The Objectivist Movement

The Atlas Society was founded by David Kelley as The Institute for Objectivist Studies in 1990. In his statement at the Institute's founding (since published in The Contested Legacy of Ayn Rand), David Kelley called for an open, intellectually tolerant Objectivist movement characterized by a benevolent and rational sense of life. Today, The Atlas Society stands at the heart of this branch of the movement.

Not all Objectivists and admirers of Ayn Rand have agreed with Dr. Kelley's vision, and the Objectivist movement continues to be divided against itself by intense and often personal differences and debates.

In this section of our website, we provide resources that explain the open, benevolent approach to Objectivism and provide responses to criticisms directed at our program and work.

David Kelley Reflects on Open Objectivism

In the fall of 2008, David Kelley summarized the Atlas Society's mission in “A Note to Our Members About Open Objectivism.”

From Summer Seminar 2006

At the 2006 Summer Seminar in Orange, California, several speakers gave important talks on the Objectivist movement as it has been and as it needs to be. These included:

Barbara Branden: Objectivism and Rage

Robert Bidinotto: The Anatomy of Cooperation