WHO IS LEONARD PEIKOFF?

by John Little

Leonard Peikoff has earned a position enjoyed by few men in history. He has not only made large-scale contributions to the philosophy of history, but also is the sole transmission line of a great system of thought, perhaps the greatest system of thought of all time. As Plato was to Socrates, as Mencius was to Confucius, as Chuang-tzu was to Lao-tzu, as Lucretius was to Epicurus, and as Aquinas was to Aristotle, Leonard Peikoff is to Ayn Rand.

Unlike the individuals listed, however, Peikoff has done something far nobler; he has endeavored and succeeded in keeping the integrity of his mentor’s teachings pure and unadulterated from external influences such as social climate, popular opinion, and/or the desire for academic sanction. Perhaps even more difficult, in certain respects, he has had to keep his own thumbprint off of the teachings that he has been entrusted to preserve and perpetuate – which is exceedingly difficult for a naturally creative mind to do. Aristotle, for example, spent 20 years studying with Plato at the latter’s Academy in Athens, and even wrote Platonic Dialogues while studying there. However, he later broke (to a large measure) away from the Platonic teachings and formulated his own school of (and approach to) philosophy. Part of the reason that Dr. Peikoff has not been so inclined is that, unlike Aristotle, he detected no irrational elements in his mentor’s philosophy that required amendment; the other part of the reason, at least to this independent observer’s eyes, is that he understood by his own judgment the validity and profound importance of the philosophy that he had been entrusted with safeguarding. His responsibility is huge and he has risen to the challenge superlatively.

This is not to suggest that he has not made pioneering contributions to the spread of the philosophy of Ayn Rand; indeed, he most certainly has – contributions that have resulted in the philosophy gaining ascendancy and, in many respects, Dr. Peikoff’s efforts have resulted in doors opening to philosophy where there were no doors before. When Ayn Rand passed away in 1982, with it passed one of the most impassioned champions of reason the world had ever seen. The loss of such a presence might have resulted in a philosophical void, with the result that the scope of her legacy might well have slowly diminished until she was remembered solely as an author of compelling fiction from a by-gone era, her star diminishing over the course of time as new authors came to the fore. Such a scenario is difficult (and somewhat frightening) to believe, given the profundity of her thought, and the ready accessibility of her ideas in this day and age. However, the scenario is real; at the time of Rand’s passing, only eleven of her books (four novels, one play and six works of non-fiction) were on the shelves. As fiction typically has a longer shelf-life than non-fiction, it is conceivable that had Dr. Peikoff simply ignored his responsibility and chosen to do something else with his life, the pure philosophy titles would have steadily declined in sales and popularity and many of those titles might now be out of print and unavailable. Dr. Peikoff, however, had a vision and a plan for perpetuating Ayn Rand’s teachings and legacy, and now, over twenty-three years later, the shelves of most bookstores can boast of over twenty-seven titles (four novels, one play, one anthology of her early literature, and 21 works of non-fiction), which eloquently present her thoughts on life, art and philosophy. In addition, a postage stamp has been issued bearing her name and likeness, interviews she conducted throughout her career are now available for viewing on home video; audio recordings of her lectures are available to listen to in the privacy of one’s own home; an on-line institute offers the world the glory of her thought and her example; high school essay contests encourage students to explore her ideas further, while on-going lectures, press releases and new applications of her philosophy of Objectivism to areas such as education, history and current events have insured her presence and influence will be on-going. All of this has happened post 1982, and all of this is a result of the Herculean efforts and dedication of her greatest student, Leonard Peikoff.

Even before Ayn Rand’s passing, Dr. Peikoff had begun to break new ground in the philosophy of history; writing and lecturing on the history of Western Philosophy and where Objectivism rightly fit in and responded to the various issues in the great evolution of human sentience. His work, The Omnious Parallels, is a masterful presentation of the philosophy of history; outlining clearly and unambiguously the lessons of history on the subject of altruism and collectivism as against rational self-interest and individual rights. Similarly, his presentations of Objectivism through his lectures, audio courses and book (Objectivism: The Philosophy Of Ayn Rand) has resulted in tens of thousands of individuals coming to see philosophy (and Ayn Rand’s philosophy in particular) not as the domain of cloistered academics, but as a viable discipline that holds not only relevance to modern life, but is its very lifeblood.

