*
* COS is not an official non-profit so your donations are not tax exempt.

Session Eighteen

These discussion questions and podcast were prepared by Diana Hsieh for ExploreAtlasShrugged.com for people interested in creating their own Atlas Shrugged Reading Groups, as well as for anyone wishing to study the novel in more depth. They may be freely used for the study and discussion of Atlas Shrugged, provided that this paragraph remains intact in any reproduction.

Readings

Atlas Shrugged, Part 3, Chapter 7

  • Part 3, Chapter 7: This Is John Galt Speaking

Or:

Learn More

Discussion Questions

(Note: The listed page numbers are for the larger edition, softcover or hardback.)

Part 3: Chapter 7: This Is John Galt Speaking

Speech: The Teachers of the Morality of Death (1034-1047)

  • How have the mystics of muscle and mystics of spirit convinced people to adopt the morality of sacrifice? What is their "single holy absolute"? How does that violate the axioms? (1034-7)
  • What is causality?  How is it related to the axiom of identity?  How do the mystics of muscle and spirit attempt to deny it?  How do they attempt to reverse cause and effects?  How is that illustrated in the events of the novel?  (1037-8)
  • How is the mystic like a savage, yet worse? What is the essence of savagery, according to Galt? (1038-45)
  • What is the relationship between the dictator and the mystic?  What does each aim for? Who is their mutual enemy -- and why?  How has that been illustrated in the novel? (1044-7)
  • What is the conspiracy of the mystics? What is their ultimate goal? Why is no compromise with them possible? (1046-7)
  • Why does John Galt speak at such length about these teachers of the morality of death? Why do Dagny and Galt's other listeners need to know so much about them? (1034-1047)

Speech: Choose the Morality of Life (1047-1069)

  • Why does John Galt explain his own choice to go on strike? (1047-8)
  • Why does Galt directly address the looters? What does he say, and why? What will be their fate? Is that fair? (1048-52)
  • What is Galt's basic purpose in speaking directly to the people who retain some shred of love for their lives? What is his overall message? What are the major points he covers -- and why? (1052-69)
  • What is wrong with the view that the moral is opposed to the practical? What are its effects on a person?  How has that been illustrated in the novel? Why must people reject it? (1052-4)
  • What are the other wrong views that people must reject? Why must they reject them to reject the morality of sacrifice? (1054-8)
  • What advice does Galt offer to people seeking to live by the morality of life? What must they do, in concrete terms? How have those principles been illustrated by the events in the novel? (1058-60)
  • When the strikers return to the world, what principles will govern their society and government? What is the basis of those principles? What kind of society will they produce? (1060-5)
  • In a free society, how and why do the more capable people benefit the less capable more than vice versa? How is that illustrated in the novel?  What is the common opposing view?  (1063-5)
  • What concrete steps does Galt recommend to his life-loving listeners? How will that benefit the strike? When will the strike end? (1066-8)

Whole Chapter

  • What is the significance of the title of this chapter?