On more sober reflection I don’t think Rand’s phlosophy and Skinner’s psychology have anything in common. Posthumous apologies to both!

And neither are by any means unique in using SF to put across philosophical ideas. But some of the others did it with greater literary competence.

Take care … especially with the practical side of chemistry
🙂

As for Rand, I have to agree with you on one point, her writing is rather in the category of “not too good”, but I don’t think her main skill was in writing but rather in speaking, in getting a debate going and in discussing politics and social structure and human purpose. I haven’t thought of it before, but now that you mention it, it does feel like she’s kidnapped science fiction as a means to get her philosphy through to the reader. Most people I’ve discussed Rand with feel her to be a mediocre writer but they still admire her philosophy. So far I’ve gotter through “Anthem”, “Atlas shrugged” and “The Fountainhead” but I have several more books to go.

One of my cousins has a doctorate degree in studying minority groups, especially Romani people. I had no point in telling you this, just thought I’de mention it.

Well, back to some chemistry now… Wishing you a nice rest of the week.

I was disappointed at how long it took me to read Mohtadi’s book. Thought I was quicker in Swedish. (It’s not long and isn’t written in complex language, but it still took ages.) I’d conclude it wasn’t really very interesting – and after all I never read any of Taikon’s Katitzi books so I have no emotional-nostalgic relation to her. But actually I think the historical and continuing private and institutional racism directed at the Romani people in Sweden and elsewhere is interesting. And I was intrigued by the sidelight the book casts on Swedish hypocrisy during WW2 and the quarter century after. So I must conclude I just don’t read well in Swedish.

I’m reading the PD James now – going much faster. 🙂

Alan Ryan’s book doesn’t sound particularly light… though compared with chemistry I’ll believe it might come off as an indulgence read.

As for Ayn Rand, I’ve only read Atlas Shrugged. Years ago, and I’m not sure I ever got to the end of it. I don’t remember it as being very well written and for some reason it shares a place in my memory with BF Skinner’s Walden Two. Not because of a similar philosophy (though I think there are points of comparison), but for the way they both hijacked a literary genre close to my heart (Science Fiction) as a vehicle for promulgating their ideas. Also I read them both at about the same time. (I was writing my undergraduate thesis on utopianism and dystopianism).