In Russia, Vladimir Putin's bid to expand the military draft to fight his failing, unjust war in Ukraine has been met with street protests and a mass exodus of young and productive citizens from the country. In Iran, the mullahs' lethal enforcement of sharia law has pushed the population over the edge, with mass protests against the mandatory hijab and cries of "women, life, freedom!" What can this news teach us about what it takes to oppose dictatorships? Join Ben Bayer and Nikos Sotirakopoulos to discuss this question in light of Ayn Rand's comments about resistance to the dictatorships of her own time.

Dr Harry Binswanger will take and respond to Super Chat questions.

Don Watkins is a public intellectual, speaker, podcaster and author of nonfiction works such as Free Market Revolution and Equal is Unfair and the crime thriller I am Justice. Having made a career writing about philosophy for the last two decades, we are delighted to welcome him to Edinburgh to talk with us about political philosophy and the impact bad philosophy can have upon our liberties. How we think about issues such as these will deeply impact the future of our country, so please come reflect on these issues with us and join in for the Q&A.

Yaron Brook is an Israeli Activist and the Chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute. He is also the host of The Yaron Brook Show and is a frequent contributor to The Federalist Society.

The Ayn Rand Institute's weekly podcast exploring pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, which upholds the ideals of reason, individualism, and capitalism.

At the Battle of Ideas festival, free speech is celebrated, open discussion is encouraged, and you can help shape the future. Speakers from the Ayn Rand Institute will be at the Battle of Ideas in Westminster, London, October 15–16, and you should join us. The festival is a nationwide phenomenon in the UK, and a unique opportunity to debate issues in an open, respectful forum, meet other fans of Ayn Rand and Objectivism, and discuss ideas on a deeper level with people who are as excited about them as you are.

The issue of Scottish independence has been a persistent issue for our country for decades now. With the SNP moving to hold a second referendum on this issue later next year, and with independence movements ever more across Europe, there is a pressing need for our sincere reflection on this matter.

Yaron Brook and Giovanni Barone Adesi will be the discussants of our next event, Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal. The Philosophy of Capitalism. Capitalism is indeed a heated argument in political and social debates. But what is the ideology that underpins capitalism? What are its moral assumptions and requirements? And what are the economic consequences of such philosophy? Yaron Brook, President of the Ayn Rand Institute, will give a presentation discussed by Giovanni Barone Adesi, economist and Professor at USI. The event is in collaboration with Students For Liberty Switzerland, Ayn Rand Institute, LPU, Ratio, USInternational.

The Ayn Rand Institute's weekly podcast exploring pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism, which upholds the ideals of reason, individualism, and capitalism.

Yaron Brook and Nikos Sotriakopoulos event in Oslo. Full details are in the link.

Session open to the public (please confirm your presence at this event for space management): Yaron Brook, Chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute comes to Lisbon to the historic Grémio Literário for a session organized by the Libertarian Party Association and with the contribution of Students For Liberty Portugal (SFL).

Oxford Philosophy professor William MacAskill has quickly become noteworthy as the guru of the "effective altruism" movement. This movement supposedly applies a rational, data-driven perspective to selecting the charitable causes that do the most good. In his latest book, What We Owe the Future, MacAskill claims that true effective altruists pay careful attention to the welfare of the people of the distant future. Should we be concerned about the kinds of future doomsday scenarios MacAskill conjures -- rule by artificial intelligence, global nuclear war, environmental catastrophe? Do we have obligations to people in the distant future? Join Don Watkins, Mike Mazza, and Ben Bayer to discuss what MacAskill's focus reveals about the core premises of the "effective altruist" movement, and about the moral code of altruism as such.

Learn more about Ayn Rand’s philosophy at the largest annual gathering of
Ayn Rand enthusiasts. June 30- July 5, 2023.