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“Atlas Shrugged is not a prophecy of our unavoidable destruction, but a manifesto of our power to avoid it, if we choose to change our course.”
AYN RAND
THANK YOU
CONFERENCE SPONSORS AND EXHIBITORS
AYN RAND PLATINUM PARTNER
Anonymous
Jay & Sally Lapeyre
FRANCISCO D’ANCONIA PATRON
Fred & Nancy Cline
John & Anne Lindl
John & Heather Shemilt
Arno Vigen | Jason Somer
1TEN | A Creative Agency
DAGNY TAGGART SPONSOR
Frank & Gail Brooks
Gays for Capitalism
GALT’S GULCH SPONSOR
Kenneth Bird
John Davis
MAP
SCHEDULE
All events will take place in Capitol Ballroom A-D unless otherwise specified.
THURSDAY, JUNE 5
6:00–8:00 PM Welcome Reception
Featuring Opening Remarks from Atlas Society CEO Jennifer Grossman Junior Ballroom on the first floor
FRIDAY, JUNE 6
8:00–9:00 AM Breakfast
8:55–9:00 AM Welcome & Introduction to the Scholars
9:00–9:45 AM The Global Culture Clash: Objectivist Reflections by Atlas Society Scholars
Rob Tracinski, Richard Salsman, Ph.D., Stephen Hicks, Ph.D.
This session examines the moral and philosophical foundations of today’s conflicts— and how Objectivist values offer a principled alternative to prevailing collectivist trends.
9:45–10:00 AM Break & Book Signing with the Scholars Capitol Ballroom Foyer
10:00–10:45 AM The LEGO Theory of Life: Objectivism Applied To Lifestyle, Gender, and “The Crisis of Meaning”
Rob Tracinski
Much of today’s culture war, including battles over gender and the so-called “crisis of meaning,” is based on an assumption that we are either offered a pre-built “traditional” life—or everything is subjective. Ayn Rand’s view of human nature and morality is radically different from these assumptions. Using an analogy to the plastic building-block toys, this talk explores the way in which Ayn Rand argued that “every man creates his meaning and form and goal.”
10:45–11:00 AM Break
11:00–11:30 AM Happy Birthday Freedom: Unite for Liberty & Responsibilityy
Jay Lapeyre and David Kelley, Ph.D.
Imagine a vibrant, exciting, life-affirming future where liberty and personal responsibility thrive. The Founders who scribed the Declaration of Independence exemplified unity despite their political and religious differences. Emulating their example, we at the Free Society Coalition elevate our shared humanity and ethics above differences and bridge the gap between ideas and action, and we call on liberty advocates to unite and amplify our voice for individual liberty and responsibility. Join us in creating the future!
SCHEDULE
11:45–12:30 PM Breakout Sessions
Breakout #1 Murmurations: The Art of Living an Integrated Life Economist, Bestselling Author & Composer Matt Cook, Ph.D.
What do magic, music, mathematics, and murmurations—the breathtaking flocks of starling birds that dance across the sky—have in common? Dive into the threadwork between these seemingly distant fields, uncover stunning relationships between them, and see how all knowledge is connected—and why that matters to live an integrated life.
Breakout #2 Objectivist Perspectives on The Future of AI/AGI Technologies
Engineer, Scientist, and Inventor Peter Voss and Atlas Society Founder David Kelley, Ph.D., Capitol Ballroom E
Join Peter for a compelling overview of today’s AI landscape, followed by a forward-looking look at the “Third Wave of AI”—a transformative era ushering in Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). He’ll explore how AGI fundamentally differs from current AI and how it could dramatically enhance human flourishing. The session will culminate with both scholars diving into the big philosophical questions: Could AI be conscious? Possess free will? Form goals or emotions? And what are the ethical implications?
12:30–1:45 PM Lunch
Capitol View Terrace
1:45–2:30 PM Workshops
Workshop #1 The Political Spectrum(s)
Stephen Hicks, Ph.D.
