The Objectivist Metaphysics: Axioms, Causality and the Primacy of Existence by Leonard Peikoff

The Philosophy of Objectivism by Leonard Peikoff - Lesson 2 of 12

Leonard Peikoff presents the Objectivist metaphysics, from its fundamental axioms — existence, consciousness and identity — to its view of causality and the relation between mind and body. Peikoff also explains the specific metaphysical principles that support the Objectivist view of human nature.

Recorded live before New York City audiences in 1976, this course was endorsed by Rand in print as “the only authorized presentation of the entire theoretical structure of Objectivism, i.e., the only one that I know of my own knowledge to be fully accurate.” Rand attended the entire course and participated in eight of the twelve question-and-answer sessions.

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[jameswiblishauser]

I love how he says the primary purpose of proof is for yourself, your own certainty, not to convince others. that right there tells me I'm in the right place.

[gch]

Its really interesting that after grasping certain basic things about objectivism and then thinking about things myself, I independently come to the same conclusions (although they are a bit less developed) as Peikoff and Rand.

[RogerFusselman]

I was very glad to listen to this lecture back in the tape- transcription days of Peikoff's lectures. Now almost every lecture he's done is free on YouTube. Everyone should go through this course lecture for both the philosophic content and Peikoff's method of delivery.

[michalptacnik]

How can he say that primacy of consciousness is incompatible with the law of identity? It would just add a condition to changing the identity. Identities change even in a world with the primacy of existence.
Btw. Of course you can coherently argue with the axiomes: you could have primacy of "super-existence", like, we live in a simulation. Or primacy of consciousness indeed. The most core of these axiomes would be consciousness (we know that existence of everything else is not axiomatic since Descartes), but we now have attempts to deny even "my consciousness" (because general consciousness is not axiomatic, only "my consciousness" is).
Of course, for most practical purposes, these are musings of the ivory tower. However, if we are creating philosophy as opposed to "way how to interpret things which are mundane and normal", you need to deal with the ivory tower too. And this falls short or does not even attempt to do so.

[notanotherguitarchannel]

Listening to Leonard Peikoff debunk erroneous metaphysical ideas feels like what I imagine LSD must feel like.

[martiendejong]

This satement about not discussing with people who don't accept the basic axioms is so true. I should do that more 🤣🤣🤣

[marcocippitellidiaz]

Esto debería ser enseñado a lo largo de la escuela primaria.

[martiendejong]

In quantum physics the observer comes first, does that not prove the primacy of consciousness?

[madametortue]

51:31 lmao objectivism rejects all of these virgins

[AdamSmith-qokm]

2:16:30 Questions on nature of cosmos/matter/time begin

[HAHAHAHAHA]

29:20
Reaffirmation through denial on the axioms

[EchoHerr]

This is an extremely important lecture.

[nubstermcnubs]

Subjectivists punching the air at this one

[bretnetherton]

If existence exist as SOMETHING what is that something, and if existence exist as ALL THINGS what knows all things?

[bretnetherton]

Awareness is the Only constant of All experience what could be more fundamental to reality than that?