Leonard Peikoff discusses the virtue of independence. What is Rand’s account of independence? How is it grounded in the fundamental principles of Objectivism? In today’s world, can anyone really be independent? Peikoff includes a fascinating discussion of his earlier, mistaken account of this Objectivist virtue, drawing an important methodological lesson for understanding philosophical principles.

The lesson consists of a recorded lecture that Peikoff gave in 1989, based on thinking he did for his book Objectivism: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand, published in 1991.