Big political labels are used and abused: “Left” and “Right,” “Liberal” and “Conservative,” “Fascist,” “Socialist,” “Tribalist,” “Statist,” and more. In this introductory discussion, Stephen Hicks will ask: What are the fundamental dimensions of political analysis, and what labels capture packages of positions along those dimensions?
Workshop #2 The Objectivist Perspective on Corporate Governance: Shareholder vs. Stakeholder Capitalism
Richard Salsman, Ph.D., Capitol Ballroom E
Capitalism entails private ownership and private control (management) of property, whereas fascism is a hybrid, with ownership merely nominal and legal (by title) and control exercised by non-shareholders (states and pressure groups). The “stakeholder” model bifurcates corporate governance and dilutes rights; it’s insidious because on a superficial level it seems that we still have a system of private property capitalism. We don’t. To preserve liberty and prosperity, we must recognize and reject this scheme.
Workshop #3 Empowering Individuals Through Grassroots Organization and Activism
Jacob Tourville of Young Americans For Liberty, Capitol Ballroom H&G
This session will explore how students and activists can collaborate to drive meaningful change on campus, in their communities, and across their states.
Workshop #4 Collaborative Session on “Man’s Rights”
Marsha Enright of Reliance College, Capitol Ballroom F
Join us for a challenging, in-depth discussion of Rand’s essay, “Man’s Rights”, facilitated by Reliance College’s Marsha Familaro Enright and colleagues. In this discussion, you’ll work with other participants to understand Rand’s argument for yourself.
Limited to 20 participants. Scan QR code for pre-reading material.
2:30–2:45 PM Break
2:45–3:30 PM Breakout Sessions
Breakout #1 Free Trade: The Unknown Ideal
Jay Lapeyre and Richard Salsman, Ph.D.
To trade freely, whether domestically or internationally, is a basic moral right recognized only by capitalism. The current craze for tariffs, quotas, and subsidies—for fighting oxymoronic “trade wars”—is immoral and detrimental to prosperity and Americanism.
Breakout #2 The Ethics of Compromise: How to Maintain Integrity
David Kelley, Ph.D., Capitol Ballroom E
Does compromise have a role to play in a principled life? If so, what principles apply to the choice of whether to compromise or not on a decision or action—in politics, business, and personal life? David Kelley will discuss those principles based on Ayn Rand’s article “The Anatomy of Compromise” (Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal).
3:30–4:30 PM Speed Networking (Optional)
Junior Ballroom on the first floor
4:30–5:30 PM Break
5:30–6:30 PM Meet & Greet Reception with Atlas Society Scholars
Junior Ballroom & Terrace on the first floor
6:30–8:30 PM Formal Dinner: Featuring Keynote Guillaume Verdon
8:30–10:00 PM Karaoke & Dessert Afterparty
SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, JUNE 7
9:00–10:00 AM Breakfast
9:30–10:00 AM Mentorship Roundtables (Optional)
We invite students and young adults to join scholars, business leaders, and innovators across multiple fields for interactive mentorship opportunities.
10:00–10:15 AM Break
10:15–11:00 AM Nobody Wants to Be the Mommy: Individualism, Gender Roles, and the Decline of Parenthood
BASEDPolitics Co-founder Hannah Cox
As birth rates plummet and traditional gender roles are challenged, the pressures placed on women to conform to societal expectations of motherhood reveal a conflict with individual rights and happiness. This talk explores how Objectivist principles of rational self-interest and personal choice can provide a path forward in rejecting collectivist demands for traditional family structures.
11:00–11:15 AM Break
11:15–12:00 PM Democracy vs. Capitalism: Guarding Against Mob Rule
Richard Salsman, Ph.D.
The American system is supposed to be a constitutionally limited, rights-respecting federal republic. A “demos” is merely “the people,” and political rule by even a majority of them, if ill-informed and envious, is morally improper to the extent it violates individual rights (including property rights).
