You are right, of course, that the instructor’s opinions will heavily sway the direction of the course, but in general it is very difficult for Mises Academy instructors to get away with making unfounded assertions in class. You are also right that there seems to be a great variety of opinions about the issues you mentioned. Surely this suggests, though, that the student body will be roughly equally diverse of opinion? If these are the sticky issues, these will be the issues concentrated on most heavily in the course. Might be fun.

I will stand corrected on that if someone can indicate where or with whom the perspective is currently residing.

“Rands ideas on IP and foriegn policy didnt seem to match up with her epistomology/metaphysics etc”.

Yes. I came to that conclusion as well.

It was also reading of the the on-going factionalism and the rich excoriation the various Objectivists lavish upon each other, the strange behaviours and the logical inconsistencies, etc etc etc that served as a warning that all was not well within Objectivism and with Objectivst thinking.

Despite the controversial nature of her work and life, despite the personal oddity of some of her acolytes, despite the difficult behaviour that crept in from time to time (and has continued to pop up in the movement since) Rand contributed mightily to the cause of individual freedom. She contributed to philosophy as well. Not to be forgotten that.

Sione

Since Ayn Rand rightly holds the advocating of anarchy tantamount to promoting theft and murder, and intellectual property rights sacrosanct to be protected by government, and since I see a vast spectrum of positions at this Institute on these subjects, I would like to know the view of the instructor.

Bridging this chasm is a necessary part of the transition to the broad ideological change from socialism and positivism to classical liberalism.

As to what Murray would say, I have hanging in my office now his letter to Ayn Rand after he read Atlas Shrugged. In it, he expresses sincere admiration for her brilliant plot and brave message.