Атлант расправил плечи
The Non-commercial
Ayoungmanaskedhesitantly,"Butifwehaven’tanygoodconcepts,howdoweknowthattheoneswe’vegotareugly?Imean,bywhatstandard?"
"Therearen’tanystandards."
Thissilencedhisaudience.
"Thephilosophersofthepastweresuperficial,"Dr.Pritchettwenton."Itremainedforourcenturytoredefinethepurposeofphilosophy.Thepurposeofphilosophyisnottohelpmenfindthemeaningoflife,buttoprovetothemthatthereisn’tany."
Anattractiveyoungwoman,whosefatherownedacoalmine,askedindignantly,"Whocantellusthat?"
"Iamtryingto,"saidDr.Pritchett.Forthelastthreeyears,hehadbeenheadoftheDepartmentofPhilosophyatthePatrickHenryUniversity.
LillianReardenapproached,herjewelsglitteringunderthelights.Theexpressiononherfacewasheldtothesofthintofasmile,setandfaintlysuggested,likethewavesofherhair.
"Itisthisinsistenceofmanuponmeaningthatmakeshimsodifficult,"saidDr.Pritchett."Onceherealizesthatheisofnoimportancewhateverinthevastschemeoftheuniverse,thatnopossiblesignificancecanbeattachedtohisactivities,thatitdoesnotmatterwhetherhelivesordies,hewillbecomemuchmore...tractable."
Heshruggedandreachedforanothercanape.Abusinessmansaiduneasily,"WhatIaskedyouabout,Professor,waswhatyouthoughtabouttheEqualizationofOpportunityBill."
"Oh,that?"saidDr.Pritchett."ButIbelieveImadeitclearthatIaminfavorofit,becauseIaminfavorofafreeeconomy.
