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The Problem With Selfishness

by Marsha Familaro Enright Abstract Ayn Rand argued that “selfish” is the correct designation for a person living according to the Objectivist Ethics, that selfishness is a virtue. The accuracy of this claim is examined along with the meaning of “selfish,” the wider implications for the Objectivist Ethics, and ethics in general. Alternatives to the … Continue reading “The Problem With Selfishness”

Ayn Rand Explained: From Tyranny to Tea Party

Written by Ronald Merrill and Marsha Familaro Enright, and edited by Enright, Ayn Rand Explained is now available at Open Court Books, Amazon, on Kindle, and in bookstores everywhere. Ayn Rand and her ideas are in the news more than ever – 50+ years after her magnum opus, Atlas Shrugged, was published. What’s driving this … Continue reading “Ayn Rand Explained: From Tyranny to Tea Party”

Can the free market be saved without Ayn Rand?

It’s been a year since Stephen Moore’s article, “Atlas Shrugged: from Fiction to Fact in 52 Years,”seemed to ignite an explosion of interest in Ayn Rand. Sales of this prescient novel tripled; two Rand biographies have been selling like hotcakes; and references to her in the media have skyrocketed. Yet, some free-market defenders continue to … Continue reading “Can the free market be saved without Ayn Rand?”

Students Need Mental Ammunition

College students today face an ideological onslaught from educators who are more concerned with creating “good citizens” than teaching them real knowledge. And it’s time for a new approach. I’m running a program for high school and college students this summer because of a first grade perplexity — and Ayn Rand. When I was kid … Continue reading “Students Need Mental Ammunition”

James Clavell’s Asian Adventures

“I came here with no friends, an old typewriter, and look what I achieved. It would have been impossible to achieve this in England.” So said James Clavell, an Australian immigrant to America who learned the fundamentals of the American outlook on life in a horrific Japanese prisoner of war camp. In over four decades … Continue reading “James Clavell’s Asian Adventures”

A little recognized influence on the Montessori Movement by Marsha Familaro Enright

originally published in Montessori Leadership “Help me to do it myself,” self-responsibility, peace:  these are fundamentals of the Montessori philosophy.  How many of you know that another, highly influential thinker with these same beliefs has had a huge influence on the Montessori movement:  Ayn Rand?  Today, there are thousands of parents, teachers and heads of school … Continue reading “A little recognized influence on the Montessori Movement by Marsha Familaro Enright”

Hawley’s Heroes and the Romance of Business

Imagine a novel whose mysterious main character you do not meet until page 236. He is reviled by some for his greed and destructiveness, revered by others for his generosity and remarkable creativity. The plot revolves around discovering who he is and what he stands for. Toward the end of the story, he makes a … Continue reading “Hawley’s Heroes and the Romance of Business”

Schools for Individualists: TNI’s exclusive interview with Marsha Enright, by Sara Pentz

Marsha Familaro Enright has been attracted by the pleasures and problems of education since the third grade. Trained in biology and psychology, she has written research articles on psychology, neuropsychology, development, and education for a number of publications. She founded the Council Oak Montessori School near Chicago in 1990 and has served as its president … Continue reading “Schools for Individualists: TNI’s exclusive interview with Marsha Enright, by Sara Pentz”

If Emotions Aren’t Tools of Cognition, what are they?

Philosophy & Psychology   If “Emotions Are Not Tools of Cognition,” What Are They?: An Exploration of the Relationship Between Reason and Emotion  Marsha Familaro Enright  A Conversation with Ayn Rand “Emotions are not tools of cognition,” Ayn Rand said on more than one occasion  (1961, 55; 1964, 6; 1974, 6). An emotion as such … Continue reading “If Emotions Aren’t Tools of Cognition, what are they?”