It took a man who knew philosophy thoroughly – it’s leading schools, its history, its most illustrious advocates, and an understanding of its deeper meaning – to restore philosophy to her ancient scope and power (when she was, indeed, the “Queen of the Sciences”). And it took something more; it took a mind that could understand philosophy more deeply than any of the discipline’s prior chroniclers or advocates, a mind that not only recognized but thoroughly understood (which is very labor intensive and the tallest intellectual challenge possible) all of the various philosophical viewpoints, systems and philosophers (in order to present them accurately), and a mind extraordinarily vital to then logically extrapolate the practical consequences of such viewpoints if followed or embraced by an individual, a group, a state, a nation, a species – illuminating both the benefits and the pitfalls. While Napoleon once said, “May my son study history, for it is the only real philosophy and the only true psychology,” Peikoff used history to answer Napoleon, pointing out the fact that it was “philosophy” that is the driving force that shapes human history and human destiny; and that the ideas that a culture or epoch embraces are what determines both its glories (as in ancient Greece and the Enlightenment) and its catastrophes (Nazi Germany, the Dark Ages).

Objectivism, like other philosophies throughout history, is a boat that has been battered by its share of various forces (both from without and from within) and that easily could have been capsized and lost on the seas of time. Christianity, for example, is a system of thought that might well have perished had it not been for the political sanction offered it by the emperor Constantine. It is a very difficult undertaking to have a system of thought perpetuated solely by its own merits – without appealing to outside powers to advance it (which some are willing to do – for a price, which usually forfeits the integrity of the system). Dr. Peikoff has advanced Objectivism solely on his own, without sanction or support from any government, religion, or corporation. For any such system of thought to survive and flourish, both competent and intelligent stewardship is required. Ayn Rand recognized this perfect blend of both in Leonard Peikoff. Since 1982 Objectivism has grown exponentially; it is now even taught in Colleges and discussed seriously in University campus clubs; PhDs have begun to embrace the validity of its principles, along with men and women of action – CEOs of huge corporations, along with those who serve to reflect and shape modern culture – the artists, writers, musicians, and filmmakers. And while the formation of the philosophy’s fundamental principles is solely the achievement of Ayn Rand, the presentation of these principles and their contribution to the history (present and future) of human existence, along with their application to the five major branches of philosophy, is the achievement of the actions and insights of one man – Leonard Peikoff.

Moreover, Peikoff has laboriously panned the waters of history to reveal the actual founding principles of America – which had almost been lost in the flotsam of time. Many rival organizations promoting their own agendas (from what had been called the “New Left” to the more modern reaction of the “New Right”), have sought to obscure the reality of the views and principles that led to the creation of America – Peikoff has almost single-handedly challenged these powers and revealed the truth to a contemporary audience. And if America is to survive as America, it will be due in no small part to Peikoff’s illumination and restoration of the principles that were her alma matter in a very real (i.e., “nourishing mother”) sense of the term.

Peikoff has broken new ground (or perhaps reclaimed old ground) for philosophy; making forays into the realms of science, education, business, politics, religion, grammar, history, just war theory and art (including literature), bringing the teachings of Ayn Rand to bear on issues that, heretofore, had not welcomed philosophy’s presence within their realms. Without his efforts and prescience, philosophy would have remained on the outside looking in (that is, philosophy as a deliberately volitional/conceptual process with specific causes and consequences, rather than as the random fruit born of subconscious impulse) and thousands of individuals, including those in positions to make decisions that can harm or help mankind, would never have learned of philosophy, per se, nor of Ayn Rand, nor of her teachings, nor of the significance of her thought. Moreover, Leonard Peikoff has accomplished this in a manner that is far more gracious and benevolent than other lesser men would have attempted – had they the intellectual foresight and wherewithal to begin with. He has been attacked by those who did not understand him or the legacy and teachings he was entrusted to preserve and perpetuate, but he has shown great fortitude and grace under intense fire, replying to his critics with far more tact and civility than their attacks have warranted.

