Rating: 
Summary: but I'm not laughing
Review: Ayn Rand's "philosophy" is a joke to most philosophers. According to the Rand cult there's only one reason for this: the academy is overrun by communists. Now there might be a small kernel of truth to this; the only place in the western world one can be an avowed Maoist and be taken seriously nowadays is the university, but oddly enough Rand and her followers share important traits with many academic marxists including a poor to nonexistent background in philosophy and an immunity to facts and logic.
Rand writes philosophy for people who neither like nor understand philosophy. If you want a sort of secular theology, then by all means read Ayn Rand. If, on the other hand, you want a reasoned, philosophical defense of libertarianism, then read Robert Nozick's "Anarchy, State, and Utopia."
Rating: 
Summary: Extensive, well-structured review of a great philosophy
Review: Contrary to the popular trends here of both the cult of Rand-worshippers and the equally disgusting cult of Rand-hating Christian bigots, I will keep this review short and to the point of reviewing the content and purpose of this comprehensive book.To start, I am a libertarian and have been for all of my life; I disagree with several of Rand's ideas on concept-formation and aesthetics, but agree with and respect the vast majority of her thinking. As many of your may know, during her lifetime Rand never wrote a treatsie on her philosophy per se; her various writings on ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology are scattered across a myriad of difference sources, ranging from her fiction works to her former lectures and newspaper articles. In this work, Rand's literary executor, Leonard Peikoff, set forth to contain all of the essentials of Rand's philosophy in one "all-in-one" package. In that aspect, he has magnificently accomplished his goal; each chapter is divided into several sections establishing the core tenets pertinent to each area of inquiry (such as measurement-omission, the role of volition, etc.) before another section or two repudiating various schools of thought or -isms that contradict with Objectivism's principles. Unlike many of the nonfiction pieces that Rand did in her life, Peikoff's work is meticulously footnoted, allowing for easy cross-reference or primary source validation. While sparing you all of the specifics of where and why I disagree with the philosophy, I must state, to corroborate the opinions of other readers, that Peikoff's style leaves much to be desired (thus, 4 instead of 5 stars.) Though his presentation of the actual information is clear and concise, he tends to ramble off on a didactic, over-moralizing tangent when criticizing the systems of others, particularly Kant (that seems to be an innate hatred in anything written by Objectivists.) Furthermore, I found the number of pragmatic examples that he cited in order to support capitalism in one of the later chapters to be unnecessary and, more than likely, detrimental to the overview point that he was trying to make, that being that capitalism is right because of moral, and not practical, reasons.
Despite a few minor flaws, OPAR is an overall excellent read for anyone interested in analyzing Rand's unique system of thought, whether or not you agree with her ideas.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best Presentation of Objectivism Yet Written
Review: Firstly, despite what another reviewer wrote, no Objectivist thinks, as a blanket statement, that "Anyone who disagrees with any part of it [Objectivism] is irrational and evil." As should be clear from the book, Objectivism holds that all knowledge is contextual, and such a statement like that could not be spouted by anyone who keeps context in mind. Disagreement with Objectivism is not necessarily irrational or evil. Perfectly rational and moral people can be mistaken. Secondly, criticizing this book because it is "unoriginal" is totally senseless. The book was written to present THE PHILOSOPHY OF AYN RAND. Not a revision, nor any additions to it. To criticize a book for not doing something it wasn't intended to do is foolish. That said, the book IS, in a way, original. There is nowhere else one can go to find a presentation of Objectivism that is both a complete survey and presented with the hierarchical nature of the philosophy in mind. Peikoff's book is the only place to go if one wants to learn and understand Objectivism. It is clear, logical, and loyal to Rand's writings. Peikoff presents the philosophy of Ayn Rand, not the philosophy of Leonard Peikoff, as was the purpose of this book. Peikoff addresses a myriad of topics not discussed in print anywhere else. Anyone who wants to learn Objectivism should definitely study this book in depth.
Rating:
Summary: Best Exposition of Rand's Philosophy Available!
Review: I am giving this book four stars for the simple reason that it accomplishes its purpose. Peikoff's purpose (obvious from the title) is to present the philosophy of Ayn Rand. He does this very effectively. Actually, this is a much more systematic presentation of her philosophy then Rand herself ever achieved. I agree with a some of the ideas of Objectivism myself, but here's the problem: this is an all or nothing deal. According to both Rand and Peikoff, the true definition of rationality lies in swallowing Objectivism whole. Anyone who disagrees with any part of it is irrational and evil. This part of her philosophy is both anti-intellectual and anti-philosophical. I believe reason is an absolute, but where I disagree is in the Objectivist implication that reason will lead all rational people to the same conclusions. If all rational thought leads to Objectivism then why think at all. Just do what Ayn Rand says, right? Hence the Ayn Rand Cult. Bottom line, give the Objectivist philosophy the serious and critical consideration I think it deserves but keep in mind that it does not represent an end to philosophic knowledge.
