Discussion Notes THE RANDIAN ARGUMENT RECONSIDERED: A REPLY TO CHARLES KING

C RITICAL DISCUSSIONS of the ideas of the philosopher/novelist Ayn Rand are often most interesting, especially in what they say about the critic and about Rand's relation to today's philosophical orthodoxy. In "Life and the Theory of Value," J. Charles King continues the criticism of Rand's ethics undertaken by Robert Nozick in his article, "On the Randian Argument."' Nozick's critique was examined in an article by Douglas Den Uyl and Douglas Rasmussen, to which further reference shall be made later.' Ethical egoism is one of the pillars of Rand's philosophy; it is from this base that she unfolds her social and political ideas.' Insofar as Rand holds that a consistent view of the free society cannot be advocated on any base but her own, a criticism of her ethical position has far-reaching implications for those who support Rand's political as well as ethical views. The purpose of this article is to examine King's criticisms in the light of Rand's work and to discover toward what kind of an answer, if any, Rand's philosophy would point. Rand might not have given her unconditional support to the view of ethics that develops; the purpose here, however, is not so much to defend Rand as to use her work to illuminate and defend ethical egoism.