Objectivist Round-up, May 2026

1. Ayn Rand Institute philosopher Michael Mazza has some interesting ideas on studying philosophy.

a. He says it’s important to read non-Objectivist philosophers.

b. He recommends the History of Philosophy Without any Gaps podcast.  I hadn’t heard of this, but it looks good. 

c. He says it’s important to read philosophy for its own sake and it’s important not to read philosophy in light of Ayn Rand. 

Nothing wrong with these things, but it seems to be a subtle jab at certain forms of Objectivist writing and thinking.  The first writing on the history of philosophy from an Objectivist perspective was Rand’s For the New Intellectual and I can only imagine how many young Objectivists took Rand’s thumbnail sketches of various philosophers as the last word.  Mazza even says that Leonard Peikoff’s History of Philosophy should be used only as an analysis of the history of philosophy from an Objectivist perspective.  

2. Youtubers Scott Schiff and William Swigg (Ayn Rand Fan Club) have an interesting discussion of the recent Leonard Peikoff and Yaron Brook dustup.  As Scott and William point out, Brook had said explicitly that Objectivists should “rally with the left” in opposing ICE.  Someone brought this to Peikoff’s attention and Peikoff wrote that Brook (although not naming him) said he didn’t understand Objectivism.  Brook in response claimed that he never said “rally with the left” but in fact the opposite.  Then, when confronted with the actual quote, Brook  admitted he said it, but said he was probably just careless.  I guess in Brook-land, the only person who is entitled to an honest mistake (if that’s what it was) is Yaron Brook.

Scott and William then discuss why Peikoff didn’t name Brook and why he didn’t attack the ARI for its endless railing against ICE and -- even in the case of Harry Binswanger (an ARI “expert”) – supporting open borders.  (Binswanger has famously said that the borders between the US and other countries should be no different from the border between Connecticut and New York.)  Hard to say, but as Greg Nyquist said recently, at this point in his life Peikoff might not see much benefit from threatening to blow up the ARI and starting over like he did in the past.  

--Neil Parille