The Atlas Society Presents - Objectively Speaking

Join CEO Jennifer Grossman for the 116th episode of The Atlas Society Asks where she interviews Engineering Professor Barbara Oakley about her work in the field of cognition and learning. Oakley's rather distinguished academic career belies a life of adventure in which she has worked as a translator on Soviet trawlers, a radio operator at the South Pole Station in Antarctica, a teacher in China, and an Army officer in Germany. She has written books like "Uncommon Sense Teaching" and "Mindshift," but has also explored spheres of ethics with her books "Pathological Altruism" and "Evil Genes." Listen as Barbara Oakley explains a controversial perspective on Ayn Rand's genius that is worth debating.

Join our CEO, Jennifer Grossman, as she talks with Professor Jeremy S. Adams about his new book "Hollowed Out: A Warning about America's Next Generation" and its warning about the current rejection of wisdom, culture, and institutions of Western Civilization by students, along with what we can do to win them back.

Join Senior Scholar and Professor of Political Economy at Duke, Richard Salsman, Ph.D as he sits down for an interview with fellow Senior Scholar, Jason Hill, Ph.D, Professor of Philosophy at Depaul. Listen as they discuss how Professor Hill discovered Ayn Rand as a teenager in Jamaica, his observations on trends over decades of teaching at a college level, and about his most recent books, including "We Have Overcome: An Immigrant’s Letter to the American People" and "What Do White Americans Owe Black People: Racial Justice in the Age of Post-Oppression."

Inspired by the iconic image of a man blocking tanks in Tiananmen Square in 1989, Robert Anthony Peters produced the short film Tank Man. As the Vice-Chairman of the Fully Informed Jury Association Robert works to educate people about jurors’ rights and responsibility to exercise jury nullification.

Join The Atlas Society CEO Jennifer Grossman for a very special 112th episode of The Atlas Society Asks with New York Times Bestselling Author Jack Carr. Listen as they discuss what inspired Jack Carr to write his acclaimed series "The Terminal List" and also his appreciation for Ayn Rand.

Join CEO Jennifer Grossman for the 111th episode of The Atlas Society Asks where she sits down with brightbeam CEO Chris Stewart to talk about child welfare and education. Chris Stewart is Chief Executive Officer for brightbeam, an education nonprofit focused on child justice. Stewart’s past roles include CEO for the Wayfinder Foundation, Executive Director of the African American Leadership Forum, and a publicly elected Minneapolis Board of Education member. Stewart defies neat categories—an African American libertarian school-choice activist, father of five and man of deep religious faith who takes equal aim at left-wing and right-wing initiatives to impose one-size-solutions in education.

Join CEO Jennifer Grossman on the 110th episode of The Atlas Society Asks as she talks with one of the most interesting public intellectuals making waves in today's cultural debate, James Lindsay. He first famously teamed up with Peter Boghossian and Helen Pluckrose to submit some 20 academic hoax papers, with 7 of them getting published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals. His newest book "Race Marxism" explores the origins of Critical Race Theory as a reinvention of Marxism focusing on race instead of class.

From the beginning of the pandemic, Ian Miller has been an independent voice, questioning the efficacy not just of lockdowns and mask mandates, but also the efficacy of masks themselves. In his new book, Unmasked: The Global Failure of Covid Mask Mandates he shares his findings, many of which are regularly discussed in his Unmasked Substack column

Join our founder Dr. David Kelley and Marsha Familaro Enright on the 108th episode of The Atlas Society Asks where they will discuss Marsha's history with Ayn Rand and Objectivism. Don't miss it as they also discuss Montessori education and Marsha's new educational initiative Reliance College.

Join CEO Jennifer Grossman and Professor Rachel Ferguson on the 107th episode of The Atlas Society Asks where they'll discuss Ferguson's co-authored book "Black Liberation Through the Marketplace: Hope, Heartbreak, and the Promise of America" which applies a classical liberal lens to how both the violation of property rights and failed paternalism have contributed to deep injustices against Black Americans, while also celebrating Black entrepreneurs who’ve overcome tremendous obstacles to create flourishing businesses and communities.

Join CEO Jennifer Grossman and award-winning financial journalist Spencer Jakab for the 106th episode of The Atlas Society Asks as they discuss his book "The Revolution that wasn't: GameStop, Reddit, and the Fleecing of Small Investors" which explains the riveting story behind the January 2021 GameStop/Meme stock event that rocked some of the biggest, richest players in the investment world.

Join Senior Scholar Dr. Stephen Hicks and our Senior Fellow Robert Tracinski for the 105th episode of The Atlas Society Asks as they discuss current events in how we should understand art and the process of creation along with an Objectivist perspective on the recent Buffalo shooter and his manifesto.