Rating:
Summary: Great point to start
Review: If there is a philosophy which can be recommended to thinking young minds starting to explore the world, it's certainly Objectivism. It gives you an full and *integrated* perspective on all matters important. It is an ideal mix of explanatory philosophy and an ethical guide with self-help potential. It advocates rational thinking, individualism and a social vision of freedom while abstaining from appeasing pacifism and ecumenical intellectualism. But to be perfect, Objectivism needs more fine-tuning through the logical diagrams currently developed by empirical thinking Neo-Objectivists at the TOC. (You can find more information about this project at The Objectivist Center's website.) Hopefully they will be available soon. In the meantime, read everything by and about Ayn Rand you can get your hands on -- and then start thinking for yourself!
Rating: 
Summary: A completely objective review
Review: Leonard Peikoff deserves praise for writing such a clear, well-organized presentation of all of the fundamentals of Ayn Rand's philosophy. This is a good thing for the reader, but unfortunately it is not so good for Objectivism. The problem is that, by stating things so straightforwardly and clearly, Peikoff has unwittingly exposed many of the errors in Rand's thinking. Consider, as an example, the following contradiction. In the first chapter, Peikoff explains (among other things) Rand's view that the law of causation is a corollary of the law of identity. The fact that an entity has certain specific properties means that, "[in] any given set of circumstances... there is only one action possible to an entity..." (p. 14). That is, logic alone supposedly shows that entities cannot act in more than one way in any given situation. But then on the section on free will, Peikoff argues that, in any given situation, human beings are free to choose from among more than one course of action. "The content of one's choice could always have gone in the opposite direction..." (p. 69). Now, to be fair, he does notice that there at least APPEARS to be a contradiction here, but his attempt to resolve it is pure sophistry. There are several other examples. For instance, Peikoff claims that "the choice to live precedes morality" (p. 247), meaning that one must first decide that life is worthwhile and only then can one say what is good or bad. But then to the objection that on this view the choice NOT to live cannot be shown to be wrong, Peikoff says: "A man who would throw away his life without cause... would belong on the lowest rung of hell" (p. 248). Hmmm... Sounds like a moral condemnation to me! This is not to say that there isn't anything worthwhile in this book. I think Ayn Rand was an interesting thinker, with some good ideas and lots of confused ones. Her novels, though not in my opinion good as works of fiction, present an original moral viewpoint that many have regarded as life-changing. If you want to learn more about the ideas that underlie these works, this is a good place to start.
Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece of a rational, life/man-loving philosophy
Review: Mr. Peikoff has cogently assembled all the principles of Objectivism into a hierarchical, systematic, lucid, comprehensive system of ideas-that system being the philosophy of Ayn Rand: Objectivism. After reading this book you will know how to think clearly in terms of principles, axioms, logic, etc., and you will understand Ayn Rand's philosophy completely, and more so when and if you read her works. The reason why I love this book and Objectivism as a philosophy is because it is true, and that it is the only philosophy in existence which basically says, in a nutshell: that man's life is the standard, or standard of moral value and that happiness is each man's moral obligation and goal, that life is precious, and that it is yours to live it. Have you ever heard or read any other philosophy or religion, such as Christianity or Judaism tell you this? Think about it. The entire philosophy of Objectivism, every 5 branches of it, from metaphysics to esthetics, is devoted to the elaboration and explication of these principles. In other words, the purpose of all philosophy--properly--is to further, sustain, and preserve your life. What else is it or should it be for? Informally, Ayn Rand called her philosophy, "A philosophy for living on earth," but formally called it Objectivism. Anyone who doubts the truth and honesty of this philosophy must either be dishonest, irrational or a collectivist. After all, how can someone deny the truth of 1+1=2 and expect to not have conflict in their lives? Every principle of Objectivism can be proven by logic and reference to the facts and concrete existents in reality. So never mind the smears, misrepresentations and outright lies perpetrated by some against Ayn Rand and Objectivism. The ones that do this have no arguments and in fact present no arguments against Objectivism, which is why they resort to smears. This is indicative and telling only of the person(s) perpetrating the attack (known as ad hominem) rather than the person being attacked in the attack. If you want to seriously know what Objectivism is then read, and more importantly, STUDY AND LEARN it for yourselves, rather than from fourth-hand accounts from people who know little or nothing about it, or from those who are hell-bent on outright lying. And please, don't take my word for it either, since I would be guilty of the same crime as those I have mentioned. This book changed my life because it taught me how to apply abstract principles to innumerable, everyday concrete situations in all areas of life. This is what philosophy is and should be for, and this is why I am giving this book five well-deserved, morally-earned stars. Bravo and cheers to you Mr. Peikoff for giving the world a systematic presentation of a rational, life-giving philosophy!