12:00–1:15 PM Lunch & Book Signing with Scholars Capitol View Terrace and Foyer
1:15–1:30 PM Break
1:30–2:15 PM Energy, Ayn Rand and Entertaining for Liberty: A Conversation with Bud Brigham and Jennifer Grossman
2:15–2:30 PM Break
2:30–3:15 PM Strange Bedfellows: On the Islamist-Postmodern-Woke Strategic Connections
Stephen Hicks, Ph.D.
Why are Western protests so frequently made up of pre-modern Islamists marching arm-in-arm with post-modern Wokists? The ideology of the former seeks to execute gays, subordinate women, and spread theocracy, while the ideology of the latter celebrates alternative sexualities, is officially feminist, and is usually agnostic or atheist. So, we must unpack a combination of factors—philosophical, strategic, and ‘useful idiot” dynamics.
3:15–3:30 PM Closing Remarks
Jay Lapeyre, President of Laitram, Chairman of The Atlas Society
6:30–9:00 PM Closing Reception at Cooper’s BBQ
Featuring Western Music and Line Dancing!
Please meet beginning at 6:15pm in the hotel lobby for rotating shuttles all evening.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
STEPHEN HICKS, PH.D.
Atlas Society Senior Scholar
RICHARD SALSMAN, PH.D.
Atlas Society Senior Scholar
DAVID KELLEY, PH.D.
Atlas Society Founder
JENNIFER GROSSMAN
Atlas Society CEO
JAY LAPEYRE
President of Laitram, Chairman of The Atlas Society
ROB TRACINSKI
Atlas Society Senior Fellow
GUILLAUME VERDON | Founder of Extropic
Evening Keynote
Gill Verdon founded Extropic, an AI hardware company, in 2022 to meet the demanding power and computation requirements of generative AI. Extropic is commercializing a novel approach to computing called thermodynamic computing, resulting in far more energy-efficient and performant processors for AI. Gill is also known under his pseudonym “Beff Jezos” online, spearheading a techno-progressive movement known as “e/acc”, where he initiates conversations on civilizational progress and technology’s impact on society. Previously, Gill spearheaded physics and AI research and development at Alphabet X, where he co-created TensorFlow Quantum (TFQ) in collaboration with NASA and Google. Gill did his PhD work and earned his Masters of Mathematics from the Institute for Quantum Computing and Perimeter Institute at the University of Waterloo.
CONGRATULATIONS TO PROMETHEUS PRIZE AWARDEE
MATTHEW FISKEN
FEATURED SPEAKERS
PETER VOSS
Engineer, Inventor
JACOB TOURVILLE
Vice President of Campus at Young Americans for Liberty (YAL)
HANNAH COX
Co-Founder of BASEDPolitics
MARSHA ENRIGHT
Founder and Program Director of Reliance College, Founder and President of the Reason, Individualism, Freedom Institute
DR. MATT COOK
Bestselling Author, Composer
BUD BRIGHAM
Executive Chairman of Anthem Ventures/Brigham Exploration/ Atlas Energy Solutions/Langford Energy Partners/Brigham Royalties
FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON ALL SPEAKERS, SCAN QR CODE
Founded over 30 years ago, The Atlas Society is a philosophically rooted think tank that promotes reason, achievement, benevolence, and ethical self-interest as the moral foundation for political liberty, personal happiness, and a flourishing society. The Atlas Society is at the forefront of introducing young people to the life-changing ideas of Ayn Rand in wildly creative ways, using social media-friendly formats, like animated videos, as well as through graphic novels and more conventional methods like events, webinars, and publications in varying formats and languages.
JENNIFER A. GROSSMAN CEO
DAVID KELLEY, PH.D. Founder/Senior Scholar
JAY LAPEYRE Chairman of the Board of Trustees
THE ATLAS SOCIETY 1038 Miwok Dr. Lodi, CA 95240
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