Why has Ayn Rand become so inconsequential to modern philosophy?
The point is underscored by the lack of any references to Rand on your site, save one instance where someone asked if there were any refutations of Rand's Objectivism available – to which a link was dutifully supplied. The point is further underscored by some questions in regards to women in philosophy (or the lack thereof) which, to my amazement, Rand was not referred to (even begrudgingly) as a positive example. My pet theories about this situation have something to do with her aligning herself strongly with Capitalism, while philosophers historically have been left leaners or overtly aristocratic (of sorts) but never very money orientated, which is probably seen as a very Earthly consideration to dwell on. Some say that Rands format of conveying philosophical ideas in the form of novels has not helped her cause much. If this consideration is to be given weight then why should Socratic dialog, for example, be so revered? The methodology of presenting a dissenting opinion in Plato's Republic is rendered null when that very opinion is not only authored by the same person as the opposing view, but can only be interpreted as being rather strawmanish anyway. I'm not trying to diminish Plato's works – they are brilliant, I'm criticizing the assumptions that may have effected Rand's popularity unfairly.
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