Vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan has reportedly had favorable things to say about Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged and the philosophy of Objectivism, which stresses the absolutism of reason, reality and individual rights (including laissez-faire capitalism). The New Yorker magazine … Continue reading
I ran across the following criticism of Ayn Rand in a Facebook comment: ‘Arguably, no 20th century writer brought more people to libertarianism than Ayn Rand, but never underestimate how much damage her hyperindividualism did to the movement and to … Continue reading
A number of readers know I’m a fan of Ayn Rand’s ideas. (Ayn Rand is the author of ‘Atlas Shrugged’ and much else.) They have written to ask me if it’s true that Ayn Rand, an advocate of individual rights … Continue reading
Sigmund Freud once wrote: “Religion originate(s) in the child’s and young mankind’s fears and need for help. It cannot be otherwise.” He also wrote: “Religion is an attempt to get control over the sensory world, in which we are placed, … Continue reading
If it’s true that the road to hell is paved with good intentions … what does this say about our definition of “good”?
When dealing with other people, the reasonable, sensitive, and even self-interested thing to do is compromise, and be prepared to meet the other person halfway. Correct? Well, not really. All action needs to be purposeful. That includes the action of … Continue reading
I recently heard a religiously conservative talk radio host, Mike Church, argue with an atheist caller. The atheist caller criticized the host for claiming that freedom would perish in a society of ‘Godless people.’ Church’s premise was that a free … Continue reading
Former President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, recently expressed these views on abortion: “I never have believed that Jesus Christ would approve of abortions and that was one of the problems I had when I was President, having to uphold Roe … Continue reading
Conclusion of yesterday’s column. Q: You have defined sacrifice as essentially the giving up of a greater good for the sake of a lesser good. Now I am not a theologian, but I have been speaking with a few clergymen … Continue reading
A journalist and visitor to DrHurd.com writes: Q: ‘The meaning of Lent is different to different people, but overall there seems to be a general theme of self-sacrifice or self-denial in an effort to put one’s mind in a more … Continue reading
Dear Dr. Hurd: If you don’t mind suggestions on articles, have you ever written one on the evils of “enabling”? That is, the phenomenon where a person knows that what someone else is doing is wrong, sometimes morally, but will … Continue reading
A company hosts a press conference to show how caring and compassionate it is. The CEO of the company, dressed in a top-of-the-line suit, stands in front of the television cameras with his arms around a homeless man who has … Continue reading