Join CEO Jennifer Grossman and philosopher and business professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University Jason Brennan on the 104th episode of The Altas Society Asks. Listen as they discuss philosophy, economics, the problem with third parties in America and Why it's OK to Want to Be Rich.

Join our CEO Jennifer Grossman as she speaks with Transsexual activist Buck Angel on the 103rd episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Transgender activism is a matter of hot debate—from whether biological males should be allowed to compete in women’s sports and housed in women’s prisons to Governor DeSantis’ Parental Rights in Education bill banning teaching gender identity to young schoolchildren. That's why we've invited Buck Angel to give his nuanced perspective on the issue and to provide a more balanced discussion on the topic. Born biologically female, Buck struggled with gender dysphoria before transitioning a transsexual man. For decades he’s worked to affirm sexual freedom but has a nuanced view of some of what he sees as the excesses of transgender activism today.

Join Senior Scholar Dr. Richard Salsman and Senior Fellow Robert Tracinski for a special webinar discussion on the recent Supreme Court opinion leak along with an Objectivist perspective on Roe v. Wade and abortion.

Join CEO Jennifer Grossman and Danish lawyer Jacob Mchangama for the 102nd episode of The Atlas Society Asks! As a human-rights advocate and social commentator, Jacob Mchangama has recently published his book "Free Speech: A History from Socrates to Social Media" where he describes how free speech appears to be in recession and calls on some of history's greatest philosophers to act as chief witnesses in the defense of free speech today.

Join CEO Jennifer Grossman and energy expert Robert Bryce for the 101st episode of The Atlas Society Asks. As a longtime skeptic of the viability of renewable energy, listen as Robert Bryce discusses his recent book and documentary, along with his analysis of factors contributing to the Texas power crisis during the 2021 winter storm.

Join The Atlas Society for a special discussion on the war between Russia and Ukraine. Listen and Dr. Richard Salsman and Robert Tracinski discuss Objectivist interpretations of America’s foreign policy and their differing opinions in a civil and open manner. Professor Salsman argues that Ukraine does not deserve U.S. help and based on America’s national self-interest it should NOT get involved in the conflict, at present. Robert Tracinski, on the other hand, advances that America should be doing more to curtail a blatantly aggressive Vladimir Putin and provide more assistance for Ukraine. Our founder, Dr. David Kelley, will moderate as the duo will present their understanding of the history that has led up to the current conflict and what foreign policy options should be pursued to bring resolution.

Join The Atlas Society Asks for our special 100th episode: Scholars Ask Scholars. Our Senior Scholar and Professor of Economics at Duke, Dr. Richard Salsman, sits down to chat with our founder, Dr. David Kelley to discuss the latter’s reflections on “Open Objectivism,” where he sees room to improve Objectivism as a “movement,” the future of The Atlas Society and more!

Listen to the 99th episode of The Atlas Society Asks where our CEO Jennifer Grossman and journalist Johan Anderberg discuss his upcoming book "The Herd" and how Sweden has ultimately fared against COVID-19 in comparison to the rest of the world.

Join Jennifer Grossman and the founder of Praxis/CEO of Crash, Isaac Morehouse, on the 98th episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Listen as the two discuss homeschooling and alternative education along with how Praxis is working to provide young people the skills needed to get careers without having to go to college.

Join our CEO, Jennifer Grossman, and Professor Dorian Abbot on the 97th episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Listen as two discuss his experience of being canceled for expressing views at odds within "woke" academia, the status of open inquiry on campus, and his work to dismantle "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion."

Join our CEO, Jennifer Grossman, and the founder of the XPRIZE Foundation, Peter Diamandis, on the 96th episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Listen as they explore the power of a positive mindset, the future of exponential technologies, and why "Atlas Shrugged" became Diamandis' "bible" in his entrepreneurial journey.

Join The Atlas Society's CEO Jennifer Grossman, for a conversation with the president of Color Us United, Kenny Xu on combating identity politics and race-conscious admissions in colleges like Harvard, which discriminates against high-achieving kids. As the president of Color Us United, Xu works to counter government, corporate, and media claims that America is a racially divided and hateful country.

Join The Atlas Society Senior Scholar Dr. Stephen Hicks and Senior Fellow Robert Tracinski with host and Student Programs Manager Abbie Berringer for an Objectivist perspective on the war between Russia and Ukraine on the 94th episode of The Atlas Society Asks.

