All student attendees are invited to kick off the conference at our welcome reception. Speakers and Objectivist Academic Center alumni will be on hand to welcome you to the conference. There will be opening remarks by Keith Lockitch, ARI vice president of Educational Programs, and light fare and drinks will be available. Dress is casual. This event is free. (There will be a cash bar, and those 21+ will receive one free alcoholic drink; nonalcoholic drinks are free.)

Atlas Shrugged has been aptly described as “a hymn to logic.” But today what one finds in logic textbooks are sterile, formalistic diversions from real-life issues. This course, in contrast, will focus on the most personally important — and most neglected — topic in logic: concepts. It is proper conceptualization, not facility with syllogisms, that makes the difference between clarity and confusion, rational and irrational functioning, adhering to reality and wandering through dreamland. Drawing on Ayn Rand’s revolutionary identifications in logic, these five classes focus on the proper formation, definition, maintenance, and use of concepts. Emphasis will be given to working on practical exercises. The course is based on the material in chapters six and seven of How We Know, with class exercises to practice applying the principles to concrete cases.

Class 1. What is logic? The axioms of logic. Why logic is an absolute. Aristotle and Ayn Rand: their respective contributions to logic. The never-taught but transformative area of logic: concepts. The identity of consciousness: two essentials and their implications for logic.

What Might Be, and Ought to Be: The Idealism of Objectivism
Ayn Rand is often charged with advocating a kind of cynical amoralism; but the opposite is true. Rand was a moral idealist. In this session, we will discuss the nature and roots of that idealism, addressing such questions as: What does it mean to be an idealist? Why does Rand think that ideals are so important to have and to fight for? What is the connection between having ideals and having a self? Is idealism naïve and impractical?

Join us for a celebration of ARI’s recently launched digital publication, New Ideal. Meet the senior editors, Onkar Ghate, Elan Journo and Steve Simpson, who will discuss the vision, strategy, and audience of New Ideal. They’ll also explore the crucial role of intellectual content in growing the Objectivist movement, how “New Ideal” advances ARI’s long-range philosophic mission, and some of the written, audio, and video content you can look forward to in New Ideal. Cost to attend: $58. Registration deadline is Friday, June 22, 2018.

Mr. Christensen, co-founder of Denmark’s Saxo Bank and founder of the private equity firm Seier Capital, has had a long, successful career as an innovator in banking and finance. In this talk, he discusses his business career and the role that Objectivism has played in his personal and professional development.

To what extent (if any) was Ayn Rand's Howard Roark really Frank Lloyd Wright? The parallels between her fictional hero and an actual architect have, over time, been exaggerated, denied and distorted. This talk, drawing on Wright’s archives, uncovers key relevant facts. You will learn the full story, including Ayn Rand’s remarks on a never-reprinted Wright article and the secret negotiations regarding the prospect of his working on the 1949 film.

In the 1960s, protests erupted at U.C. Berkeley over a ban on political activity on campus. Students marched and occupied school property, all in the name of “free speech.” Today, the Free Speech Movement launched at Berkeley in the 1960s is widely held as a model for advocates of the right to free speech. Is that true? This talk analyzes the Berkeley Free Speech Movement and its implications for free speech today.

Many people think design—whether referring to a house, a car or a work of art—is subjective. That is, that it’s just a “matter of taste.” “Design and Sense of Life” is an examination of how design can be evaluated objectively and how thinking like a designer can help you to define and project your sense of life. Using the models of automotive design, interior design and architecture, Mr. Amerige discusses how using the tools established in these professions can focus and enrich not only the “look” of your life, but how much you.

A STRIVE Session in Collaboration with Philipp Dammer, everyone welcome

Howard Roark’s integrity is usually met by great skepticism. In this talk, Dammer shows that there are Howard Roarks in real life; that Roark’s unyielding integrity is the way to success; and that Keating’s method (“second-handedness”) is a guarantee for disaster.
Using examples from the entertainment industry, Mr. Dammer shows that integrity can indeed lead to success and that doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.

