Primacy of Consciousness vs. the Objectivist Ethics
Date:
Jan 01, 1995
Ths course is an extensive study of the theory of the primacy of consciousness ––i.e., the view that consciousness is metaphysically prior to, and independent of, existence––throughout the history of philosopy. Dr. Bernstein contrasts this with Ayn Rand's primacy of existence premise, which, he shows, underlies the entire Objectivist ethics.
This five-lecture course includes:
- The Basic Distinction: The primacy of existence vs. the primacy of consiousness.
- Plato and Christianity. Plato: the first systemic expression of the primacy of consciousness.
- The Absolute State. Hobbes. The ethics of whim and the call for totalitarianism. Kant and the social form of the primacy of consciousness.
- Kant, Marx––and Ayn Rand. Marxism as the application of Kant's theory to politics. Ayn Rand gives the first full expression to the primacy of existence theory.
- The Root of Ethics. All major ethical schools in history except Objectivism––and wth the partial exception of Aristotle––as variants of the primacy of consciousness theory.
metaphysics
Parts:
5
Handout:
none
Publications:
-
Tape, 2005
(En)
- 300 mins
- 5 tape set