https://youtu.be/8wKAKmydUlg Podcast audio: Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s dramatic poem Faust is a monumental work of Romantic literature that presents one man’s ceaseless striving to transcend the limitations of human knowledge and experience. By exploring some of the most profound and moving passages from the poem, this talk by Nicolas Krusek provides a glimpse of Goethe’s grand-scale themes and characterizations, and demonstrate the rich rewards to be gained by joining his hero—the “good man” with the “darkling aspiration”—on his quest to discover the “highest wisdom” of life. Recorded live on June 18 in Anaheim, CA as part of OCON 2024.

Explore the critical question of when non-experts should trust science. Panelists dive into the role of scientific consensus and specialization in fostering public confidence. They tackle the skepticism surrounding climate science and anti-vaccine claims, examining how personal biases impact perceptions. The discussion also highlights the interplay of culture and ideology in the acceptance of scientific theories like continental drift. Join the conversation as they advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration and informed decision-making in navigating scientific claims.

https://youtu.be/S1DL9777gfk Podcast audio: In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Onkar Ghate challenge the myth that America is ruled by plutocrats, exposing how fear of governmental threats drives business decisions. Among the topics covered: How CEOs’ silence in the face of Trump’s destructive tariff policies debunks the myth of plutocracy; How threats from the Trump administration instill fear in America’s top producers; How attacks on Zuckerberg and other CEOs reveal that business has no allies; Why businessmen are not the rulers of the system but the pawns; The urgent need for business leaders to stand up for themselves. Mentioned in this podcast are Ayn Rand’s essays “The National Interest, c’est moi” in The Objectivist Newsletter,  “America’s Persecuted Minority: Big Business” in Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, Onkar Ghate’s lecture “Freedom and the Need for Business to Stand Up for Itself,” and The Atlas Circle. The podcast was recorded on March 25, 2025 and posted on March 27, 2025. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Watch archived podcasts here.

https://youtu.be/qBTy_9VVhuE Podcast audio: Often, people make the mistake of being too passive about friendship, treating it as something that just happens automatically in life—for instance, maintaining friendships with people one just happened to know growing up, or using shortcuts, such as a shared philosophy, in choosing friends. In this talk, Tristan de Liège explores in detail what it means to pursue friendship in a philosophically minded way—integrating the value of friendship with one’s other values, pursuing them with purpose, and honoring the trade that is the spiritual foundation of friendship. Recorded live on June 15 in Anaheim, CA as part of OCON 2024.

https://youtu.be/9lMQ3idE9bw Podcast audio: Immigration is one of the most contentious topics on today's political landscape. But that has always been true throughout America history. Why have immigration restrictions taken hold in America since the nineteenth century? What ideas animate immigration restrictionists, and what explains their success in restricting immigration in the U.S.? In this talk, Agustina Vergara Cid takes you through the history of the immigration debate in the U.S., uncovers the philosophy behind restrictionists, and points to a solution to bring about more freedom in the U.S. Recorded live on June 16 in Anaheim, CA as part of OCON 2024.

https://youtu.be/3XFiAQbxtgQ Podcast audio: In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Agustina Vergara Cid examine the current controversy over USAID and discuss Ayn Rand’s distinctive critique of the morality behind America’s foreign aid. Among the topics covered: How recent revelations about USAID expose the agency’s absurd, if not malicious, activities; Why Rand viewed foreign aid and its justification in the name of “the public interest” as morally corrupt; The continuing relevance of Rand’s critique of the altruistic premises underlying arguments for foreign aid; How an unprincipled foreign policy has failed to protect America’s interests abroad and wasted its resources; The role of foreign aid in a proper, pro-American foreign policy. Recommended in this podcast are Ayn Rand’s essays “The Pull Peddlers” and “Altruism as Appeasement,” available in The Voice of Reason: Essays in Objectivist Thought. The podcast was recorded on March 10, 2025 and posted on March 19, 2025. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Watch archived podcasts here.

https://youtu.be/DI1xqqIcj7k Podcast audio: How can we live more egoistically? What makes us want to live more egoistically? Not everyone does. In her talk “Egoism Without Permission – It Begins with Desire” at Objectivist Summer Conference 2024 in Anaheim, Tara Smith explored the connection between these questions, drawing material from her new book Egoism Without Permission: The Moral Psychology of Ayn Rand’s Ethics. Recorded live on June 17 in Anaheim, CA as part of OCON 2024.

https://youtu.be/ZhqJzc75qeI Podcast audio: A new ARI podcast series, ARI Bookshelf, gives you a window into ARI’s educational programs by showcasing our faculty as they discuss books of recent interest. This episode discusses Kennon M. Sheldon’s book Freely Determined. Panelists include Ben Bayer, Jason Rheins, Greg Salmieri, and Gena Gorlin. Freely Determined offers a psychologist’s case against popular forms of determinism and argues that mental health depends on a belief in one’s agency. Our panelists examine Sheldon’s arguments and positions from a wider philosophical perspective and indicate its strengths and weaknesses. They find value in his answers to scientific arguments for determinism but question his account of motivation. They also discuss the value of psychological research and the relationship between philosophy and the sciences. The discussion covered: Panelists’ general take on the book; The history of arguments for and against free will; How mental health may depend on a belief in one’s agency; The book’s distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation; The book’s vague conceptualization of the self; Why progress in psychology is messy. The video with the episode was originally released on September 10, 2024.

https://youtu.be/QT4O5p3oSAA Podcast audio: In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Onkar Ghate and Ben Bayer discuss why ARI comments on current events and why applying Objectivism to cultural issues is central to its essence as a philosophy for living on earth. Among the topics covered: How ARI’s commentary fits its mission; Why applying Objectivism to current events is essential to understanding the philosophy; Why persuading minds about Objectivism requires distinguishing it from mainstream ideas; What is wrong with the objection that no one can speak for Ayn Rand; What to expect from ARI’s commentary in the future. Mentioned in this podcast are Ayn Rand’s essay “What Can One Do?” in Philosophy: Who Needs it?, and Onkar Ghate and Ben Bayer’s discussion “How Can We Change People's Minds About Ayn Rand's Controversial Ideas?” The podcast was recorded on March 10, 2025 and released on March 12, 2025. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe where you get your podcasts from. Watch archived podcasts here.

https://youtu.be/YjhHIgZzO3k Podcast audio: In this episode of The ARI Bookshelf, Jason Rheins, Ben Bayer, Don Watkins, and Alex Silverman examine two contrasting perspectives on the influence of Christianity: Tom Holland’s Dominion and Charles Freeman’s The Closing of the Western Mind and The Reopening of the Western Mind. While Holland’s widely discussed book argues that Christianity is the foundation of science and Western values, Freeman’s books present a contrary view. Our panelists bring their expertise to evaluate the arguments in both books, assessing their historical and philosophical accuracy. The discussion covered: The central arguments of the books; Why the Church feared Aristotelian philosophy; How Freeman’s books provide a more thorough and philosophical analysis than Holland’s; How Holland diminishes Greek influence on modernity; How Holland appropriates secular ideas and thinkers into Christianity; The role of Christianity in the abolition of slavery; The relationship between Christianity and science; Why Holland’s book gained popularity while Freeman’s did not. The video premiered on March 11, 2025.