All I want to say on this topic is, if you want to understand Ayn Rand's philosophy, start at the base. Philosophy is hierarchical. Eschew her views on aesthetics, politics, and ethics. Start at the base, at metaphysics (what is the nature of the world?) and epistemology (how do I know it?). Did God create the world and everything in it, including humans? Is there only one reality, or are there many realities? Do I create my reality, or does it exist independent of my consciousness? Is there such a thing as an afterlife? And how do you know these things, through divine revelation, because society tells you what is true and false, or through a process of independent reasoning?
Ayn would say, things are what they are; A is A. Only this world exists, and it exists wether you are aware of it existing or not. There is no heaven waiting for you when you die, nor are there other realities to be concerned with. Contradictions do not exist; if you think you have found one, check your premises, for it is evidence of an error in reasoning. She viewed reason and logic as absolute, as man's only means of knowledge, as against divine revelation (faith) or emotions. For instance: if you are held at gunpoint, you might experience the emotion of fear, but ONLY if you recognize it as a gun and that it is a threat to your life. A blind man or a primitive savage will not feel fear in this case. The blind man can't see the gun, and the savage has no knowledge of what a gun can do.
Your view on the higher branches of philosophy - ethics, politics, and aesthetics- will vary greatly depending on your view of metaphysics and epistemology.
