What is the nature of benevolence toward other people? How does it differ from altruism? Is it a major or a minor virtue? How does it relate to the benevolent sense of life? David Kelley answers these questions in a groundbreaking work. Unrugged Individualism is the first philosophical analysis of benevolence from the Objectivist point of view, a major addition to the Objectivist ethics, and a convincing demonstration of the fertility of the system of ideas originated by Ayn Rand.
This introductory logic text grew out of Dr. Kelley's exten[experience teaching logic at Vassar College and Brandeis University. It does briefly cover symbolic logic, but its emphasis is on logic in the context of everyday thinking. As such, unlike the focus on deductive logic typical of many modern logic texts, this text also covers definitions, induction, and explanation.
The history of the Objectivist movement has been marred by personality clashes and schisms. This monograph, written as a response to the most recent breakup of the movement, defines proper standards of moral judgment and sanction, examines the question of error versus evil, and lays the groundwork for a rational and tolerant Objectivist movement, in practice as well as theory.
From the abstract: ``The model of concept-formation defended here, on philosophical and psychological grounds, is based on the work of Rand (1979). It is abstractionist in the sense that the process of forming a concept deries from the perception of similarities among objects. The process involves two stages, each charaterized by a specific mode of attention to perceived similarities and differences. In addition to the local arguments in support of each stage, the general constraints which should be placed on any theory of concept-formation are also discussed.'' This article first appeared in journal Cognition and Brain Theory (Summer/Fall 1984, 7(3,4) 329-357); it is now available as a pamphlet from The Institute for Objectivist Studies.
This monograph, co-authored by Roger Donway, discusses the why's of applying property rights to the airwaves. It also examines problems with the existing model of ``public'' ownership and answers standard objection against private ownership.
From the jacket: ``In this highly original defense of realism, David Kelley argues that perception is the discrimination of objects as entities, that the awareness of these objects is direct, and that perception is a reliable foundation for empirical knowledge. His argument relies on the basic principle of the "primacy of existence," in opposition to Cartesian representationalism and Kantian idealism.In the first part of the book, Kelley discusses the nature and validity of perception. He argues against classical sensationalist and modern computational theories, according to which perception involves inferences from sensory input. Unlike most realists, he also offers an in-depth consideration of the problems of perceptual relativity. His theory incorporates a key distinction between the object and the form in which it is perceived. This distnction provides insights into the status of phenomenal qualities, the nature of perceptual constancy, and the difference between primary and secondary qualities.
In the second part of the book, Kelley is concerned with the way we distinguish conceptual knowledge from perception. His theory of nonpropositional justification shows how perceptual judgments are supported by the direct awareness of objects, and it allows a novel defense of empiricism.
An origninal and substantial contribution to the philosophical literature, The Evidence of the Senses will be invaluable to philosophers, psychologists, and anyone interested in the complex subject of perceptual theory.''