ToKCast

Ep 151: ”Objectivist” ”Epistemology” - The errors of objectivism


Listen Later

Here I read from Ayn Rand's work "Introduction to Objectivist Epistemology" and reflect upon it by comparing it to actual epistemology (how knowledge is created). We explain the misconceptions in the view that knowledge is all about the goings on in minds and how Rand's epistemology is root-and-branch subjectivist. Ayn Rand is an excellent defender of free trade and capitalism, the inherent value of people: her ideas are pro-human and broadly optimistic. However the epistemology is fundamentally flawed containing pure speculation about how people learn (so-called "concept formation") and disconnected from problems in (for example) science and where knowledge is being constructed. Her examples are highly abstract rather than being based in the concrete reality of the history of ideas and for this reasons she reaches the same conclusions as almost all other philosophers on this topic. Namely that knowledge is derived from reality through our senses (empiricism) and is induced by noticing similarities between objects. This is not explanatory, it is not insightful and it is demonstrably false - as I explain.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

ToKCastBy Brett Hall

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

91 ratings


More shows like ToKCast

View all
EconTalk by Russ Roberts

EconTalk

4,229 Listeners

The Tim Ferriss Show by Tim Ferriss: Bestselling Author, Human Guinea Pig

The Tim Ferriss Show

16,102 Listeners

Conversations with Tyler by Mercatus Center at George Mason University

Conversations with Tyler

2,398 Listeners

Odd Lots by Bloomberg

Odd Lots

1,766 Listeners

Founders by David Senra

Founders

1,848 Listeners

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating by Big Bang Productions Inc.

Into the Impossible With Brian Keating

1,043 Listeners

The Joe Walker Podcast by Joe Walker

The Joe Walker Podcast

120 Listeners

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas by Sean Carroll | Wondery

Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

4,107 Listeners

Naval by Naval

Naval

2,094 Listeners

Dwarkesh Podcast by Dwarkesh Patel

Dwarkesh Podcast

352 Listeners

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal by Theories of Everything

Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal

446 Listeners

Joe Lonsdale: American Optimist by Joe Lonsdale

Joe Lonsdale: American Optimist

153 Listeners

"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg by Turpentine

"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg

146 Listeners

The Ben & Marc Show by Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz

The Ben & Marc Show

123 Listeners

Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11) by Patrick McKenzie

Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)

115 Listeners