Ayn Rand once stated that before the Industrial Revolution it was virtually impossible to discover the connection between reason and human survival. The purpose of this course is to show how the Industrial Revolution is irrefutable proof of the power of ideas, of the relationship between philosophy and manís life.

This course will start with an overview of the Industrial Revolution highlighting the major inventions, radical innovations, main figures and the unprecedented increase in the standard of living. Mr. Drake will then explore the philosophic ideas that were most widely accepted and advocated, discussing their origin and following their transmission throughout popular culture, thus revealing that the Industrial Revolution was a direct consequence of the dominant philosophy of the period.