The Atlas Summit, the premiere conference of open Objectivism, is featuring a "Symposium on Success in Business."
Ayn Rand was one of the few moral philosophers in history who regarded business as a noble activity, on a par with all other forms of creative achievement, and she celebrated business achievers as heroes in Atlas Shrugged.
The moral code of her philosophy, Objectivism, provides a strong and motivating foundation for the traits needed for business success: rationality, productiveness, integrity, and independence. At the same time, the skills and methods that successful businesses employ can be adapted to other areas of life. They can give us insights about how to apply the abstract principles to day-to-day life.
The Success in Business Symposium will explore this two-way traffic in a series of three talks and a concluding panel session. The speakers are accomplished entrepreneurs, consultants, and educators; and all of them have a deep grounding in Objectivism.
Join them to depend your own understanding of how to be an entrepreneur in your own life.
Robert L. Bradley, Jr. is the CEO & Founder of the Institute for Energy Research. He is the author of seven books, most recently Edison to Enron: Energy Markets and Political Strategies.
Dr. Patrick Gentempo is the founder and CEO of Action Potential Holdings, Inc. He is often referred to as the “Philosopher-Entrepreneur.” He is a well-known and respected star in the world of health, wellness and business.
Kim Sawyer is a serial entrepreneur who has been a committed Objectivist since age 15, with over 20 years of business experience. Today he coaches key business people and teams to create greater wealth for their organizations and themselves.
Heather Wagenhals is an adjunct professor, distinguished speaker, author/columnist and broadcast professional on brain-based financial literacy, identity theft, and fraud.
Jay Lapeyre (Panel moderator) is chair of The Atlas Society board. His is the CEO of Laitrim, a manufacturing firm in New Orleans and industry leader in its field.
Sessions
Robert Bradley, Success in Business Symposium: Ayn Rand and Best Business Practices
The heroes in Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead are successful businessmen. All readers of the novels can agree that the heroes behave heroically. But do they behave in ways that characterize successful businessmen?
This lecture will compare the behavior of Rand’s heroes with the insights of four authors in the classical-liberal tradition whose works identify key aspects of free-market business success: Samuel Smiles, Joseph Schumpeter, Ronald Coase, and Friedrich Hayek. Along the way, it will demonstrate that the classical liberal capitalist Charles Koch has adopted and updated all of these insights. It will then argue that Rand thoroughly understood the insights of two of these authors but slighted the insights of two others. And it will suggest that her moral and aesthetic philosophy may have been responsible for her oversights.
Patrick Gentempo, Success in Business Symposium: Unleashing the Power of Philosophy in Business
The most important word in the world, is probably the most misunderstood word in the world. What's the word? Philosophy. What comes to mind when you hear the word "philosophy"? Old guys in robes walking around in ancient Greece? Academics having abstract conversations that have no practical entrepreneurial use?
In "Unleashing the Power of Philosophy in Business," serial entrepreneur Dr. Patrick Gentempo will make a passionate argument about the VERY practical use of philosophy in business and life.
In this very unique presentation, Dr. Gentempo will share:
Whether you are a business owner, C-level executive, or an employee, understanding the practical use of philosophy in business can truly change your life. Don't miss it!
Kim Sawyer, Success in Business Symposium: Wealth is More Than Money
Life, Liberty and the Creation of Wealth: Aren't these what a going human concern in the Business of Life requires?
Life and liberty? Sure. But what about Wealth? What is it, really? Is wealth money? Is it Stocks or Bonds? Think again!
What is success in life, really? Your title? Your bank account? Your portfolio? Your toys? Think again!
Every moment of your life is an investment decision. Come and explore the idea of building success in every area of your life using the same principles and techniques we use for building financial success
Success in Business Symposium: Panel Session and Summit Closing
The experts from our symposium on business success meet in a panel discussion to discuss the key philosophical principles that underlie success in business. Has Robert Bradley identified the key principles? Has Patrick Gentempo or Kim Sawyer done so? Heather Wagenhals adds her insights and Jay Lapeyre leads the discussion.
