rand and close friend in her final years, Binswanger shares his recollections of Rand's passionate quest of values, both as presented in her works and ideas and in her personal life. Among the topics covered: Ayn Rand’s integration of fact and value in philosophy and how it contrasts with traditional views; How Rand answered long-standing philosophical questions about the basis and importance of values; Why Rand held that material values have deep spiritual meaning; Why the idea that there are no “blacks” and “whites” in morality is wrong; How Binswanger came to know Ayn Rand and the impact she had on him; The profound self-esteem that comes with achieving values one cares deeply about; How Rand brought a philosophical perspective to every aspect of life; The careful thinking that goes into pursuing what one really wants; Some of Rand’s personal values, both minor and major. Recommended in this episode are Leonard Peikoff’s “My Thirty Years with Ayn Rand: An Intellectual Memoir”  and Mary Ann Sures and Charles Sures’ Facets of Ayn Rand. The podcast was recorded on February 2, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://youtu.be/6kgc8l9kWfU Podcast audio:

Why does the “antiracist” movement mobilize to deplatform or fire anyone who slights or asks the wrong questions about the dominant views of “social justice”? What explains the irrational fervor of the “woke”? John McWhorter, noteworthy Columbia linguistics professor and New York Times columnist, grapples with this question in his recent book, Woke Racism. The book’s subtitle reveals his provocative answer: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America. To understand the “woke” movement, he shows, we must take seriously its religious character. In this episode, Ben Bayer reads aloud his article, “The Old Morality of the New Religions.” In that essay, Bayer argues that McWhorter shows how woke “antiracism” is a “new religion,” but he underappreciates how its zealotry is empowered by centuries-old religious morality. Bayer's article was originally published in New Ideal on January 4, 2023.

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Nikos Sotirakopoulos and Mike Mazza are joined by Dr. Amesh Adalja to discuss the phenomenon of skepticism towards COVID-19 vaccines. They argue that this skepticism is based on arbitrary claims made in disregard of actual evidence and explain how to assess and respond to such claims. Among the topics covered: Adalja’s analysis of alleged dangers and actual side effects of mRNA vaccines; Why claims made without real evidence are arbitrary, and how to respond to arbitrary claims; Why anti-vaccine attitudes have increased even as vaccines have demonstrably quelled the pandemic; How to assess claims to “evidence” one finds online or in the culture; Why arbitrary claims are usually presented with the pretense of evidence; What might be motivating those spreading false information; Adalja’s response to several common worries about COVID-19 vaccines; How one should think about unknown risks, and why worrying about the unknown amounts to arbitrary speculation; Adalja’s projection of the future with regard to the COVID-19 virus. Mentioned in this podcast and relevant to the discussion is Onkar Ghate’s “A Pro-Freedom Approach to Infectious Disease.” This episode was recorded on January 24, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://youtu.be/J-T59N3ppe0 Podcast audio:

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Onkar Ghate and Aaron Smith discuss the recent incident at Hamline University, where art history professor Erika López Prater was dismissed for showing her students a fourteenth-century painting of the prophet Mohammed. They analyze the administrators’ charge of “Islamophobia,” the issue of “academic freedom” in terms of which the controversy has been viewed, and how the aversion to teaching allegedly offensive topics is destroying higher education. Among the topics covered: What happened at Hamline; Hamline's dishonest response to public criticism of their actions; The incident as an unfortunate sign of how universities are less willing to teach topics deemed as offensive; How diversity offices, far from helping students navigate controversial topics, cater to irrational worldviews; How the smear of “Islamophobia” destroys the distinction between rational and irrational criticism of Islam; Why religion, being openly irrational, receives a privileged treatment; Why suppressing controversial subjects is a disservice to any active-minded student; How the framing of “academic freedom” ignores that the government’s control of education makes it impossible to solve conflicts between academics and the administration; Government interference in education as a cause of increasing self-censorship. The podcast was recorded on January 20, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://youtu.be/lmWYcYJuK9A Podcast audio:

Our experts take your questions on arguments for God, whether morality depends on religion, and other issues related to religion.

In this episode of New Ideal Live, Nikos Sotirakopoulos and Ziemowit Gowin discuss the political philosophy of Alexander Dugin, a Russian philosopher whose collectivist theory has been influential in empowering the opposition to Western liberalism in Russian culture. Among the topics covered: Dugin’s philosophical influence in Russia; Dugin’s collectivist “Fourth Political Theory”  vs. liberalism; The philosophical basis of the Fourth Political Theory; The deadly consequences of Dugin’s political theory; Ayn Rand on Russia’s culture of mysticism; Dugin’s appeal to the political right. Mentioned in this podcast and relevant to the discussion are Ayn Rand’s August 1967 interview with Johnny Carson and her essay “The Lessons of Vietnam” in The Voice of Reason: Essays in Objectivist Thought, as well as the following of Alexander Dugin’s books: The Fourth Political Theory, Eurasian Mission, The United States and the New World Order, and Political Platonism. The prerecorded podcast was released on January 5, 2023. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu0SbJxgKEE Podcast audio: