Ayn Rand challenges the prevalent philosophical doctrines of our time and the 'guilt', panic and despair they created. She was the proponent of a new moral philosophy - an ethic of rational self-interest - that stands in sharp opposition to the ethics of altruism and self-sacrifice. The fundamentals of this new morality are set forth in this book. The author also wrote 'The Virtue of Selfishness', 'Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal' and 'Night of 16th January'.