Students are encouraged to follow-up on Sunday by attending a STRIVE workshop that will help them use Dammer’s ideas (and the principles of Ayn Rand’s philosophy) to evaluate career and life options and to form plans according to their values.

In 1860, Frederick Douglass, a former slave, traveled to Glasgow, Scotland, to participate in a debate over whether the U.S. Constitution was pro-slavery or pro-freedom. This talk provides a brief sketch of Douglass’s life, and focuses on Douglass’s contention that the Constitution is pro-freedom, not pro-slavery, and is one of the great intellectual defenses of the U.S. Constitution.

A community group’s activities vary as widely as the interests and time commitments of its members. Whether it’s hosting a study or social group, putting on events or reaching out to media, community groups have had a huge impact on promoting Ayn Rand’s ideas for years. Panelists discuss ways to grow the Objectivist community and promote Ayn Rand. All attendees who are interested in promoting Objectivism in the culture or in starting or joining a group are encouraged to attend.

Meet and mingle with fellow attendees at the official opening of OCON! The event is casual. We serve substantial appetizers or a light dinner and your fee includes one drink. A cash bar will be available. Cost to attend: $130. The registration deadline is Friday, June 22, 2018.

My express-movement class is forty-five minutes of fun, muscle-revving, beat-pumping moves for individuals at all levels. The program includes a warm-up and a cool-down with kick-boxing, dance steps, strength work and stretch in between. It is a great way to re-energize yourself: muscles and mind. Low impact modifications will be demonstrated. Required: cross-trainers or studio shoes. Please wear comfortable, loose clothing and bring a bottle of water.

Atlas Shrugged has been aptly described as “a hymn to logic.” But today what one finds in logic textbooks are sterile, formalistic diversions from real-life issues. This course, in contrast, will focus on the most personally important — and most neglected — topic in logic: concepts. It is proper conceptualization, not facility with syllogisms, that makes the difference between clarity and confusion, rational and irrational functioning, adhering to reality and wandering through dreamland. Drawing on Ayn Rand’s revolutionary identifications in logic, these five classes focus on the proper formation, definition, maintenance, and use of concepts. Emphasis will be given to working on practical exercises. The course is based on the material in chapters six and seven of How We Know, with class exercises to practice applying the principles to concrete cases.

Class 2. Integration into the full context: the need to grasp and automatize a concept’s genus. Exercises in identifying the proper genus. Definition: the pattern of all thought. How to define any term. The 5 rules of proper definition. Homework assignment: three terms to define.

The Sacred and the Profane: Objectivism and Religion
Why was Ayn Rand opposed to religion? What does Rand make of the notions of the sacred, of reverence, of worship, of the exalted? What is the difference between the ideals common to religions and the ideals projected in Rand’s fiction? Why does she think that man is a proper object of reverence? In this session, we discuss these questions from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s view of reason, of man, and of the world in which he lives.

Burnout is a vicious cycle involving loss of motivation for one’s job or career. Internal causes include altruism, the duty premise and secondhand values. External causes include unrealistic expectations of others and injustice. We discuss how making selfish value choices breaks the vicious cycle of burnout, so you can experience a virtuous cycle of productivity for achieving selfish goals.

Gift & Estate Planning Manager Kathy Cross and Development Specialist Robert Begley present an introduction to planned giving and ARI’s Atlantis Legacy. Topics include minimizing taxes through charitable giving and providing future support for the Institute while achieving one’s estate planning objectives. Strategies and techniques will be illustrated with real-life examples of legacy gifts arranged by Atlantis Legacy donors, with the donors themselves in attendance at the session. A casual lunch buffet will be served, compliments of ARI. No RSVP is necessary, and attendance implies no obligation.

