PROBLEMS OF OBJECTIVISM

The following preliminary notes are intended to identify some of the key areas where the existing text of the Objectivist philosophy is incomplete or not properly developed. At some future point I may be able to develop these notes into complete papers or perhaps a book on the subject.

Metaphysics: The Problem of Primaries

Causality, as I have pointed out in my paper on axioms, is the consequence of the logical behavior of entities in the universe. As Aristotle points out, we deal with causality whenever we ask the question, "Why?" And he asserted that there are four kinds of cause, which correspond to different ways in which this question can be answered.

Now, we might define science, in the broadest sense, as being simply the systematic investigation of causality. It is, therefore, a question of real and practical importance to ask: What are the primary propositions of causality? For the answer to every "why?" leads to the possibility of another "why?" Is there a "first cause"? Is there an infinite regression of causes? This is the problem of primaries.

Epistemology: Reconciling Rationality and Darwinism

Evolution has not designed human beings to be perfect reasoning machines. In reality, we are so constructed as to normally utilize certain algorithms which are most likely to produce an adequate course of action, quickly and efficiently, when presented with real-life high-stakes problems. These algorithms may in fact not be logically "valid" and may not be appropriate for use when we are seeking absolute truth rather than an expedient course of action.

We are able to construct other algorithms which are valid for seeking absolute truth: viz, the scientific method. But have we properly defined the criteria under which we should resort to them?

Ethics: Reconciling Objectivism and Sociobiology

The Objectivist ethics is (or aspires to be) "biocentric"; that is, deriving the solution to the "ought-vs.-is" problem by reference to biological fact. But there are two problems with this program as it is currently presented. First, the Objectivist definition of life does not include reproduction, something which divorces its reasoning from basic biological criteria. Second, there is an implicit assumption in Objectivism that humans are well adapted to their ecological niche--biology says otherwise--and that rationality in the sense of scientific method is biologically ingrained--biology, again, says otherwise.