Join The Atlas Society's CEO, Jennifer Grossman, for a conversation with the co-founder of the Reason Foundation, Robert "Bob" Poole. Listen as the two discuss Biden’s infrastructure plan, innovations in transportation, the future of privatization, and of course their shared love of Ayn Rand -- and Robert Heinlein. All this and more on the 93rd episode of The Atlas Society Asks.

The Atlas Society Current Events Panel: Join The Atlas Society Founder, Dr. David Kelley, and Senior Scholar, Dr. Richard Salsman, with host Abbie Berringer to discuss the Canadian Trucker protests and the threat of war between Russia and Ukraine. All this on the 92nd episode of The Atlas Society Asks.

Join The Atlas Society's CEO, Jennifer Grossman, for a conversation with journalist and senior editor for Reason Magazine Robby Soave, on the 91st episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Listen as they discuss Soave's books "Tech Panic: Why We Shouldn’t Fear Facebook and the Future" and "Panic Attack: Young Radicals in the Age of Trump." With the debate around whether the government should "smash" big tech platforms with regulations and anti-trust busts, listen as these two discuss why ultimately the government should just leave tech platforms alone.

Join The Atlas Society's CEO, Jennifer Grossman, for a conversation with author, essayist, and journalist Ashley Rindsberg on the 90th episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Listen as they discuss his book "The Gray Lady Winked," which presents historical examples of how the New York Times radically altered people's perception of history through the use of misreporting facts.

Join The Atlas Society's CEO, Jennifer Grossman, for a conversation with Replit CEO Amjad Masad on the 89th episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Listen as the two discuss Amjad's early fascination for computers while living in Jordan and about his recently viral Twitter thread crediting his success to ten things about the American entrepreneurial experience, as covered by Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal.

The Atlas Society Current Events Panel: Join The Atlas Society's Senior Scholars, Dr. Stephen Hicks and Dr. Richard Salsman with host Abbie Berringer to discuss a recent New York Times free speech survey on College Campuses, the over 7% inflation of the US dollar, and the first-ever pig-to-man heart transplant. All of this and more on the 88th episode of The Atlas Society Asks.

Join the Atlas Society's CEO, Jennifer Grossman, for a special discussion with Dr. Naomi Wolf on the 87th episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Listen as the two discuss the current authoritarian lockdown and vaccine passport measures taking place in America and across the globe, along with a personal look at Dr. Wolf's history in the feminism movement and her new mission with the Dailyclout to keep elected officials accountable.

Are you confused by the current preoccupation with gender identity? With the proliferation of "preferred pronouns," the cancel culture fury directed at figures as prominent as JK Rowling, the male athletes winning honors in female sports? Then listen to the 86th episode of The Atlas Society Asks, where our CEO, Jennifer Grossman, is joined by Kara Dansky for a conversation to help us navigate the changing ideological landscape of sex, gender, and identity.

Join The Atlas Society CEO Jennifer Grossman as she talks with the co-founder of U.S. Term Limits, Howie Rich, about the case, efforts, and support for limiting the congressional terms of politicians on the local, state, and federal levels. Listen as they also discuss Howie Rich's longtime activism in the liberty movement and how Atlas Shrugged started him on this path. All this and more on the 85th Episode of the Atlas Society Asks

Join The Atlas Society CEO Jennifer Grossman as she talks to former 9th Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski on the 84th episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Listen as the two discuss Kozinski's childhood in Communist Romania, introduction to Ayn Rand, and the government-forced lockdown and vaccine mandates in America.

The Atlas Society Current Events Panel: Join The Atlas Society Founder David Kelley and Economist Richard Salsman as they discuss new movements to defund leftist practices in universities, and also talk about criminal law and lawlessness surrounding the Rittenhouse and Arbury trials on the 83rd Episode of The Atlas Society Asks.

The Atlas Society CEO Jennifer Grossman talks to former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince about his book "Civilian Warriors: The Inside Story of Blackwater and the Unsung Heroes of the War on Terror" to learn the true history of Blackwater and the exasperating and tragic story of "men taking bullets to protect the men who take all the credit." Listen to this wide-ranging interview as Prince discusses the history of private military contractors, including their role in America’s War for Independence, the inability of bloated defense bureaucracies in nimbly addressing evolving security threats, what went wrong in Afghanistan (both with the withdrawal and the failed exercise in nation-building). All this and more on the 82nd episode of The Atlas Society Asks.

The Atlas Society CEO Jennifer Grossman interviews returning guest Jeffrey Tucker to discuss how the world has fared against COVID-19 in the 20+ months since their previous interview. Listen as they discuss the mission of The Brownstone Institute, the importance of freedom of speech and scientific inquiry (especially during times of political suppression), and the authoritarian practices that governments worldwide continue to uphold in the name of "safety" and "health." All this and more in the 81st episode of The Atlas Society Asks.