Bitcoin. Ethereum. Litecoin. Ripple. These and other digital currencies have fired the imagination of free-market advocates. Can crypto currencies replace fiat currencies? Can they compete with gold? What’s the future of the blockchain technology on which these inventions are built? Our panel of experts have different points of view, and they will discuss the future — and the failings — of these fascinating innovations.

This talk argues that the prime mover in creativity is the conscious mind even though the subconscious plays a critical role. The conscious aspect includes: having a purpose or goal, passionate love of the goal, active thinking, vision, independent judgment, tenacity and objectivity, and the willingness to change goals or strategies in the face of failure. The role of intelligence and the subconscious will be explained. Dr. Locke gives specific examples from literature, business and science.

There are basically two schools of thought about discipline. One is the direct approach where the child is confronted for his misbehavior and given consequences. The second approach is indirect where the child is redirected and consequences are avoided. Maria Montessori advocated strong, direct correction from the adult until the child achieves self-control. This talk explains Montessori’s view on discipline, why it is the right view, how discipline works and why discipline is not a bad word.

Have you heard about the KonMari method and wondered what the fuss is about? In this presentation, Ms. Lefko explains the basic method and contrasts it to other popular approaches to decluttering and organizing. She also discusses the ways it can lead to positive life changes beyond simply having a tidier home. Come and learn how the KonMari method encourages us to contemplate what truly “sparks joy” in our lives.

Imagine a world in which you can take an evening stroll along the clean-swept sidewalks of your hometown, pause under the cheerful neon lights of your local movie theater, and see brilliantly colored movie posters upon which appear the words: Ayn Rand. That world existed once, and it can exist again. Come and walk with us down to that theater for the first time.

Are you feeling inspired after attending “Advice on How (Not) to Kill Your Dreams,” STRIVE’s session on Saturday with Philipp Dammer? Have you been thinking about how to apply Philipp’s advice, and some of the other ideas you’ve heard at OCON so far, to your own life and career? Students are encouraged to attend STRIVE’s workshop aimed at helping you use the principles of Ayn Rand’s philosophy to evaluate your career and life options and to form plans according to your values.

A global tour of aged classic wines from France, Italy, Spain and the New World—presented by sommeliers Adam Edmonsond and Jörn Kleinhans. Attendees will learn the essentials of fine wine appreciation, discover new favorites, and enjoy a broader discussion of how cultivating perceptual-level values contributes to happiness. Includes eight wines and paired dinner: tomato bisque, ravioli, prosciutto-wrapped chicken with wild mushrooms and asparagus tips, vanilla bean crème brûlée and berries, coffee and tea. Cost to attend: $125. Registration deadline is Friday, June 22, 2018.

ARI will host a reception for Prime Movers and other donors who contribute at an annual level of $2,500 and above. This special event is by invitation only.

Come showcase your special talent at this fun event. MC Mikey Spicci. There will be a cash bar.

Atlas Shrugged has been aptly described as “a hymn to logic.” But today what one finds in logic textbooks are sterile, formalistic diversions from real-life issues. This course, in contrast, will focus on the most personally important — and most neglected — topic in logic: concepts. It is proper conceptualization, not facility with syllogisms, that makes the difference between clarity and confusion, rational and irrational functioning, adhering to reality and wandering through dreamland. Drawing on Ayn Rand’s revolutionary identifications in logic, these five classes focus on the proper formation, definition, maintenance, and use of concepts. Emphasis will be given to working on practical exercises. The course is based on the material in chapters six and seven of How We Know, with class exercises to practice applying the principles to concrete cases.

Class 3. Analysis of the homework exercises. Application to other terms to be defined. Definitions as contextual.

A Self Worth Preserving: Selfishness and Self-Esteem
Our culture encourages us to develop a strong sense of self-esteem — and at the same time discourages us from pursuing a life devoted to the self. In this session, we discuss Rand’s view of the connection between selfishness and self-esteem, addressing such questions as: What does it mean to have a self? How does one develop a self that is worth sustaining? What does a life dedicated to one’s self look like in practice?

