Look Who it Was Random video

Why Did Liberty Become an Enlightenment Ideal?

2,073 views · Published 21 September 2016 · 0:51 · Indexed 21 October 2026

Channel: Ayn Rand Institute · 2016 · Nonprofits & Activism

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Do all people desire freedom? If we look at the history of civilization and at popular political movements over the last hundred years, argues Onkar Ghate, the answer is definitely no. The fact that freedom’s value is not self-evident underscores the importance of understanding its actual nature and value, especially for those interested in living free.

This lecture by an Ayn Rand Institute senior fellow surveys the philosophical foundations of freedom as a moral and political ideal and offers a philosophical analysis of liberty’s rise and decline as a Western ideal. Focusing on the Age of Enlightenment, Ghate argues that the essence of Enlightenment philosophy inspired its leading figures to define and embrace political liberty. Among the questions answered in this course:

--Why is the Enlightenment best understood as championing reason and rejecting obedience to authority?
--What is the basic Enlightenment argument for liberty?
--Why couldn’t this argument withstand increasing attacks from nineteenth- and twentieth-century thinkers?
--Does Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism provide a new case for the ideals of the Enlightenment?

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ARI offers educational experiences, based on Ayn Rand's books and ideas, to a variety of audiences, including students, educators, policymakers and lifelong learners. ARI also engages in research and advocacy efforts, applying Rand's ideas to current issues and seeking to promote her philosophical principles of reason, rational self-interest and laissez-faire capitalism. We invite you to explore how Ayn Rand viewed the world — and to consider the distinctive insights offered by ARI's experts today.

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