"Achievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness — not pain or mindless self-indulgence — is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values."   Ayn Rand

Learning to live in the world generates many questions. How do I want to live, how do I choose, what is the purpose of my life? These are tough questions but there are answers to them - the answers come from within ourselves. But how? Through philosophy. 

Philosophy is a guide to how one lives his life. This explanation of philosophy from the Ayn Rand Institute's website states it well:

"The science of philosophy studies the fundamentals of human thought and action. It asks and answers questions such as: What kind of world do I live in? Do I control my own destiny? What do I know? Can I prove it? What is the good? Should I be selfish and pursue my own interests, or should I devote myself to serving God or other people?" 

Ayn Rand had always wanted to be an author. In the pursuit of that goal, she realized that she needed to understand the concept of the heroic man. She spent years studying and develping this concept. The result was the creation of her own philosphy which she called  Objectivism. With these fundamental ideas Ayn Rand went on to write several novels, the most famous of which are The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. In both of these books you will find Ayn Rand's concept of the ideal man, the hero. The books also fully illustrate  her complete philosophy.

To learn more about Ayn Rand, her work and her ideas, please visit the Ayn Rand Institute's Student Website, Ayn Rand Novels. You can also email our group with questions at info@mnobjectivists.com.