The Atlas Society Atlas Summit 2016 C ALL FOR P RESENTA TION P ROPOSALS The Atlas Society is currently planning the Atlas Summit 2016, our annual summer conference, continuing our “Summer Seminar” tradition. While plans are not completely finalized, we intend to hold The Atlas Summit over one-and- half days: July 12-13, 2016 at the Planet Hollywood hotel in Las Vegas, NV. The Atlas Summit will be part of a major Atlas Society presence within FreedomFest, the largest pro- freedom conference in the world. To create the program for the Summit, we are soliciting proposals for lectures, courses, workshops, artistic performances, exhibits and other program elements. Because we video-record most sessions, we are especially looking for sessions that will make engaging video products. This document contains general information about the conference, descriptions of the categories of material we are interested in seeing presented, and guidelines for proposals. General Information The Atlas Summit 2016 will be a one-and-half-day conference for people interested in Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. We may add an additional day, Monday, July 11, for an Objectivist Education program. But the main program will run Tuesday, July 12 through mid- day on Wednesday, July 13 (The main FreedomFest program gets rolling the afternoon of July 13). In addition, we expect to have an “Atlas Society Day” program of a few sessions Friday, July 15, during the main FreedomFest program. Atlas Summit registration will be a form of FreedomFest registration. All FreedomFest sessions will be open to Atlas Summit registrants, and all FreedomFest registrants will be welcome at the Atlas Summit. We hope this will greatly increase attention to our program and ideas. Atlas Summit attendees should plan to arrive by Monday night, July 11 to ready for a full day July 12. The primary features of each day’s schedule are lecture, performance, and workshop sessions. There may be 15-20 sessions total, usually running 60 minutes each. We are also willing to entertain proposals for shorter sessions or series of shorter sessions, say 30 minutes total (including Q&A), which would be apt for video format. We expect that from 150 to over 200 people will attend the main Atlas Summit program in person. The audience is diverse in background, interests, and level of knowledge. It includes college and graduate students, professional and business people, retirees, and professional scholars. Because of the size and diversity of the audience, TAS is seeking an equally diverse program, with presentations that vary in subject matter, format, and level. But Objectivism and the Objectivist world view are central to the whole program. Page � 1
You can view videos of past Atlas Summit presentations online at www.atlassociety.org/as. These showcase the variety and richness of the typical Atlas Summit program. The best Atlas Summit presentations end up reaching an audience of thousands or tens of thousands over the internet, and we are looking for proposals that will excite a broad audience about Objectivist ideas. Atlas Summit proposals will be selected on the basis of their intellectual merit, appeal to the expected audience, and fit with the overall program. The FreedomFest theme for 2016 is “Freedom Rising.” The Atlas Society is focused on the core foundations of freedom and personal happiness: reason, achievement, and ethical self-interest. We are particularly interested in speakers who can offer two or more talks or offer a mini- course covering two or more sessions. Speakers are typically compensated with a registration waiver for the Atlas Summit and an honorarium. This year, registration includes all of FreedomFest as well. In some cases, travel funds and room and board at the conference are also provided. Please send an electronic copy of your proposal to : William Thomas, Atlas Summit Conference Director Email: conferencedirector@atlassociety.org William Thomas Tel: (202) 370-6880 (Call between 8am and 9pm Eastern.) Please submit proposals by December 21, 2015. Page � 2
Program Categories Philosophy Lectures in this category deal with issues in philosophy, including the history of ideas and philosophical aspects of other subjects such as psychology, literature, etc. Presentations in the Philosophy track include, but are not limited to: • Core principles and topic areas in Objectivism • The extension of the philosophy to new areas and issues. These presentations should reflect knowledge both of the relevant Objectivist philosophical principles and of the subject area to which they are being applied. • Surveys of other thinkers, historical (e.g., Aquinas, Mill, Sartre, Russell, Freud) or contemporary (e.g., Richard Rorty, Peter Singer); or of systems of thought such as existentialism, evolutionary psychology, or secular humanism. These presentations should contrast the thinker's views with Objectivism. Politics and Culture This category includes commentary and analysis from an Objectivist point of view on political and social issues, on history, and on intellectual and cultural trends. We are looking for cultural analyzes of social phenomena such as: the new explosion in online education, the increase in female leadership in politics and business, generational differences in ethical traits such as honesty or dutifulness, or the dominance of ironic humor in American culture, to name just a few. The ideal presentation will reflect solid understanding of the specific issue or field and will offer a genuine insight or new perspective on the issue. Presentations that reflect a distinctively Objectivist approach are preferred. Applied Objectivism/Art of Living Presentations in this category put Objectivist principles into action, applying them to practical life issues and problems, such as: • Personal concerns such as goal-setting and priorities, relationships, inner life and self- esteem, thinking effectively, communication skills, raising children, health, etc. • Business and professional issues involved in pursuing careers and interacting with people in the workplace • Ideas for effective political and cultural activism • Ways of addressing spiritual needs and enriching the experience of Objectivism as a way of life through ceremonies, motivational practices, and communities • Lessons and workshops on writing, acting, dancing, exercise, and other areas in which participants may wish to develop their abilities Page � 3
Arts and Aesthetics Atlas Summit participants have a strong interest in art. Any form of art—from music and dance, to the visual arts, to literature, theater, and film—is an appropriate subject. Presentations in this category can include: • Issues in aesthetic theory, such as the standards of art criticism • Historical or contemporary trends in art • Specific works that would be of interest to our audience • Appreciation: instruction in how to enjoy and/or evaluate art • Artistic performances, readings, and exhibitions • Ayn Rand as a literary artist Page � 4
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