Film Scores: Keeping the Flame of Musical Romanticism Alive (Part 1)

The growing use of atonality and serialism and other avant-garde procedures that were virtually required of “serious” composers after World War II often made it difficult for members of the audience to find and follow any sense of musical narrative and direction in many new works. During this same time, a number of talented composers found an ideal outlet for their desire to continue and build upon the musical practices of the 19th and early 20th centuries by composing for movies. In part 1, we examine the first generation of composers who followed this path, up through the early 1950s.

The use of various avant-garde procedures by composers in the mid-20th century often made it difficult for audiences to find a sense of musical narrative in many new works. However, a number of composers found an ideal outlet for their desire to continue and build on the past practices by composing for movies. In this talk we examine the origins of film music, and then learn about the works of the first true film composers from the 1930s.

The characters in The Fountainhead have differing views of what is important in life. The more sympathetic characters differ in the significance they place on the vices or inadequacies they observe in other people and in the culture at large. Dr. Salmieri explores the novel’s treatment of this issue and elaborates on Howard Roark’s distinctive perspective (which Dominique Francon comes to share).

ARI will host a lunch exclusively for participants in the Atlantis Legacy, the Institute’s planned giving program, with special guest, ARI Board member, Peter LePort, for Q&A. Donors need not be registered for the conference in order to attend. Invitations were sent in late spring 2018 to all donors who have included the Institute in their estate plans and informed us that they have done so.

Mr. Bet-David is passionate about shaping the next generation of leaders by teaching entrepreneurship and disrupting the traditional approach to a career. His popular YouTube videos “The Life of an Entrepreneur” and others are available on Valuetainment, a channel for entrepreneurs. He has hosted one-on-one interviews with NBA Hall of Famers James Worthy and Magic Johnson; author Robert Greene; entrepreneur and NBA team owner Mark Cuban; Indy-500 winner Al Unser Jr. and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

This talk integrates the moral perspective offered by Rand’s “trader principle” with psychological tools and insights for improving assertive communication. Attendees will learn how skills such as reflective listening, the “broken record” technique, perspective-taking, and ”I”-statements can deepen the intimacy and value derived from close personal relationships, largely by conveying respect for the other person’s volition and value-context while also demanding respect for one’s own.

ARI’s new CEO, Tal Tsfany, will share the story of his personal journey and outline his vision for the Institute’s future. Given the breadth of ARI’s mission — to spread Objectivism in order to create a culture of reason, rational self-interest, individualism and capitalism — our challenge is to identify the educational methods most effective for this mission and prioritize them in a framework for the future. No registration is required for this event, which will include a reception.

This is an invitation-only reception for current students and alumni (1+ years) of the Objectivist Academic Center.

Join us for a screening of The Fountainhead film and remarks by Shoshana Milgram. Dr. Milgram will share information about the making of The Fountainhead film, including when Ayn Rand sold the screen rights, how she protected the integrity of her ideas and her work, and what the director, King Vidor, had to say about the project (on his copy of the script and in recorded interviews).

My express-movement class is forty-five minutes of fun, muscle-revving, beat-pumping moves for individuals at all levels. The program includes a warm-up and a cool-down with kick-boxing, dance steps, strength work and stretch in between. It is a great way to re-energize yourself: muscles and mind. Low impact modifications will be demonstrated. Required: cross-trainers or studio shoes. Please wear comfortable, loose clothing and bring a bottle of water.

Atlas Shrugged has been aptly described as “a hymn to logic.” But today what one finds in logic textbooks are sterile, formalistic diversions from real-life issues. This course, in contrast, will focus on the most personally important — and most neglected — topic in logic: concepts. It is proper conceptualization, not facility with syllogisms, that makes the difference between clarity and confusion, rational and irrational functioning, adhering to reality and wandering through dreamland. Drawing on Ayn Rand’s revolutionary identifications in logic, these five classes focus on the proper formation, definition, maintenance, and use of concepts. Emphasis will be given to working on practical exercises. The course is based on the material in chapters six and seven of How We Know, with class exercises to practice applying the principles to concrete cases.

