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Title: Why Argue?
Review: Some find it strange that, while I am a strong believer in free markets, trade and the "Chicago School" of economics, I despise Ayn Rand. There are two reason - first, Rand is no philosopher, and second, I am a pragmatist (i.e., I don't see the need for an abstract moral philosophy to justify things).In this book, Rand violates one of the most important philosophical laws: David Hume's statement that "No 'is' implies an 'ought.'" Just because an organism has a tendency to survive does not mean it has a moral right to.Capitalism has transformed the world and raised the standards of living. This is the true (and pragmatic) virtue of capitalism and self-interest. This virtue rests not on some abstract philosophy, but in the lives of billions of people on this planet.All Rand has done is create a straw-man for the socialists and communists who despise capitalism to attack, for her arguments cannot be logically defended, and she is too extreme. Let capitalism speak for itself.
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