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2004 Summer Seminar >
Objectivism in Theory and Practice
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"It was more than I could have imagined, it was Galt's Gulch."
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The Summer Seminar is a place where you can take courses from top objectivist scholars (just look at the program!)…drink in provocative lectures on political, ethical, and cultural topics…attend practical workshops in self-awareness, nutrition, acting, even physical fitness…and enjoy enriching lectures on the arts, all in a program rich in Objectivist perspectives and based in Objectivism and its core values of reason, individualism, achievement, and freedom.
The Summer Seminar is a week of fellowship, families, and friends…where you'll live in a close community of happy, accomplished people, eager to share your ideas and values, and forge relationships that can last a lifetime.
And the Summer Seminar is the springboard for a fantastic summer holiday excursion. You can rock climb, hang-glide off a mountaintop, or dare white-water rivers on a raft…surf, sail, or scuba-dive in the Pacific... attend world-class concerts, plays, museums, or galleries…enjoy four-star restaurants, quaint coffeehouses, pubs, or comedy clubs.
It comes together in a deeply enriching week of growth, discovery, and enjoyment.
Last year the seminar drew people from 33 American states and 7 foreign countries; the participants ranged in age from high-school students to retirees and represented virtually every profession.
“The seminar is a unique combination of lectures, art, intellectual exploration, friendship and just hanging-out which I look forward to each year. It’s a life-enhancing event!” —Don Parrish
University students will find the week a special treat because the Summer Seminar features top-notch teachers sympathetic to the Objectivist outlook. The seminar is the pre-eminent site for students at all levels to learn about Objectivism-and a spiritual home where students can experience, if just for a week, the sense of what an intellectual community could and should be. There will be special sessions for students, including a seminar-in-the-seminar. To make it possible for as many students as possible to attend the seminar, TOC offers a variety of discounts, scholarships, and conference-assistant positions to reduce or defray tuition and room and board costs.
Where is the Summer Seminar?
This year the Summer Seminar returns to the beautiful campus of the University of British Columbia. Sited on a forested peninsula surrounded by ocean beaches, scenic parks, and a golf course, UBC boasts state-of-the-art accommodations and facilities, plus outstanding educational, cultural, and recreational resources.
The campus overlooks Vancouver, B.C., a modern, cosmopolitan city nestled between the ocean and the majestic mountains. From its bustling Chinatown to its charming "antiques row," from its splendid parks to its magnificent harbor, Vancouver has become one of the hottest film locations for the movie and TV industry-and one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the world.
“Superbly planned and carried out for the maximum comfort, convenience, and intellectual stimulation of attendees, in a setting of great beauty.” —Kate Jones
The Summer Seminar Experience
If you've been to a past Summer Seminar, you already know what kind of experience awaits you. If you've never attended before, let some of our past attendees tell you what they found there.
"The classes were phenomenal and the faculty superb! The social aspect became a magnificent part of the whole experience. I have never been in such an engaging and lively group," said Christine Falbe, a student from the University of New Hampshire and a first time Summer Seminar participant.
"Take a very good year of your life and condense it into one week," said participant Joe Duarte, a software quality consultant from Phoenix, AZ.
"That is what the seminar was like for me. The week overflows with intellectual stimulation and social discoveries."
For Molly Hays, a long time summer seminar participant and a new faculty member this year, "Part of that heightened sense of spirituality that I experienced 30 years ago when reading Atlas Shrugged is re-lived each year when I attend the TOC Summer Seminar."From the opening picnic to the closing banquet and dance, the Center staff has done everything possible to make this event an experience you'll always treasure.
Conference Life
It's almost impossible to convey the overall experience of the Summer Seminar to anyone who hasn't attended. "Seminar" suggests days filled with classroom lectures—and certainly the Summer Seminar offers challenging and inspiring presentations from some of the finest speakers you'll find anywhere.
In addition, over the years, the Summer Seminar has evolved into more than an educational opportunity: it's become an intense experience of what it means to be an Objectivist-and of what it means to live in a thriving Objectivist community. There's plenty of time for socializing, and abundant opportunities for recreation and entertainment, both on campus and in the Vancouver area.