Dr. Peikoff is that rarest of men who so seldom populate the world of the intellect; a throwback to the ancient Greek ideal of the kalokagathos, i.e., one who is unabashedly pro-man, and who extols a gracious art of living that frankly values reason, ability, purpose, self-esteem, wealth, and friends as well as virtue and humanity; one who feels that the best life the fullest one; rich in health, strength, beauty, passion, means, adventure, achievement and thought.

Mike Mentzer once told me that a conformist declares, “I believe it because others believe it;” a non-conformist, just as irrational, declares, “I don’t believe it because others do;” but that rare, third person, the individualist, declares, “I believe it because I can see the reasons that it’s true.” Leonard Peikoff falls clearly into this third category.

Peikoff recognized the significance of Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead and detected within its pages a philosophical message of profound importance. Had he been like millions of others, he might simply have left it at that. Instead, he took it upon himself to contact the author and travel at his own expense to learn first hand at the university of the “self-made soul” that was Ayn Rand. Rand provided an environment wherein an individual could freely question, and think, and question again – and finally understand – the value of ideas. Peikoff attended this “university” for no less than 30 years, and did not “graduate” until he understood with every synapse of his brain why her ideas were true. The “diploma” he received for his labors was a liberated intellect. Concomitant with his mastering of Objectivism he ventured into the dragon’s lair of conventional academia in order to learn all that he could about the history of philosophy, and the ideas of mankind’s greatest thinkers, eventually earning his Ph.D. His liberated mind taught him to question what many of his professors, no doubt, took to be unimpeachable authorities, and, in so doing, he learned of philosophy’s defects and strengths, and why and how Ayn Rand’s philosophy surpassed them all. He then created a syllabus, teaching Objectivism in a manner worthy of its consideration as a serious and superior system of thought. Any acceptance, however reluctantly granted, to Objectivism over the years as a legitimate philosophical system is due largely (if not solely) to the pioneering efforts of Dr. Peikoff. This was not unrecognized by Ayn Rand, who not only considered him intellectually (and solely) qualified to speak with authority on her ideas, but who encouraged him to write about his own conclusions (the result: The Ominous Parallels). As if this alone was not sufficient testimony to his philosophic significance, Rand then entrusted Peikoff with the future of her legacy and of the philosophic system she created by designating him as her legal and intellectual heir (this last title is, in many respects, of far greater and graver significance than the former).

In the decades just prior to and after her passing, Dr. Peikoff has proven himself to be not only a brilliant educator, but also a world-class thinker who has cultivated unique insights into history and man that have served to further validate the Objectivist postulates. He is Objectivism’s greatest protector, advocate and champion and he has proven himself to be an eminently worthy recipient of the trust and high moral judgment that Ayn Rand granted him. Moreover, Dr. Peikoff has demonstrated the most rare of qualities, that of being a dedicated and loyal friend; a friend to Ayn Rand, a friend to her philosophy, and a friend to all those who value reason, philosophy and man at his best.

It is one thing to have a “sense of life” or even a personal philosophy, but it is quite another to have the courage and conviction to act on it; i.e., to live it. And it is quite another thing still to possess the intellect and the ability to effectively communicate and advance such a philosophy when its creator is no longer present to offer advice and support. Leonard Peikoff has accomplished this, often doing so in the teeth of great adversity, because of his intellectual honesty and his passionate belief that the message he had been entrusted with safeguarding was vitally and historically important. The genius he has displayed is known by many today, but it is the generations not yet born that will be the greatest beneficiaries of his labors.

The following Leonard Peikoff DVDs are available from Northern River Productions: