Washington Metro Objectivism Discussion (WMOD) 
		 
			  June 1996 Meeting
    
		    Conversation with Jack Wheeler

The June 19 meeting of WMOD will be our last meeting until September,
and it will feature informal discussion with Jack Wheeler: philosopher,
adventurer, and Objectivist.  FULL CONTEXT magazine features and extensive
interview with Jack in their May issue, and if you have not seen a copy
and plan to attend the meeting, WMOD has permission to send you an
email or printed copy.  Just give us a call at 703/820-7696 or email
DSaum at infiltec.com.  Subscriptions to FULL CONTEXT are $20/yr (mail a
check to FULL CONTEXT, 1175-D Kirts Blvd., Troy, MI 48084.)  Here are
the first three paragraphs of the fascinating 10 page interview:
 
Full Context Interview with Jack Wheeler
by Karen Reedstrom

Dr. Wheeler has had two parallel careers for many years: one in the field of 
adventure and exploration as the owner of Jack Wheeler Expeditions; the
other in the field of political freedom and human rights as President  of the
Freedom Research Foundation. Regarding the first, at age 12 he was honored
in the White House by President Eisenhower as the youngest Eagle Scout in
the history of the Boy Scouts. He climbed the Matterhorn at age 14, swam the
Hellespont (Life Magazine 12/12/60) and lived with Amazon headhunters at 16,
hunted a man eating tiger in Vietnam at 17, started an export business in
Vietnam at 19, and wrote The Adventurer's Guide (New York : McKay, 1975),
described by Merv Griffin as "the definitive book for anyone wishing to lead a
more adventurous and exciting life." He has three "first contacts" with tribes
never before contacted by the outside world: a clan of Aushiri Aucas in the
Amazon, the Wali ali fo in New Guinea, and a band of Bushmen in the Kalahari.
He has retraced Hannibal's route over the Alps with elephants; led numerous
expeditions in Central Asia, Tibet, Africa, and elsewhere, including 16 expeditions
to the North Pole; and has been listed in The Guinness Book of World Records
for the first free fall sky dive in history at the North Pole.

Regarding his second career, Dr. Wheeler received his Ph.D. in Philosophy
from the University of Southern California, where he has lectured on
Aristotelian ethics.  Author of numerous articles in political philosophy and
geopolitics, he began in the early '80s a series of extensive visits to anti
Soviet guerrilla insurgencies in Nicaragua, Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia,
Cambodia, Laos, and Afghanistan, and to democracy movements in Eastern
Europe and the Soviet Union, becoming an unofficial liaison between them
and the Reagan White House. Based on this, he developed the strategy for
dismantling the Soviet Empire, adopted by the White House, known as
the  "Reagan Doctrine." It worked. The Freedom Research Foundation,
founded by Dr. Wheeler in 1984, continues to provide information to a number
of Congressional offices on issues regarding political and economic freedom
throughout the world and in the United States. As Contributing Editor to
Strategic Investment, one of the world's most influential investment
publications, his column "Behind The Lines" has developed an avid
international following.

Dr. Wheeler has been called the "real Indiana Jones" by the Wall St. Journal,
the "creator of the Reagan Doctrine" by the Washington Post, and an
"ideological gangster" by the Soviet press. He has traveled to 180 countries
and all seven continents, and leads 3 to 4 expeditions a year. He and his wife,
Rebel Holiday, have two sons, Brandon (age 12) and Jackson (age 4). Their home
is in Falls Church, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. 

A full electronic version of the interview with Jack Wheeler that appears in
the May issue of _Full Context_ can be found on the Web.  Point your browser
to http://www.rust.net/~fc/wheeler.htm.  You can download an ASCII version
of the same from the _Full Context_ home page at http://www.rust.net/~fc/.


			    Last Month's Talk "What is Humanism"      

The May 22 meeting of WMOD featured a talk on the Humanist 
movement by Ken Marsalek, the president of the Washington
Area Secular Humanists (WASH).   Over 25 attendees were 
treated to Ken's talk on the history and present status of
humanism, followed by a spirited discussion comparing humanism
with Objectivism.  We generally agreed that all Objectivists
are humanists, and that not all humanists are Objectivists.  Since
humanists are united by their advocacy of reason and science, but
not by a comprehensive philosophy like Objectivism, there appears
to be little agreement among humanists on many fundamental 
issues (such as "is certainty possible?") that Objectivism has definite
positions on.  Objectivists often appear intolerant to humanists, while
humanists appear to be too willing to tolerate ideas that Objectivists
view as incorrect. Thanks to Ken for a comprehensive overview of 
humanism, and for staying to answer questions until the restaurant
closed at 10:30pm.

	     When and Where is the WMOD Meeting?

Join us on Wednesday 6/19.  You can either join us for dinner
at 7 pm and/or for the discussion at 8:15 pm at the Fortune 
Chinese Restaurant at Baileys  Xroads, VA on Route 7 between 
7 Corners and Columbia Pike (5900  Leesburg Pike 703/998-8888). 
You can take METRO to the West Falls  Church stop and then take 
METRO buses 29A or 29B East on Route 7 toward Baileys Xroads. 
The Fortune is on this route. After the meeting we can give you 
a ride back to a METRO station.  WMOD has  arranged for a $15 
fixed price dinner (including tax and tip).  Or you can order 
from the menu.  Please RSVP to WMOD (703) 820-7696 before noon 
Wednesday 6/19 so that we can tell the restaurant how many 
tables to set up. 

				 CALENDAR
       
	      Spring and Summer Conferences

IOS will hold its 1996 Summer Philosophy Seminar "Objectivism:
Theory and Practice" on July 6-13 at the University of Colorado
at Boulder. Contact http://ios.org,  (914) 471-6100, ios@ios.org.

Second Renaissance Conferences will hold its two-week-long
conference "Ideas for the Rational Mind", June 29 - July 14,
at Tysons Corner, VA. Call (203) 791-1755.
 
		    WMOD Contact Information

 The WMOD printed newsletter is $10/yr, this email newsletter is free.
 
 Contact: Dave Saum
 WMOD 
 PO Box 8007 
 Falls Church, VA 22041
 Email: DSaum at infiltec.com,  Phone: 703/820-7696, FAX: 703/671-9350 

----------- "Sapere aude" (dare to know) --------------------

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