GALT’S GULCH SUMMIT

Background: Building on our long history of hosting summer conferences, The Atlas Society hosted our first conference specifically geared towards students in Nashville, Tennessee July 27 – 29th. We designed Galt’s Gulch Summit to leverage the skill set of our all-star faculty in order to deepen young people’s understanding of Ayn Rand’s ideas and equip them with the philosophical tools necessary to think critically, act independently, set meaningful personal goals, and defend their rational selfinterest.

We kicked off this inaugural event with a modest budget and limited attendance to approximately 50 students, and 50 donors. The conference included a variety of content curated by our scholars including mock debates on college campus controversies, lectures on the morality of capitalism, and interactive seminars incorporating Ayn Rand’s literature and ideas.

Galt’s Gulch Summit Schedule

Who Needs Philosophy? – Stephen Hicks, Ph.D. The meaning, influence, and importance of philosophy for one’s life and the life of a nation.

The Nobility of Business: Purpose & Principles – James Lapeyre: Exploring the pivotal role of business in advancing human progress & examining how Objectivist principles help foster business growth and cultivate mutually beneficial relationships.

Israel: How Ayn Rand Can Clarify & Help – Michael Kauffman: A Practical review of the situation in Israel with Randian applications.

Campus Controversies: Mock Debates – Scholar Panel. Interactive sessions with scholars & students focused on common arguments students face on a daily basis such as: “real socialism hasn’t been tried yet,” “capitalism is exploitative,” and “America was built on slavery and remains systematically racist.”

Art: Model & Fuel For Life – Rob Tracinski: Ayn Rand’s view of the meaning and necessity of art.

Special Remarks – James O’Keefe, Keynote Speaker

Get Real: Objectivity & Objectivism – David Kelley, Ph.D. & Stephen Hicks, Ph.D.: The necessity of objectivity in thinking and valuing and why it’s the essence of Rand’s Objectivism.

The Virtue of Selfishness and the Selfishness of Virtue – Rob Tracinski: Ayn Rand’s case for a morality of rational self-interest.

Special performance: Patrick Reasonover & Rob Tracinski: “Objectivism in 3 Country & Western Songs” A fun look at Objectivist philosophy as exemplified through the art of country music greats.

Capitalism: The Premier Habitat For Humanity – Richard Salsman, Ph.D.: Discussing why capitalism is the only social system fit for the flourishing of rational human beings.

Objectivism Abroad panel – Director of Sociedad Atlas, Antonella Marty; Isidora Kolar, CEO of Ayn Rand Center Europe; Martin Hooss, Educational Content Creator at SFL; and Irakli Iagorashvili, CEO Ayn Rand Center Georgia: Discuss how Objectivism is perceived abroad and best practices in engaging new audiences with Rand’s literature and philosophy.