Page "Objectivism (Ayn Rand)" Paragraph 24

Objectivism includes an extensive treatment of ethical concerns.

Ayn Rand wrote on morality in her works The Virtue of Selfishness and Atlas Shrugged.

Rand defines morality as " a code of values to guide man's choices and actions — the choices and actions that determine the purpose and the course of his life.

" Rand maintained that the first question isn't what should the code of values be, the first question is " Does man need values at all — and why?

" According to Rand, " it is only the concept of ' Life ' that makes the concept of ' Value ' possible ," and, " the fact that a living entity is, determines what it ought to do .".

Rand writes: " there is only one fundamental alternative in the universe: existence or non-existence — and it pertains to a single class of entities: to living organisms.

The existence of inanimate matter is unconditional, the existence of life is not: it depends on a specific course of action ...

It is only a living organism that faces a constant alternative: the issue of life or death ..." The survival of the organism is the ultimate value to which all of the organism's activities are aimed, the end served by all of its lesser values.