Class 4. Hierarchy. What hierarchy is. Blindness to hierarchy as the hallmark of modern philosophy, thought and culture. The hierarchy preservers: concretization, definition and reduction. Homework assignment: exercises in concretization.

Thinking Like an Individualist
This session explores a key theme of The Fountainhead: the importance of thinking for oneself. We discuss how key speeches and passages from the book address these questions: What does it mean to think for oneself? Does it mean believing whatever one likes, never learning from or agreeing with others, judging everything on a case-by-case basis? Or does it mean using a disciplined, principled method consistent with learning from others? (May contain mild Fountainhead plot spoilers.)

Panel: Thoughts on The Fountainhead Musical Score

Max Steiner is widely regarded as the father of film composition, and when he was asked to write the music for The Fountainhead, in 1947, he was at the height of his compositional powers. The score he provided, however, has elicited mixed reactions. Conductor Thomas Shoebotham presents clips from the film and some highlights of Steiner's score, and discusses the score’s merits and problems in relation to the other elements of the film.

In addition to the composers whose main career focus was film music, writing music for movies attracted the attention of a number of composers of concert music, particularly in the 1930s and 1940s. In this talk we hear some examples of this from famous composers such as Aaron Copland, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitry Shostakovich and Ralph Vaughan-Williams, all of whom channeled their distinctive sound and style from the concert hall into interesting film scores, in Hollywood and elsewhere.

The Fountainhead is the novel in which Ayn Rand’s conception of humor (good and bad) comes across most clearly. The novel begins: “Howard Roark laughed.” Yet the villain Ellsworth Toohey, presenting his recipe for achieving power, recommends that we “kill by laughter.” This lecture discusses humor in The Fountainhead and the prevalence of the bad kind of humor in today’s culture.

Join us for a lunch panel featuring a group of business leaders from a range of different industries: education, energy, pharmaceuticals, mortgage lending. We’ll hear about their experiences leading their companies and their insights into what motivates creative innovation. Cost to attend: $58. Registration deadline is Friday, June 22, 2018.

The 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for the first-ever detection of gravitational waves, confirming a 100-year-old prediction of Einstein’s. The discovery, announced in 2015, launched a new era of gravitational wave astronomy, but also raises challenging philosophical questions about the nature of space, time and gravity. What are gravitational waves and how are they being used to study the universe? And is there an inherent conflict between General Relativity and key metaphysical principles?

Gay wedding cakes. Compulsory union dues. Mandatory disclosures for pregnancy centers. Police searches of cell phone records. These are just a few of the subjects the Supreme Court has taken up this term. The Court’s major cases impact freedom in America and involve fascinating political and philosophical questions. Our panel of experts analyze some of the Court’s most momentous decisions from this term and explain their implications.

This talk shows that there are several attributes of literary heroism: the promotion of life-affirming values, the depth of virtue(s) manifested, the power of antagonists faced, and the hero’s degree of prowess. When we deploy such criteria and compare and contrast Howard Roark to some of literature’s other great heroes—for example, Odysseus, Cyrano, Doctor Stockmann, and Shane—where do we find he stands in the pantheon of literary heroism? This talk examines and answers this question.

Traditional Chinese philosophy continues to influence the thinking and values of Chinese Communist Party leadership, and informs a system of Chinese strategic thought that differs significantly from that of the West. This talk introduces the fundamentals of Chinese philosophy, their relationship to Chinese strategic culture, and their influence on PRC security policy, in order to demonstrate the importance of understanding an adversary’s philosophy and shed light on the nature of the PRC’s campaign against the United States.

