Reading her works (I avoided her fiction, only read her philosophy stuff) was useful to me. I did buy into it for a while, and so while I reject her basic premise regarding altruism, I do still think she has some good points. She fetishizes individual liberty far too much, in the sense that she seems to reject the idea of a social compact outside of the avoidance of violence.
The main benefit I got from her was not in economic philosophy, and in finding and strengthening the rational underpinnings for my atheism. Before I read her, my atheism was inchoate, unreasonable. After reading her, I found my rationality and pursued it. (Sagan and Randi also played major roles.)
The main benefit I got from her was not in economic philosophy, and in finding and strengthening the rational underpinnings for my atheism. Before I read her, my atheism was inchoate, unreasonable. After reading her, I found my rationality and pursued it. (Sagan and Randi also played major roles.)
