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University Daily Kansan Thursday, Nov. 15, 1962
2.
Professor Reviews Controversial Novel
By Joanne Prim
An associate professor of philosophy yesterday reviewed a book "damned by liberals and conservatives" but read by both
Charles Landesman discussed the philosophical implications of Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged" to an audience packed into the Music Room of the Kansas Union for the first SUA Modern Book Forum.
"HER ATHEISM alienates the conservatives," he said, "and her capitalism alienates the liberals.
"The essence of her theories, Prof. Landesman told the students, "is her defense of reason, justice, atheism, liberty, and capitalism."
The seeming incongruency among some of the items listed makes it difficult to classify her, Prof. Landesman said. But she holds that if reason is assumed, the other characteristics must follow.
He said that Miss Rand "therefore opposes faith, love, God, tyranny, and collectivism or socialism."
"ATLAS SHRUGGED" is the story of what happens when the "intellectuals" refuse to function and thus stop the motor of the world. It is the story of the mind on strike, Prof. Landesman said.
The Campus Crusade for Christ, the interdenominational religious group promoting church membership among unaffiliated students, will hold its second meeting at 7 tonight in the Kansas Union.
Crusade for Christ Meeting Tonight
John Flack, national representative of the Crusade, will further pursue the question, "Who is Jesus?" Mr. Flack has been on campus since last week helping to organize the Crusade at KU.
"Those who have investigated the matter fully assert that he is the Son of God," Flack says. "If Jesus is the Son of God, we need to worship him and we need to follow him."
History tells that Jesus was a philosopher, a teacher, a man and the founder of Christianity. He may be the Son of God or he may have been a liar, an imposter or deluded.
"If Jesus was deluded, then Christians are idolaters; but if Jesus is the Son of God, the non-Christians are blasphemers," Flack said.
THE Coach House congratulates Mary — She's the Social Chairman for Corbin.
MARY HARTNETT
She's wearing a kilt, long-sleeved blouse and a bar pin—all from The Coach House.
"In her presentation of ideas, she is eloquent," he said. "The most interesting part of the book is her philosophy—not her plot."
"Concerning her ethics of reason and justice, she proposes to deduce ethics from human nature. This idea is based on Aristotle's teachings. Because reason is that aspect of man most highly valued, she believes that the best life is based on reason," Prof. Landesman said.
"The independent mind is freed from all authority. Freedom is based on reason and experience. She recommends autonomous authority." he continued.
"THE END OF LIFE is happiness. Philosophically, this is her most valid conception," Prof Landesman stated. "She sees happiness as the knowledge of achievement of one's values. It is something active — not merely pleasure.
"Virtue is a means to happiness, she says, rejecting the puritanical view that virtue is its own reward. She is an optimist, again like Aristotle," Prof. Landesman said.
"Her justice insists on giving each man what he deserves, no more and no less. She follows that the dignity of man is based on the fact that he is responsible and hence subject to reward and punishment," he said.
Miss Rand does not totally reject benevolence, Prof. Landesman said, but limits it to justice.
SHE REJECTS the idea of love — "giving to those who don't deserve." Prof Landesman said.
- "There is no reason to believe in God.
"To give what someone needs
"If a woman chooses to spend her money to buy food for her hungry child instead of purchasing a new hat, we would call that a sacrifice," he continued. "But it would be a sacrifice only if she valued the hat more than the child."
for no other reason than need is an absence of value," he said. "Miss Rand says that need creates no obligation.
"The ethics of love say that the highest virtue is sacrifice, but Miss Rand believes that to perform a sacrifice is to surrender one's values.
Prof. Landesman said Ayn Rand's atheism is based on two premises;
Use Christmas Seals...
- "Faith is contrary to reason, the most valuable aspect of human nature."
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