Come learn the latest on spreading Ayn Rand’s ideas on a global scale.

OCON speaker Lisa VanDamme is the founder and director of VanDamme Academy, a small, private K-8 school, established with the goal of giving students a rich education in the core intellectual disciplines, and a happy, healthy, stimulating school experience. In an effort to contribute a new perspective to the national conversation about school reform, a documentary about the school is in production. Miss VanDamme hosts a screening and a Q&A of the newly completed film.

This session is for students only and is required for those receiving scholarships. Students will meet with STRIVE mentors and conference speakers for short, focused conversations about professional and personal development. ARI and STRIVE staff will be on hand to discuss how students can continue their exploration of Rand’s philosophy and how they can stay connected to those they’ve met at OCON. Mentors from a variety of fields will participate, including academia, business, education, film, law, marketing, nonprofits, philosophy, policy, psychology and technology.

OCON speaker Lisa VanDamme is the founder and director of VanDamme Academy, a small, private K-8 school, established with the goal of giving students a rich education in the core intellectual disciplines, and a happy, healthy, stimulating school experience. In an effort to contribute a new perspective to the national conversation about school reform, a documentary about the school is in production. Miss VanDamme hosts a screening of clips from the upcoming movie and a Q&A.

Find out where we’ll gather next year and register for OCON 2019 at a large discount. Everyone’s invited. Cash bar will be available.

ARI will host a dinner to honor donors who contribute annually at the Benefactor level, or higher. This special event is by invitation only.

If you have a talent for remembering facts, you’ll excel at this event. Put your knowledge of Ayn Rand’s life, writing and ideas to the test with some friendly competition. Who knows—you might go home a champion! A cash bar will be available. MC Mikey Spicci.

Atlas Shrugged has been aptly described as “a hymn to logic.” But today what one finds in logic textbooks are sterile, formalistic diversions from real-life issues. This course, in contrast, will focus on the most personally important — and most neglected — topic in logic: concepts. It is proper conceptualization, not facility with syllogisms, that makes the difference between clarity and confusion, rational and irrational functioning, adhering to reality and wandering through dreamland. Drawing on Ayn Rand’s revolutionary identifications in logic, these five classes focus on the proper formation, definition, maintenance, and use of concepts. Emphasis will be given to working on practical exercises. The course is based on the material in chapters six and seven of How We Know, with class exercises to practice applying the principles to concrete cases.

Class 5. Analysis of homework exercises. “Thinking in examples.” Mill’s Methods and Thought Experiments. The four characteristics that make examples cognitively powerful. Practice in thinking in examples. Three conceptual fallacies: false integration/division, anti-concepts, and stolen concepts.

Ayn Rand’s Philosophy for Living on Earth (Part 1)
This session explores the basic contours of Ayn Rand’s overall philosophy by discussing highlights from Galt’s speech in Atlas Shrugged. On Day 1, we discuss the following questions: Is our society and our world, like Galt’s, going through a moral crisis? Why does Galt (and Rand) think the solution to this crisis is to discover morality, rather than return to it? What is the morality for living on earth, and on what earthly facts is it based? (We try to avoid Atlas plot spoilers.)

Film Scores: Keeping the Flame of Musical Romanticism Alive (Part 2)

The growing use of atonality and serialism and other avant-garde procedures that were virtually required of “serious” composers after World War II often made it difficult for members of the audience to find and follow any sense of musical narrative and direction in many new works. During this same time a number of talented composers found an ideal outlet for their desire to continue and build upon the musical practices of the 19th and early 20th centuries by composing for movies. In part 2, we look at the movie composers of the last fifty years.

The symphonic scores that were so characteristic of Hollywood’s “Golden Age” were written less frequently after World War II, and by the early 1970s were considered almost extinct, as directors and producers experimented with other genres of music. Over the last forty years, however, another generation of film composers has emerged, writing stirring symphonic scores for a wide range of films. We examine this rebirth and hear examples of work by famous and lesser-known contemporary movie composers.