Rating:
Summary: Worth Reading
Review: This book presents in an organized manner, the major points of the philosophy of Objectivism. As a companion to the works of Ayn Rand, it is invaluable. I enjoyed reading it, and the best compliment I could give it is that I'm truly sorry that I didn't read it the moment it was published. The beginning was especially challenging because the subject is so fundamental that every word and term needs to be explained exactly against our culture's habitual use of inexact language. For two concepts which are my personal focus, imagination and value, I would have liked to see a fuller treatement (especially missing was the use of the concept value in art). One sentence I disagreed with: that the artist comes closest to God. This is an fanciful statement which is likely to be misinterpreted by both enemies and friends. But these complaints are trivial when placed against the achievement which is Peikoff's rational and thorough presentation of Objectivism. This book has rightly gained the status of a text book and is worth reading for anyone who takes ideas seriously.
Rating:
Summary: Great coverage of the basics of Objectivism
Review: This is a great book because it covers the basics of Objectivism in a very systematic way, allowing anyone to obtain a knowledge of Objectivism in a very short period of time.
Having read the reviews of the detractors out there, I would like to comment on their main points as I think they are mostly misguided.
Criticism #1. This book is not original (or, there is no original scholarship by Peikoff in this book).
Answer: This wasn't meant to be a tract that jumps off from Rand's work to some other place. It is a basic text on Objectivism. To object in this manner is to not recognize what this book is and isn't. Peikoff even mentions this in the chapter on concept formation when he talks about how Rand was planning on studying advanced concept formation and its connection to higher mathematics, but never had a chance to get started. Don't criticize a book for what it isn't. If you have Objectivism completely down pat and understand its basics completely, this is not the book for you. I found it very helpful.
Criticism #2. Objectivism is a worthless philosophy.
Answer: I wish that the detractors of Objectivism would simply explain in clear unemotional terms what their objection is, in specific. The use of terms like "bland fascism", anti-philosophy, "Lenny", etc just doesn't cut it. If you have an objection, OUT WITH IT. I especially object to those who use words like fascism, totalitarianism, etc as that is the opposite of the essence of Objectivism. Criticism #3. Peikoff is too harsh.
Answer: I find this criticism unconvincing. Yes, Peikoff describes the views of other philosophies that are opposed to Objectivism, but I enjoyed that quite a bit and look forward to reading those philosophies myself to validate (or not) his conclusions. One is not required to love that which considers to be evil. Peikoff should not be required to sugar-coat his feelings about someone else's evil philosophy. He is just being honest in my opinion.
Anyway, great book, if you loved Rand's novels and want to figure what is behind them, this is THE BOOK.
Rating:
Summary: Philosophy is About Living
Review: Those who think philosophy has no bearing on everyday life should read this book. It will clear up a lot of things, especially the section in Chapter Five entitled "Emotions as a Product of Ideas." Consider this example: My son and his wife have two sons. The elder, Ari, has been strong and self-determined since birth. He is now in the first grade, and he is already leading a reform movement to implement a more concept-based curriculum. Sadly, the younger, Manuel, is his complete opposite. Manuel's approach is to evade truth and to act as if reality must conform to his whims - that is, A does not equal A but rather some ever-changing variable. He has also pushed reason aside to make room for random, irrational emotions, such as when he cries for his bottle within fifteen minutes of his last feeding. Additionally, he creates messes and other forms of disorder to suit his mood at the time, oblivious to the fact of reality that someone else will have to clean it. Perhaps his most disturbing trait is that he wastes countless hours during this critical developmental period staring at the pictures on the wall in his room and chattering nonsensically. Through this magnum opus, Dr. Peikoff has achieved what Ayn Rand never compiled during her lifetime: a comprehensive capsulization of the Objectivism, encompassing such seemingly diverse subjects as sex, capitalism, mathematics, and more. Why did I choose the title I did for this review? Simply because Dr. Peikoff's book has shed light on two critical aspects of my grandson's being: WHIM-WORSHIPPING: Rather than forming emotions that follow from acts of thought, Manuel apparently bases his entire thinking process around random emotions - "I want attention"; "I will soil myself now"; and so on. Whim is the motive power of his existence. KANTIAN: Manuel's thought process, or rather lack thereof, is the result of centuries of vicious philosophy, culminating in Immanuel Kant and propagated thereafter by Kantians such as Noam Chomsky and Nathaniel Branden. These evil men have taught that reason is impotent, and that only by surrendering it can we hope to attain enlightenment. My grandson is but one victim out of millions. Manuel is difficult to reach, as he has not yet learned to talk. As soon as he can communicate on a basic level, I will expose him to the works of history's great philosophers: Aristotle, Ayn Rand, and yes, Dr. Leonard Peikoff. Perhaps it is not too late for my grandson. More importantly, perhaps it is not too late for society, thanks to Dr. Peikoff.
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