Tara Smith

Tara A. Smith is an American philosopher born in 1961. She holds the BB&T Chair for the Study of Objectivism and is the Anthem Foundation Fellow for the Study of Objectivism at the University of Texas at Austin. Smith's academic specialization lies in moral and political theory. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia and earned her doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. Her scholarly contributions include books such as *Viable Values: A Study of Life as the Root and Reward of Morality* (2000), *Moral Rights and Political Freedom* (1995), and *Ayn Rand's Normative Ethics: The Virtuous Egoist* (2006). She has also contributed essays to collections focused on Ayn Rand's works and published articles in various philosophical journals, including *The Journal of Philosophy*, *American Philosophical Quarterly*, *Social Philosophy and Policy*, and *Law and Philosophy*. Smith has delivered lectures at prominent institutions like Harvard University and Duke University, and has been involved in organizing conferences, particularly those concerning objective law. She serves on the board of *The Philosopher's Index* and the Academic Advisory Council of The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism. Additionally, she is a member of the Ayn Rand Society and sits on the board of directors for the Ayn Rand Institute.