In Defense of Advertising: Arguments from Reason, Ethical Egoism, and Laissez-Faire Capitalism

by Jerry Kirkpatrick

In Defense of Advertising is theoretical defense based on the philosophy of Ayn Rand and the economics of Ludwig von Mises. It argues that the proper foundations of advertising are reason, ethical egoism, and laissez-faire capitalism. Its theme is that the social and economic criticisms of advertising are false because they are based on a false philosophic and economic world view. Only an alternative world view can refute the charges and put forth a positive moral evaluation of advertising's role in human life. The author defends advertising because it appeals to the rational self-interest of consumers for the rationally selfish, profit-making gain of the capitalists.

Genres: Economics, Philosophy

201 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 1994

About the author

Jerry Kirkpatrick is professor emeritus of international business and marketing at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona), and is author of In Defense of Advertising: Arguments from Reason, Ethical Egoism, and Laissez-Faire Capitalism and Montessori, Dewey, and Capitalism: Educational Theory for a Free Market in Education. Inspired in high school to think about fundamental ideas, Kirkpatrick majored in philosophy as an undergraduate before pursuing his advanced degrees. He now writes a monthly blog at jerrykirkpatrick.blogspot.com, discussing, among other topics, his special interests in epistemology and psychology.

Reviews

[Sylvester · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic defense on the subject of advertising. Kirkpatrick is an Objectivist who uses Ayn Rand's epistemology to explain why we are encountering misconceptions about advertising and how to dispel the different myths such as high entry barrier, perfect competition, additional cost and psychologizing. I was expecting a simple rehash of Rand's works but it actually made me learn quite a few things, I can now confidently protect advertising from oncoming attacks.

[John Reis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advertising is just salesmanship. That is Kirkpatrick’s message, and it is a good one. He argues that there are not two types of advertising—one moral, one suspect—rather, he says all advertising is informative and persuasive. He ranges wide over the fields of economics and philosophy. He discusses the complaint that advertising is an expression of monopoly power by reviewing the classical, Chicago and Austrian outlooks on monopoly and perfect competition.