Thoughts triggered by the philosophy of Ayn Rand and Wittgenstein
Ayn Rand’s views and whether she was a philosopher are controversial. The author does not have a strong opinion, but I just feel that even if the opponents’ views are valid, Ayn Rand’s views are worth pondering.
Author: GUDORDI | 2024-06-15
Rand often mentioned that there is a long tradition in philosophy of expressing philosophical views in literary ways. (Wikimedia Commons)
Some said that philosophy can be studied, others that it can only be lived.
── Tim Moore
The author writes in “Capitalism replaces plunder and killing with production and trade?” > Talking about the nature of capitalism, and mentioned that Ayn Rand put forward a point of view that is very different from the mainstream view, and is regarded by some as a philosophical thought-Objectivism.
Is Ayn Rand a philosopher? Wittgenstein is also an outlier!
Basically, Ayn Rand’s views and whether she was a philosopher are controversial. Ayn Rand has always considered herself a philosopher, but most academics think she is just a novelist. Her thoughts are also considered by many to be too radical, praising individual rights too much and ignoring the importance of collective interests. The author does not have a strong opinion on Ayn Rand’s thoughts. I just feel that even if the opponents’ views are valid, Ayn Rand’s views are worth pondering for four main reasons:
First of all, there is no absolute standard for what a philosopher is. The quote from Tim Moore at the beginning of this article reflects that the world of philosophy should be very open. The literal meaning of Philosophy in Latin is just “one who loves wisdom.” It does not say that philosophy must be learned through study, and there are no rules that must be followed in how to study it. It also does not say that only those with a prestigious family background or a professional background are qualified to be called it. as a philosopher.
Wittgenstein did not even have a formal degree, and he pursued philosophy purely for personal interest.
Ludwig Wittgenstein, the son of the Austrian steel magnate, is recognized as one of the most important philosophers of the 21st century, and even the most important philosopher of all time. But strictly speaking, Wittgenstein did not even have a formal degree. He explored philosophy purely for his personal interests and never paid attention to the development history of Western philosophy. Like a comet of light, it shuttles through Western philosophy that has been running for more than 2,000 years.
He is not interested in many traditional issues and feels they are not important. But no one can deny that later generations have gradually discovered some inspiring thinking perspectives based on the words he left behind and his words and deeds throughout his life. Wittgenstein also subverted many traditional views of Western philosophy, allowing us to see things from a completely new perspective, and even opening up a new world.
How can one become a philosopher without first becoming a human being?
For many philosophers, philosophy is their interest, talent, hobby, and gift. But for Wittgenstein, philosophy is like his life. Asking him not to engage in philosophical discussions is like asking him not to breathe. That way.
Wittgenstein’s definition of a philosopher is also quite peculiar. He said that a philosopher should be like walking a rope on a cliff, with no distractions and absolute concentration. He should no longer have any considerations other than the pursuit of truth, and he should be almost religious. Pious. The requirements are so high, no wonder there are not many people worthy of the title of “philosopher” in his eyes. Many famous philosophical masters were unqualified in his eyes. Despite this, he did not encourage students to become philosophers, and advised his most valued students to “find a decent job.” “Unless you don’t become a philosopher, there will be no meaning in your life at all.”
What is worth pondering about Wittgenstein is that he once said to Bertrand Russell, the master of philosophy who was also his teacher and friend: “How can I become a philosopher if I cannot first become a person?” In addition, he He once commented on a student: “He doesn’t even understand philosophy, how can he understand the realm of poetry?” Obviously, for Wittgenstein, philosophy, literature and life have a very subtle relationship.
“Brothers of Karamazhufu” book and movie. (Internet picture)
The unity of literature and philosophy is a Russian tradition
Wittgenstein had always admired Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel Brothers Karamazov . He believes that there may really be people like the priest in the novel. He has listened to countless confessions and observed countless people over the years. He has insights into the nature of human nature and things in the world that are beyond ordinary people. and understanding…
This point is important. Geland often mentioned that there is a long tradition of expressing philosophical views in literary ways in the philosophical world , such as Nietzsche and Goethe. Rand further emphasized that mixing literature and philosophy is a tradition in Russian philosophy, such as Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy. This is the second reason why I think Rand’s thoughts are worth pondering.
The third reason is that Rand’s thoughts had an important impact on Greenspan, and were even an important clue to understanding this strange man who had a profound impact on the global financial and monetary system. As for the fourth reason, Ayn Rand can be regarded as one of the influences of Russian intellectuals and artists on the development of human society over the past 200 years in modern times . I will talk about it again.
