Introduction to Objectivist Espistomology

Introduction to Objectivist Epistomology (1990) is the expanded, 2nd edition edited by Harry Binswanger and Leonard Peikoff and published after Ayn Rand's death. The first edition (1979) was a collection of articles by Ayn Rand and one article by Leonard Peikoff. It was edited by Ayn Rand and published by

This 2nd edition is expanded, and has in the appendix a transcription made from over 20 hours of Epistomology Workshops given by Ayn Rand from 1969 to 1971. About a dozen of the participants were professionals in the field of philosphy and a few professionals from physics and mathematics. It is in the form of question-answer.

Quotes

The issue of concepts (known as "the problem of universals") is philosophy's central issue. Since man's knowledge is gained and held in conceptual form, the validity of man's knowledge depends upon the validity of concepts. But concepts are abstractions or universals, and everything that man perceives is particular, concrete. What is the relationship between abstractions and concretes? To what precisely do concepts refer in reality? Do they refer to something real, something that exist - or are they merely inventions of man's mind, arbitrary constructs or loose approximations that cannoto claim to represent knowledge?

That quote if from Ayn Rand's introduction to the first edition, which is also contained in the second edition.

Quotes

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