Atlasphere member Ed Younkins has published an excellent article titled “Atlas Shrugged in the Business School.”
In the article, Younkins makes some great points about the instructional utility of fiction, Atlas Shrugged‘s unique value in this regard, and the many formats in which the novel is already being taught in business school and business ethics programs around the country.
From the introduction:
Novels, as well as plays and films, are excellent teaching tools for communicating ideas to students. A well-constructed and compelling story can engage students and make a subject more vital to them.
Fiction provides students with interesting material that does not seem like hard work. The result is that novels tend to have greater teaching power and more appeal to students than articles, textbooks, or case studies.
Because students are apt to enjoy reading fiction, it is likely that they may grasp ideas quicker and better than when more conventional teaching methods are used. For many people, pure theory is not as exciting as a good story.
The full article is well worth reading in its entirity.