 Plato and Hollywood
by Tibor R. Machan
In his most famous dialogue the ancient Greek philosopher Plato has his main character, Socrates - his own teacher who never wrote down his thoughts but whose ideas infused all of Plato's writings - construct the ideal community. It serves many purposes, among them to understand human psychology and morality. The ideal city is to be structured like the human soul and it can be used to see in large form how that human soul is best harmonized. (Read more...)
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Wednesday
September 10, 2003 |
The Measure of a Man
by Russell Madden
The Liberation of Sims: what precisely does it mean to be a person? Tibor R. Machan (Read more...)
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Spellbound
by Kernon Gibes
In case you didn't know, "Spellbound" isn't the name of a 'me too' movie trying to capitalize on the laurels of "Lord of the Rings" or, for that matter, "Harry Potter". It is a documentary on the national spelling bee of 1999. And it's worth seeing. (Read more...)
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Basic Concepts in Painting and Sculpture Part 1
by Brett Holverstott
Composition – Spatial Depth – Sweeping Forms (Read more...)
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Hoedown in Paper Space
by Michael Newberry
In the last year I have been exploring the medium of pencil line drawings. Instead of showing only my drawings I thought it might be interesting if I showed you a few of my influences from art history, which will give you something to compare them with. This includes some artists, such as Picasso, Kline, Lichtenstein, which might surprise you. (Read more...)
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Gateways to Hidden Worlds
by Russell Madden
Repairman Jack Confronts the Entropic 'Other' (Book Review) (Read more...)
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Libertarianism in Cartoons: Courage, the Cowardly Dog
by Barry Fuller
In the arena of television, libertarians have little to view. (Read more...)
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Poseurs & Prohibitionists
by Lindsay Perigo
Did ever a bunch of fraudsters & totalitarians so richly deserve each other? (Read more...)
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Impressions Re: Bowling For Columbine
by Scott D. DeSalvo
Last week I had the opportunity to see Michael Moore's excellent 'Bowling for Columbine,' a film that struck me in its marketing as being essentially an anti-gun movie. As a Second Amendment advocate and generally an advocate of freedom for law-abiding citizens, I was prepared to have an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the movie. With a negative preconception and box of popcorn in hand, I entered the theatre. (Read more...)
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Wednesday
February 26, 2003 |
What's it with the Sopranos?
by Tibor R. Machan
Art and entertainment, especially, are a bit like fashion - some of it is really awful in any case but a lot of it is quite suitable for some, now and then, here and there. Ever since the Sopranos made it big on HBO, I've been wondering how this applies to them. Are they truly awful, in any case, or could they be bona fide entertainment for some decent folks, perhaps? (Read more...)
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 Winner, Fountainhead Essay Competition
by Marisa Gale
Here is the $2000(NZ) winner for the 2002 Fountainhead Essay Competition held by the Centre for Objectivist Studies in association with the Free Radical Foundation. (Read more...)
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Pandora's Box Part III: The Newly-Discovered Version
by Michael Newberry
The form of art and its function in human life are central to the debate between postmodern art and art. (Read more...)
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What Is Architecture?
by Peter Cresswell
In their book What Art Is, Louis Torres and Michelle Marder Kamhi suggest that architecture is not art. Now, this long-awaited book from the editors of Aristos is certainly an important one - though nowhere near as important as they think it is, and nowhere near as important as Rand's own Romantic Manifesto on which their book is based - but unfortunately it is seriously flawed. (Read more...)
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Serenade - An Underrated Treasure
by Derek McGovern
Serenade is far and away Mario Lanza's most interesting movie, and has a great deal more going for it than Time Magazine and other habitual Lanza-knockers would care to admit. (Read more...)
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It's a Thankless Life: The "doormat syndrome" and George Bailey
by Alison Randall
It's the holiday season again, and television viewers will be treated to the same lineup of Christmas classic movies and specials, with several common elements: altruism, redemption, and depression. (Read more...)
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Wednesday
December 18, 2002 |
Mario Lanza's Greatest Performances at MGM
by Lindsay Perigo
Lindsay reviews the new Mario Lanza compilation CD. (Read more...)
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Fantasy Impromptu
by Jane Yoder
Whether Mozart is "beloved of God" through a middle name Amadeus or Gottleib, he himself preferred Amade and often signed his letters so. Whether Fantasy be a strong or delicate thread it weaves a literary and musical tapestry of an 18th century man. Quoting his own Tamino, "er ist mensch" and is certainly most beloved. (Read more...)
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Contemplation or heightened consciousness: Some Contending Aesthetic Approaches
by Anthony Teets
What? Aristotle, Ayn Rand, and Oscar Wilde? Anthony Teets says yes, of course... (Read more...)
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Thursday
November 28, 2002 |
The Emperor's Club: A Review
by Kernon Gibes
Seen a good movie recently? Perhaps you should fit this one into your holiday schedule, according to Kernon Gibes. The review does contain spoilers.... (Read more...)
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The Amazon Princess and America
by Alexandra Ceely
When Wonder Woman was born, America was fighting World War Two. Why is she still popular today? (Read more...)
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Exultation: The Romanticism of Opera
by Arthur Silber
Opera's business is exultation, and it is a successful business indeed. Arthur Silber tells us why... (Read more...)
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Wednesday
October 16, 2002 |
The Fire Tower
by Alexandra Ceely
The Chrysler Building was a stunt, said its critics, and no more. It had no architectural significance. Yet William Van Alen's masterpiece was an homage to the industrial age... (Read more...)
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Happy Birthday Atlas
by Lindsay Perigo
On this day in 1957, Atlas Shrugged was published by Random House. Thirteen years in the writing, it instantly alienated all elements of the establishment, religious conservatives and secular "liberal" alike. It still does. (Read more...)
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Detecting Metaphysical Value-Judgements in Painting
by Michael Newberry
The theme of a painting should make its message clear without any prior knowledge of what the painting is about. We have to be like detectives and look for clues within the painting itself... (Read more...)
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The Lost Spirit of Petra
by Barry Kayton
More than two millenia ago Petra featured prominently in history--the New York City of its day--but somehow became a city frozen in time and forgotten... (Read more...)
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