An Objectivist Phoenix: the Re-birth of IOS

(NOTE: I originally posted this message yesterday, but forgot to include a name for the thread! - Duh! Consequently it posted, but with no thread name, making it difficult to access.
Attempting to edit it simply resulted in a "server error," so I have re-posted the message [with a thread name!] again. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused. - Jerry).

The INSTITUTE FOR OBJECTIVIST STUDIES (the original name of David Kelley's organization, after leaving the not-so-good graces of Dr. Peikoff and company, some 23 years ago) has had a rebirth as a separate entity from The Atlas Society. with its own agenda for re-invigorating the academic development of Objectivism as a philosophy and movement.
I was unaware of this development, but found a link to it on The Atlas Society site, in a discussion of their upcoming "Advanced Seminat, which will be occuring after the TAS SummerSeminar (now referred to as a "Summit" - PR, I guess) conference in June. I clicked on the link which led to the new IOS site.. Several prominent TAS officers and frequent speakers or participants are on its Advisory Board, as well as others not associated with TAS
The site has a rather extensive series of blog-style discussions of the history and current state of the Objectivist, "movement," along with presentations on what the new IOS is for and what it intends to accomplish - .such as Academic Mentoring, and its own series of seminars, as well as creation of an online Objectivist Bibliography and Annotation projects.
Founded by Professors Irfan Khawaja and Carrie-Anne Biondi, the new project has a decidedly academic orientation and is aiming for the creation of a much larger presence of Objectivist-oriented intelligentsia on college campuses. Readers of ROR, and other internet Objectivist-oriented forums will likely find their observations stimulating - and comments are invited.
Please check the links below:
http://instituteforobjectiviststudies.wordpress.com/
http://instituteforobjectiviststudies.wordpress.com/about/
http://instituteforobjectiviststudies.wordpress.com/reviews-of-current-scholarship/
http://instituteforobjectiviststudies.wordpress.com/ios-and-the-movement/

Post 1

Friday, May 24, 2013 - 6:24pm

The history of post deletions of Irfan Khawaja on RoR leaves me wondering about the merits of this undertaking.

Post 2

Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 7:18am

Luke,

A reason why he may have deleted his posts here is because he was given a primitive, tribalistic ultimatum: cut ties with "them" if you want to come with "us."

I was once denied entry into an Objectivist society because of such a primitive, tribalistic reason. If your system is flooded with oxytocin, for example, then you will accidentally bifurcate individuals into groups -- treating individuals collectively, rather than treating individuals individually. This method of dealing with others used to have some merit way back when humans roamed the African (or even the American) plains in small bands or tribes -- when there used to be a net pay-off to treating others with suspicion and even outright hostility.

Things are different now, but it doesn't seem that everybody "got the memo."

Ed

Post 3

Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 7:57am

Well that and people change! (Sometimes?)
I might just take a pee(k) over there so other Oists can pull their hair out over my colourful self!
Chances are I won't be "sophist(icated)" enough but what the heck nothing ventured nothing gained.
However I STILL refuse to venture into the O-lying swamp!(I don't have big enough hip waders!)

Post 4

Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 9:02am

Jules,

You are funny. Don't let anyone ever tell you different. You are a little edgy or "risqu�" at times, but many folks are like that, and it isn't a crime. Sometimes it pays to have someone who is not inhibited to stand up and to say what it is that is already on everyone else's mind. At other times, not so much. Anyhoo, what I was trying to say is that there are a few ways you can use to attempt to determine (or 'pre-determine') the character of others:

1) by their works or -- said another way -- by their "fruits" (as in "you will know them by their fruits")
2) by their peers
3) by their height
4) by their hair color
5) by their brand choice of laundry detergent
etc.
etc.
etc.

From my perspective, (1) is the only way that you will ever determine the character of others. It is the correct method. However, it is not currently popular -- at least not wildly popular -- to employ this correct method of dealing with others.

Ed

Post 5

Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 9:17am

:)
1) Has always been "the way I roll" as well.

We need a subsection for 4) I don't have any hair in which to be evaluated by!!

Oh ya and 92) I still shop at Wal-Mart!

P.S Thanks Ed, you are awesome.

Post 6

Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 10:18am

I have no interest in starting a witch hunt. I swear I remember the person in question made derogatory remarks about AR in this forum to the effect that she wanted to implement an elitist ruling class. Perhaps I have him confused with another former poster. However, this Meetup profile suggests he looks with a fishy eye at "the movement." That alone means nothing. Other Google searches have not been helpful.

In any case, this archive sheds a little more light on the man's history though the archiving robot evidently did not capture his many posts prior to their deletion.

Post 7

Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 7:49pm