Join the celebration of our nation’s Independence Day, with attendees reading the Declaration of Independence, interspersed with uplifting poems, musical numbers and an audience sing-along. Host Thomas Bowden.

My express-movement class is forty-five minutes of fun, muscle-revving, beat-pumping moves for individuals at all levels. The program includes a warm-up and a cool-down with kick-boxing, dance steps, strength work and stretch in between. It is a great way to re-energize yourself: muscles and mind. Low impact modifications will be demonstrated. Required: cross-trainers or studio shoes. Please wear comfortable, loose clothing and bring a bottle of water.

Atlas Shrugged has been aptly described as “a hymn to logic.” But today what one finds in logic textbooks are sterile, formalistic diversions from real-life issues. This course, in contrast, will focus on the most personally important — and most neglected — topic in logic: concepts. It is proper conceptualization, not facility with syllogisms, that makes the difference between clarity and confusion, rational and irrational functioning, adhering to reality and wandering through dreamland. Drawing on Ayn Rand’s revolutionary identifications in logic, these five classes focus on the proper formation, definition, maintenance, and use of concepts. Emphasis will be given to working on practical exercises. The course is based on the material in chapters six and seven of How We Know, with class exercises to practice applying the principles to concrete cases.

Class 6. Course Q&A

Ayn Rand’s Philosophy for Living on Earth (Part 2)
This session explores the basic contours of Ayn Rand’s overall philosophy by discussing highlights from Galt’s speech in Atlas Shrugged. On Day 2 we discuss the following questions: How does a morality for living on earth differ from conventional morality? Why do people accept conventional morality but refrain from justifying it rationally? How should we deal with such people in our society today, and how should we try to reconstruct our society?
(We try to avoid Atlas plot spoilers.)

“Music in Stone”: Architecture and Sense of Life

Architecture is in a class of its own among the arts, combining utilitarian function and expressive power. How, though, can a building, which is nonrepresentational, convey meaning? In this lecture, Dr. Wood draws on Ayn Rand’s writings on architecture, including The Fountainhead and The Romantic Manifesto, to deepen our understanding of how great buildings concretize abstract values. The talk includes analyses of several works of world architecture from an Objectivist perspective.

This talk explores the value of admiration in the realm of sports. At a time when much in the world around us seems distinctly un-admirable, spotlighting athletes’ achievements offers a refreshing antidote. Even those who aren’t sports fans can gain a deeper appreciation of how admiration itself is a value and can contribute to the admirer’s own flourishing. We explore how the sight of an achievement (as Ayn Rand observed) is, indeed, a glorious thing.

Dakin Sloss is co-founder and CEO of Tachyus, a company that builds technology to optimize energy production for the oil and gas industry. Mr. Sloss discusses the ambitious work that he and the Tachyus team have undertaken as they work to bring 21st-century technology to a 150-year-old industry. And he discusses the inspiration that he has derived from Objectivism throughout his life and business career.

In his new book What Justice Demands: America and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Elan Journo explains the essential nature of this pivotal conflict, what has fueled it for so long, and America’s actual stake in the region. In this introductory talk, he discusses America’s approach to the Middle East conflict and spotlights the book’s distinctively Objectivist moral perspective.

Q&A with Yaron Brook and Tal Tsfany OCON 2018 will close with a joint Q&A with Tal Tsfany, ARI’s CEO, and Yaron Brook, the chairman of the board of directors, answering questions about Objectivism and the vision for ARI.

This year we’ll close OCON with a buffet dinner reception. Your fee includes one drink and a cash bar will be available. Come to enjoy the company of old and new friends, and after the reception, dance the night away! This event is dressy; coats and ties for gentlemen, evening wear for ladies, please. Cost to attend: $135. The registration deadline is Friday, June 22, 2018.