The Atlas Society CEO Jennifer Grossman interviews Georgian Libertarian politician Zurab Japaridze about the country's history under Soviet rule and the steps it has taken afterward to become more economically free in the 80th episode of The Atlas Society Asks. Zurab Japaridze is a current Georgian Parliament member and the leader of the Libertarian party Girchi - More Freedom. Along with being a Lecturer of Economics at the University of Georgia, Japaridze has been a longtime advocate for free markets and the protection of individual liberties, notably standing against the Georgian mandatory military service law.

Join Senior Scholar Dr. Stephen Hicks and Senior Fellow Robert Tracinski for a discussion on the surprising - but encouraging - Virginia election results, CRT and whether Immanuel Kant was the original "woke" philosopher. All this and more on the 79th episode of The Atlas Society Asks.

Alan Dershowitz is a well-known American defense attorney, author, and commentator who has spent most of his career dedicated to the defense of civil liberties, in particular those regarding freedom of speech. Mr. Dershowitz has published over 1000 articles in journals, newspapers, and magazines, also authoring over 40 books, including The Case for Liberalism in an Age of Extremism: or, Why I left the Left But Can’t Join the Right, Cancel Culture: The Latest Attack on Free Speech and Due Process, and his latest book The Case Against the New Censorship: Protecting Free Speech from Big Tech, Progressives, and Universities.

Dr. Gad Saad is a Lebanese-Canadian Professor of Marketing at Concordia University and an evolutionary behavioral scientist who applies biology towards understanding consumer behavior. He is also a social commentator and the author of The Evolutionary Bases of Consumption, The Consuming Instinct, and his latest book The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense, which examines how certain destructive ideas have managed to take hold in places like academia and popular culture.

Join Senior Scholar Richard Salsman and special guest Steve Hanke as these two economists discuss monetary policy from an Objectivist perspective. Steve Hanke is the founder of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at John Hopkins University, and director of the Troubled Currencies Project at the Cato Institute.

Join The Atlas Society for our monthly webinar series - Current Events with Kelley and Salsman. The Atlas Society founder Dr. David Kelley, and Senior Scholar, Dr. Richard Salsman join host Jennifer Grossman to discuss the Biden Administration's "Human" Infrastructure Bill, The Constitution of Knowledge by Jonathan Rauch, and AG Merrick Garland's "terrorism investigation" into parents "interfering" with school boards.

Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus, is speaking at The Atlas Society Gala -- just THREE weeks away! In anticipation, we’re reading The History of the Future: Oculus, Facebook, and the Revolution That Swept Virtual Reality -- the dramatic, larger-than-life true story of Palmer Luckey’s founding of Oculus, and his contentious battle for political freedom against Facebook. In this special webinar, we’ll talk to author Blake J. Harris, also author of Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation -- about Palmer Luckey’s entrepreneurial journey, and quest for virtual reality. Register HERE.

Dr. Carrie-Ann Biondi was a professor of philosophy for over 25 years, most recently at Marymount Manhattan College. She is the Book Review Editor for the journal Reason Papers and an advisor to The Great Connections.

Dr. Wilfred Reilly is a political science professor at Kentucky State University -- a top-30 historically black college. He's the author of several books including The $50,000,000 Question, a book dealing with how people value identity. In 2019 he published Hate Crime Hoax: How the Left is Selling a Fake Race War and just last year published Taboo: 10 Facts You Can’t Talk About.

Dr. Scott Atlas, a radiologist and political commentator, served as an advisor on the Trump White House Coronavirus Task Force. He is the author of the upcoming book, A Plague Upon Our House: My Fight at the Trump White House to Stop COVID from Destroying America, which comes out in November, as well as the 2020 book Restoring Quality Health Care: A Six-Point Plan for Comprehensive Reform at Lower Cost. He is also the Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in health care policy at Stanford University’s Hoover Institute.

The Atlas Society Senior Scholars Stephen Hicks and Richard Salsman join host Jennifer Grossman for an Objectivist perspective on a recent Media Bias study, President Biden's Vaccine Mandate, and a rise of secularism in Harvard chaplains. Be sure to tune in for what will prove to be a thought-provoking discussion!

One of our nation’s top constitutional lawyers, Jonathan Emord is the author of The Authoritarians: Their Assault on Individual Liberty, the Constitution, and Free Enterprise from the 19th Century to the Present, which traces the historical roots of America’s accelerating race towards authoritarianism. Throughout his career, he has been committed to achieving full First Amendment protection for speech and for the press, and he has defeated the FDA eight times in federal court, more times than any other attorney in America.