My reviews generally focus on novels and non-fiction works dealing with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, genetics and the like rather than sixty year old novels, but Rand’s ideas will become even more important – and controversial -- in the coming decades. Although she has pushed objectivism to an untenable extreme, she is still the most relevant and important philosopher of our time and will remain so through the first half of this century. Why? Because scientists will incorporate her ideas into the new minds, both human and artificial, made possible by these rapidly evolving technologies.

Ayn Rand is a great but flawed philosopher. Her Howard Roark is one the most admirable and terrifying characters to appear in any novel: a man of rigid, absolute principles; of talent and determination; and of intellect and emotion. Also a man who will stop at nothing, even violence, to gain his objectives; who cares not a whit about the needs of others, even his paying clients; who regards virtually all of humanity as parasites, living off the abilities of men such as himself. Roark could be a great man; he could also be a monster.  These strengths will be attractive to many, leading science to develop methods to enhance our machines and our genes.  The latter will be particularly attractive: who wouldn’t want these characteristics for your child? The genetic inheritance of Howard Roark will be engineered into our genes, but which ones? And where would such men take us?

The Fountainhead is a great read as fiction, and Rand challenges us with her ideas.  Rather than fading into the background, such powerful ideas become more important as time moves on.