In founding The Objectivist Center, David Kelley envisioned an open, tolerant, and vibrant Objectivist movement. That vision lies at the heart of the intellectual and social atmosphere at the seminar. It's relaxed, benevolent social atmosphere has allowed friendships, business partnerships, even romances and marriages to blossom. David Morin, a first time attendee from Farmington, New Mexico, had this to say about the seminar, "As a whole, it blew me away. Never before have I ever felt such a strong sense of belonging. The people were awesome and the lectures opened my eyes and increased my confidence in calling myself an Objectivist. It was like being on intellectual steroids."
This unique social experience begins on the first afternoon you arrive, with special welcoming receptions for students and newcomers. You'll meet and chat with seminar faculty and the Center's staff, and learn what the week has in store for you. Immediately afterwards, you'll join hundreds of attendees from all over the world at our opening day picnic, held outdoors on the beautiful grounds of the campus. It's a wonderful opportunity to mingle, meet people, and-if you're a veteran of past conferences-to greet old friends over a hearty meal of traditional picnic fare.
That evening-and each night of the week-you can drop into the Common Room, the informal center of conference social life. Over refreshments, you'll get to know your fellow participants, question staff members and faculty, and debate issues raised in the day's presentations. Or in a nearby spot you can enjoy a spontaneous round of singing, or stroll outside under the stars with new friends.
While most days are filled with formal lectures, there are also several hands-on workshops where you can learn new insights and practical skills. Or maybe you have a special skill-or an insight or talent that you'd like to share? An original theory? A challenging argument? A unique performance? Each day, we set aside time and space for Participant-Sponsored Sessions, allowing you a free and open platform for your own presentation.
"[The Participant Sponsored Sessions are] a fabulous idea and seem to be of increasing interest and quality." -Kate McHugh
Families get special attention this year, including optional accommodations in spacious private suites that offer kitchenettes, private baths, and cable TV. With a large menu of social and recreational options, families should find many things to engage their interests. And if child-care is a concern, please contact the Center, as we are compiling information that should prove helpful.
There's also plenty of free time for you to use the campus athletic and recreational facilities—and we leave Wednesday open for you to explore the boundless offerings in the Vancouver area. You can explore the campus's lovely botanical gardens and its outstanding museum of anthropology. You can climb a mountain—or dare to walk across the popular Capilano suspension bridge, which sways hundreds of feet above a granite-walled canyon. You can ride a helicopter over Vancouver...browse downtown shops, museums, and art galleries…take in a symphony, musical, or play…go dining and dancing, golfing, or windsurfing…attend a horse race, a lacrosse match, or even a minor league baseball game.
On Thursday evening, the Center's top contributors gather for an elegant Sponsors Dinner—our annual celebration of the Center's achievements and impact. And the week comes to a rousing finish on Friday night at our gala Closing Banquet and Dance. It's a time to unwind, dress up, feast on great food, and dance the night away.
And if you extend your stay before or after the conference, your sight-seeing can take you farther- perhaps to the famous village of Whistler, a year-round mountain playground for outdoor enthusiasts. In fact, for many participants and their families the Summer Seminar will be just the first week of an unforgettable summer vacation in a spectacular setting.
For virtually all who attend, the Summer Seminar experience is an emotional tonic, a high point in their year.
"If I had the offer of [an] all expense paid trip to the Caribbean or a trip to the Summer Seminar, I'd choose the seminar in a second!"
—Patricia Santos
"Another incredible week! I love the tradition this has become in my life, of getting together with such a high-powered, fun group of friends each year at this time."
—Greg Perkins
"The opportunity to see so many intelligent, happy, thoughtful young people from all over the globe, gives me hope for the future of mankind. It is now part of my life plan to look forward to each year's gathering wherever it may be."
—Elaine Ring
Discover for yourself what has made The Objectivist Center's annual Summer Seminar a "must" for hundreds of admirers of Ayn Rand and her provocative ideas. Give yourself a summer vacation unlike any you have ever known. Join us on July 3rd in Vancouver-the "Atlantis" of the Pacific-for a thrilling week of ideas and inspiration, fun and fellowship.
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