The Success in Business symposium can only be found at the 2016 Atlas Summit, July 11-13, at the Planet Hollywood hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Register now.
David Kelley es el fundador de The Atlas Society. Filósofo profesional, profesor y autor de best-sellers, ha sido uno de los principales defensores del Objetivismo durante más de 25 años.
David Kelley founded The Atlas Society (TAS) in 1990 and served as Executive Director through 2016. In addition, as Chief Intellectual Officer, he was responsible for overseeing the content produced by the organization: articles, videos, talks at conferences, etc.. Retired from TAS in 2018, he remains active in TAS projects and continues to serve on the Board of Trustees.
Kelley es filósofo profesional, profesor y escritor. Tras doctorarse en filosofía por la Universidad de Princeton en 1975, se incorporó al departamento de filosofía del Vassar College, donde impartió una amplia variedad de cursos de todos los niveles. También ha enseñado filosofía en la Universidad Brandeis y ha dado conferencias con frecuencia en otros campus.
Los escritos filosóficos de Kelley incluyen obras originales sobre ética, epistemología y política, muchas de las cuales desarrollan las ideas objetivistas con mayor profundidad y en nuevas direcciones. Es autor de La evidencia de los sentidosun tratado de epistemología; Verdad y Tolerancia en el Objetivismosobre cuestiones del movimiento Objetivista; Unrugged Individualism: La base egoísta de la benevolenciay El arte de razonarun libro de texto muy utilizado para la introducción a la lógica, ahora en su 5ª edición.
Kelley ha dado conferencias y publicado sobre una amplia gama de temas políticos y culturales. Sus artículos sobre asuntos sociales y política pública han aparecido en Harpers, The Sciences, Reason, Harvard Business Review, The Freeman, On Principle y otros. Durante la década de 1980, escribió con frecuencia para la revista financiera y de negocios Barrons sobre temas como el igualitarismo, la inmigración, las leyes de salario mínimo y la Seguridad Social.
Su libro Una vida propia: derechos individuales y Estado del bienestar es una crítica de las premisas morales del Estado del bienestar y una defensa de alternativas privadas que preserven la autonomía, la responsabilidad y la dignidad individuales. Su aparición en 1998 en el especial "Greed" de John Stossel en ABC/TV suscitó un debate nacional sobre la ética del capitalismo.
Experto en objetivismo reconocido internacionalmente, ha pronunciado numerosas conferencias sobre Ayn Rand, sus ideas y sus obras. Fue asesor de la adaptación cinematográfica de Atlas encogido de hombrosy editor de Atlas Shrugged: La novela, las películas, la filosofía.
"Conceptos y naturalezas: A Commentary on The Realist Turn (by Douglas B. Rasmussen and Douglas J. Den Uyl)," Reason Papers 42, no. 1, (Summer 2021); Esta reseña de un libro reciente incluye una inmersión profunda en la ontología y epistemología de los conceptos.
Los fundamentos del conocimiento. Seis conferencias sobre la epistemología objetivista.
"La primacía de la existencia" y "La epistemología de la percepción", The Jefferson School, San Diego, julio de 1985.
"Universales e inducción", dos ponencias en las conferencias de GKRH, Dallas y Ann Arbor, marzo de 1989.
"Escepticismo", Universidad de York, Toronto, 1987
"La naturaleza del libre albedrío", dos conferencias en el Instituto Portland, octubre de 1986.
"The Party of Modernity", Cato Policy Report, mayo/junio de 2003; y Navigator, noviembre de 2003; un artículo muy citado sobre las divisiones culturales entre las visiones premoderna, moderna (Ilustración) y posmoderna.
"I Don't Have To"(IOS Journal, Volumen 6, Número 1, abril de 1996) y "I Can and I Will"(The New Individualist, Otoño/Invierno de 2011); piezas de acompañamiento sobre cómo hacer realidad el control que tenemos sobre nuestras vidas como individuos.